छलहुँ / छलाह / छल
Being in the Past
छलहुँ, छलाह, छलीह and छल are the past of to be.
How It Works
| Subject | Past of to be |
|---|---|
| हम, अहाँ | छलहुँ |
| a respected man | छलाह |
| a respected woman | छलीह |
| a child, a thing, anyone plain | छल |
Compare the present: हम छी becomes हम छलहुँ, ओ छथि becomes ओ छलाह, and बरखा अछि becomes बरखा छल. For the close तोँ, the form is छलह.
Maithili has no word like Hindi था or थी. A man and a woman are not told apart with हम or अहाँ, so छलहुँ serves both. Only respected third persons show the difference between छलाह and छलीह.
Negative: put नहि before it, as in हम घर मे नहि छलहुँ.
Examples (5)
- जखन हम छोट छलहुँ, तखन गाम मे छलहुँ।
When I was little, I was in the village.
छलहुँ goes with हम.
- दादा बड्ड कड़ा छलाह।
Grandfather was very strict.
छलाह is for a respected man.
- दादी बड्ड नीक छलीह।
Grandmother was very kind.
छलीह is for a respected woman.
- राति बड्ड ठंढा छल।
The night was very cold.
छल goes with a thing.
- अहाँ काल्हि कतय छलहुँ?
Where were you yesterday?
छलहुँ also goes with अहाँ.
Common Mistakes
Using the plain past with हम.
हम छोट छल।हम छोट छलहुँ।हम needs छलहुँ. छल is for plain third persons and things.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Each past form of to be pairs with a present form, so the present comes first.
Related Patterns
- -लहुँ With हम and अहाँThe Simple Past with हम and अहाँ
The same -हुँ ending appears in the simple past.
Level 2 - गेलाह / गेलीह / गेलRespect in the Past: गेलाह and गेल
The -लाह, -लीह and -ल endings match.
Level 2 - -ैत छलहुँUsed to: Past Habits
छलहुँ also builds the past habit.
Level 2 - छह With तोँBeing with तोँ: छह
तोँ has its own forms, छह and छलह.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice छलहुँ / छलाह / छल in Bubblegum
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