“When” and “While” in Past Continuous Tense

As you remember, we have studied past continuous tense for the past couple of weeks. There is one more thing about this tense that is good to know. Today, we are going to learn the following structure:

Example:

I was eating lunch when he called.

As you noticed, the main discussion is on ‘WHEN’. In past continuous tense, we can use ‘WHEN’ between two tenses. That is to say, we have ‘WHEN’ plus two other tenses. As you see in the above example, we have past continuous tense at one side and simple past tense at the other. Is that clear? I hope yes!

We can translate this kind of sentences into Persian in a couple of ways. The easiest one (at least I think it’s the easiest!) is what we are going to learn now.

Here’s how:

1- Translate the past continuous tense first.

2- Use /keh/ for ‘WHEN’.

3- Translate the simple past tense.

Was it difficult? Of course not!

Let me try first:

To call = /telefon kærdæn/. Also (more conversational) /zæng zædæn/.

I was eating lunch when he called = /da:shtæm na:ha:r mi khordæm keh u: zæng zæd/. Easy, isn’t it?

Now let’s see another example:

I was watching TV when the electricity went.

/da:shtæm televiziyu:n nega:h mi kærdæm keh bærgh ræft/.

Another example:

She was going when I saw her. /da:sht mi ræft keh u: ra: didæm/.

NOTE: The same rule is applicable for ‘WHILE’.

Please go to useful drills page for more work. Have a nice week!

Quiz:
1- Listen to the audio files first (preferably once). Repeat it for a couple of times. Write it down on a paper. Find their English equivalents. (Seen)

One

One

Two

Two

Three

Three

2- Find the Persian equivalent for the following words and make four sentences with each of them (one in simple past tense, one in present perfect tense using ‘for’, one in simple future tense, and one in present continuous tense).

Cloth

Month

For a long time

Several

3- Say these numbers in Persian:

66 – 606 – 6006 – 660 – 6600 – 6060

4- Follow the examples, combine the letters, and make words using the given letters. You’ll have to change the big letters into the small ones whenever needed.

Friend <= /du:st/ < ==

Book <= /keta:b/ < ==

Cloth < ==

Month / Moon < ==

To eat < ==

Food / Meal < ==

Several =