جب ... تب
Linking Times Across Clauses
The first event supplies the time for the second.
How It Works
In جب تم آؤ گے، تب ہم کھانا کھائیں گے, both events are future. English naturally says “when you come,” without translating آؤ گے as “when you will come.”
A past event can provide the time instead. The two clauses may describe a sequence or a state that holds at the named time.
The main clause can omit تب when the relation is clear. A corresponding تو is also common; the time clause still begins with جب.
Examples (4)
- جب تم آؤ گے، تب ہم کھانا کھائیں گے۔
When you come, we will eat.
Both Urdu clauses use future forms.
- جب بارش رکی، تب ہم باہر نکلے۔
When the rain stopped, we went outside.
The first completed event supplies the time boundary.
- جب میں چھوٹا تھا، تب یہ سڑک کچی تھی۔
When I was little, this road was unpaved.
The time clause locates a past state.
- جب آپ فارغ ہوں، مجھے فون کیجیے۔
Call me when you are free.
تب is omitted; the time relation remains clear.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Understand the relative-correlative relationship. Recognize the time domain.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice جب ... تب in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Urdu lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
