تھا / تھی / تھے / تھیں

The Past of to Be

Level 2

Put the past form of to be after the place or description.

How It Works

Put the description before the form of to be: کھڑکی بند تھی says the window was closed. The feminine noun کھڑکی selects تھی; the adjective بند keeps its form.

Compare a group: کھڑکیاں بند تھیں. The windows are feminine plural, so تھیں carries the plural marking. Masculine plural دروازے instead goes with تھے.

Respect also affects agreement. A single person addressed as آپ takes تھے or تھیں. These forms describe the past state itself; they do not by themselves mean that an action was completed.

Examples (4)

  1. کھڑکی بند تھی۔

    The window was closed.

    Feminine singular کھڑکی takes تھی.

  2. کھڑکیاں بند تھیں۔

    The windows were closed.

    Feminine plural کھڑکیاں takes تھیں.

  3. دروازہ کھلا تھا۔

    The door was open.

    Masculine singular دروازہ takes تھا.

  4. آپ دفتر میں تھے۔

    You were at the office.

    Respectful masculine reference takes تھے even for one person.

Common Mistakes

  • Using singular feminine تھی for plural windows.

    کھڑکیاں بند تھی۔
    کھڑکیاں بند تھیں۔

    The subject is plural; use تھیں.

How It Connects

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

تھا / تھی / تھے / تھیںLevel 2The Past of to Be

Learn This First

Compare the present copula with the past state forms. Match the past forms to gender and number.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

ہونا