-ते रहना

Continuing an Action

Level 3Sounds Like tē rahanā

-ता, -ती or -ते plus रहना means keep doing: वह बोलता रहा (He kept talking).

How It Works

This pattern stresses that an action goes on and on. वह बोलता रहा means he kept talking, maybe longer than expected. Compare वह बोल रहा था, which only says he was talking at some moment.

SubjectFormEnglish
वह (he)बोलता रहाhe kept talking
रीमापढ़ती रहीReema kept studying
वेहँसते रहेthey kept laughing
तुमकोशिश करते रहोkeep trying

Both parts agree with the subject: a woman पढ़ती रही, a group of men or a mixed group हँसते रहे. रहना never takes ने, so the subject stays plain even with a verb like बोलना or खाना: वह खाता रहा.

The pattern often comes with a length of time: दो घंटे, सारी रात, पूरे दिन. It can also show an action repeated again and again, such as coughing.

As a command, it often means keep doing something from time to time: मिलते रहिए (Do keep in touch).

Examples (5)

  1. रीमा दो घंटे पढ़ती रही।

    Reema kept studying for two hours.

    पढ़ती रही agrees with Reema.

  2. बच्चे बाहर खेलते रहे।

    The children kept playing outside.

    खेलते रहे agrees with the plural subject.

  3. वह सारी रात खाँसता रहा।

    He kept coughing all night.

    The coughing happens again and again through the night.

  4. तुम कोशिश करते रहो।

    Keep trying.

    रहो turns the pattern into encouragement.

  5. मिलते रहिए!

    Do keep in touch!

    A common polite goodbye, literally keep meeting.

Common Mistakes

  • Making only रहना agree.

    बच्चे बाहर खेलता रहे।
    बच्चे बाहर खेलते रहे।

    Both words agree with the subject. बच्चे is plural, so use खेलते रहे.

  • Adding ने.

    उसने बोलता रहा।
    वह बोलता रहा।

    रहना never takes ने, so the subject stays वह.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-ते रहनाLevel 3Continuing an Action

Learn This First

Continuing an action adds रहना, the verb for staying, to the -ते form.

Words in This Pattern

रहना-ता