-ैत-ैत

While Something Goes on

Level 4Sounds Like ̔aita-̔aita

Doubling the -ैत form shows an action that keeps going until something happens.

How It Works

Build the form from the same stem you use in the present: चल + ैत gives चलैत, so the doubled form is चलैत-चलैत. Say it at the start of the sentence, then name what happened as the action went on.

VerbDoubled formMeaning
चलबचलैत-चलैतwhile walking and walking
कानबकनैत-कनैतwhile crying and crying
देखबदेखैत-देखैतbefore one's eyes, bit by bit
पढ़बपढ़ैत-पढ़ैतwhile reading and reading

The main verb that follows is usually in the past: थाकि गेलहुँ, सुति गेल, पैघ भऽ गेल. The doubled part is only the background, so it never takes person endings. It looks the same whether the doer is हम, ओ or a child.

This is a pattern for stories and everyday talk. The sense is close to "in the middle of doing it, something changed".

Examples (5)

  1. चलैत-चलैत हम थाकि गेलहुँ।

    I got tired from walking and walking.

    चलैत-चलैत sets the scene and then थाकि गेलहुँ gives the result.

  2. कनैत-कनैत बउआ सुति गेल।

    The little boy cried himself to sleep.

    कनैत-कनैत shows the crying went on until he fell asleep.

  3. देखैत-देखैत बच्चा पैघ भऽ गेल।

    Before our eyes the child grew up.

    देखैत-देखैत means the change happened while we were watching.

  4. पढ़ैत-पढ़ैत सीताक आँखि लागि गेल।

    Sita fell asleep while reading and reading.

    The doubled form is the same for any doer; the main verb ends the sentence.

  5. बजैत-बजैत ओ चुप भऽ गेलाह।

    While talking and talking, he suddenly went quiet.

    The respectful ending shows only on the main verb गेलाह.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Hindi -ते-ते form.

    चलते-चलते हम थाकि गेलहुँ।
    चलैत-चलैत हम थाकि गेलहुँ।

    Maithili uses -ैत, not the Hindi -ते.

How It Connects

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

-ैत-ैतLevel 4While Something Goes on

Learn This First

Repeating the -ैत form shows a long action, and its usual ending is a compound with गेल.