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Master the Past Continuous Tense in Turkish (-iyordu)
Introduction
Objective: Understand how to describe actions that were ongoing in the past.
The Past Continuous Tense is used for actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past, often interrupted by another action.
In Turkish, this tense is called “Şimdiki Zamanın Hikâyesi” or the -iyordu form.
“Sen aradığında yemek yiyordum.”
“Onlar televizyon izliyordu.”
How to Form the Past Continuous
Formula: Verb Root + (-iyor/-ıyor/-uyor/-üyor) + Past Suffix (-du/-dı/-tu/-tı)
- Take the verb root (remove -mek/-mak)
- Add the present continuous suffix -iyor/-ıyor/-uyor/-üyor
- Add the past tense suffix -du/-dı/-tu/-tı according to vowel harmony
| Verb (Infinitive) | Verb Root | Present Continuous | Past Continuous | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yemek | ye- | yiyor | yiyordu | was eating |
| içmek | iç- | içiyor | içiyordu | was drinking |
| koşmak | koş- | koşuyor | koşuyordu | was running |
| gitmek | git- | gidiyor | gidiyordu | was going |
Personal Endings
The past continuous uses personal suffixes attached to -du.
| Pronoun | Suffix | Example (içmek → içiyordu) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben (I) | -m | İçiyordum | I was drinking |
| Sen (You) | -n | İçiyordun | You were drinking |
| O (He/She/It) | – (none) | İçiyordu | He/She was drinking |
| Biz (We) | -k | İçiyorduk | We were drinking |
| Siz (You formal/plural) | -nuz | İçiyordunuz | You were drinking |
| Onlar (They) | -lar (optional) | İçiyorlardı / İçiyordu | They were drinking |
When to Use the Past Continuous
Interrupted Actions
An ongoing action interrupted by another event.
“Telefon çaldığında uyuyordum.”
Parallel Actions
Two or more actions happening simultaneously.
“Ben yemek yapıyordum, kardeşim televizyon izliyordu.”
Setting the Scene
Describing background context in stories.
“Yağmur yağıyordu ve rüzgar esiyordu.”
Tense Comparison
Understanding the difference between Past Simple, Present Continuous, and Past Continuous is crucial.
| Past Simple (-dı/-di) | Present Continuous (-iyor) | Past Continuous (-iyordu) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dün kitap okudum. | Şu anda kitap okuyorum. | Dün bu saatlerde kitap okuyordum. | I read a book yesterday. / I am reading a book now. / I was reading a book at this time yesterday. |
| Geçen hafta İstanbul’a gittim. | Şimdi İstanbul’a gidiyorum. | O sırada İstanbul’a gidiyordum. | I went to Istanbul last week. / I am going to Istanbul now. / I was going to Istanbul at that time. |
| Telefon çaldı. | Telefon çalıyor. | Telefon çalıyordu. | The phone rang. / The phone is ringing. / The phone was ringing. |
Key Takeaways:
- Past Simple (-dı/-di): Completed actions in the past.
- Present Continuous (-iyor): Actions happening now.
- Past Continuous (-iyordu): Ongoing past actions (often interrupted).
Test Your Knowledge
Complete this 10-question quiz to master the Past Continuous Tense!
Quiz Completed!