Once you can describe your day in the present, the natural next step is talking about the past. Arabic past-tense verbs change their ending to match the subject: ذهبتُ (I went), ذهبتَ (you went, m.), ذهب (he went).
Past-tense verbs
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ذهبت | dhahabtu | I went |
| أكلت | akaltu | I ate |
| شربت | sharibtu | I drank |
| رأيت | ra’aytu | I saw |
| كتبت | katabtu | I wrote |
| قرأت | qara’tu | I read |
| عملت | 3amiltu | I worked |
| نمت | nimtu | I slept |
| كنت | kuntu | I was |
| اشتريت | ishtaraytu | I bought |
Time markers for the past
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| أمس | amsi | yesterday |
| البارحة | al-baariḥa | last night |
| قبل يومين | qabla yawmayn | two days ago |
| الأسبوع الماضي | al-usboo3 al-maaḍee | last week |
| الشهر الماضي | ash-shahr al-maaḍee | last month |
| كان | kaana | was |
Talking about yesterday
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| أمس ذهبت إلى السوق | amsi dhahabtu ilaa as-sooq | yesterday I went to the market |
| أكلت في مطعم | akaltu fee maṭ3am | I ate at a restaurant |
| رأيت صديقي | ra’aytu ṣadeeqee | I saw my friend |
| شربت قهوة | sharibtu qahwa | I drank coffee |
| كتبت رسالة | katabtu risaala | I wrote a message |
| كنت متعبا | kuntu mut3aban | I was tired |
| كان الجو جميلا | kaana al-jaww jameelan | the weather was beautiful |
| لم أذهب | lam adhhab | I didn’t go |
Dialogue: What did you do yesterday?
Talking about yesterday
- Amaadhaa fa3alta amsi?What did you do yesterday?
- Bdhahabtu ilaa as-sooqI went to the market
- Amaadhaa ishtarayt?What did you buy?
- Bishtaraytu malaabis jadeedaI bought new clothes
- Athumma akaltu fee maṭ3amThen I ate at a restaurant
- Bhal ra'ayta aḥadan?Did you see anyone?
- Ana3am, ra'aytu ṣadeeqeeYes, I saw my friend
- Bkaana yawman jameelanIt was a beautiful day
Practice
How do you say 'I went' in Arabic?
hint: The past tense of 'ذهب'
What does 'أمس' mean?
hint: It is a time marker for the past
How do you say 'I saw my friend' in Arabic?
hint: Use 'رأيت' for 'I saw'
Match each pair — start with Arabic (left)
0 / 8Arabic
English
← Select an Arabic word, then tap its meaning →
Want the full conjugation rules? See the past tense guide.
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