The Past Ending -ra / -re
The Past Ending
Root + r + vowel. Ọ gara ahịa means he or she went to the market.
How It Works
The past ending is r plus a vowel. Harmony picks most of the vowel.
| Root | Past | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ga | gara | went |
| bịa | bịara | came |
| zụta | zụtara | bought |
| me | mere | did |
| ri | riri | ate |
| hụ | hụrụ | saw |
| gụ | gụrụ | read |
No short rule covers every verb, so learn each past form as you meet it. Some linguists treat this ending as a mark of completed action more than of past time. For most action verbs, the past meaning is the useful reading. For a result that holds now, see the -la perfect.
Examples (4)
- Ọ gara ahịa.
He or she went to the market.
Ga plus -ra.
- O mere ya.
He or she did it.
Me plus -re.
- O riri nri.
He or she ate food.
Ri copies its vowel.
- Ọ hụrụ m.
He or she saw me.
Hụ copies its vowel.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The ending is added to the root of the verb, so verb names come first.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice The Past Ending -ra / -re in Bubblegum
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