HENNAA (TENSE)
Maalummaa Henna (The Nature of Tense)
Hennaa jechuun, yeroo gochi tokko itti raawwatame kan mul'isudha. Kunis, gocha yeroo darbe
raawwatame, gocha ammaa raawwatamu yookaan gocha raawwatamuuf deemu ta'uu danda'a.
(Tense is a verb that indicates the time when an action took place. This can be an action in the past, an
action in the present, or an action in the future.)
Fakkeenyaf,
a) Abdiifi Caaltuun yeroo hundu mana barnootaa dhaqu. (Abdi and Chaltu go to school all the time.)
b) Abdiifi Caaltuun mana barnootaa dhaqan. (Abdi and Chaltu went to school.)
c) Abdiifi Caaltuun mana barnootaa dhaquufi. (Abdi and Chaltu are going to school.)
Akaakuu Hennaa (Kinds of Tense)
Hennaan akaakuu bu'uuraa sadii qaba. Isaanis, hennaa darbe, hennaa ammaafi hennaa gara fuulduraati.
(There are three basic types of tense. They are past tense, present tense and future tense.)
1. Hennaa Darbeennaa (Past Tense)
Hennaan darbeennaan gocha yeroo darbe raawwatame kan ibsuudha. Karaa biraa, gocha amma dura
raawwatame kan ibsuudha.
(Past tense describes an action that happened in the past. In other words, it refers to an action that has
already taken place.)
A. Hennaa Darbeennaa salphaa (Simple past Tense): waan yeroo darbe keessa eegalee yeruma sana
xumurame ibsa.
(Simple past: describes something that started in the past and completed at that time.)
Fakkeenyaaf,
a) Tolaan ciree isaa nyaate. (Tola ate his breakfast.)
b) Qiddus kaleessa dhufe. (Kidus came yesterday.)
c) Daraartuun ijoollee mana barumsaa geesssite. (Derartu took the children to school.)
Himoonn asii oli henna darbe ta'uu garsiisu. Kana jechuun, gochi tokko yeroo darbe raawwatamuu
isaafi yeroo ammaan kan wal hinqabanne ta’uu agarsiisu.
(The sentences above indicate past tense. In other words, they indicate that an action has been
accomplished in the past and is not related to the present tense.)
B. Hennaa tarsiiqaa (Past continuous tense): hennaan tarsiiqaan gocha yeroo darbe keessa walitti
fufiinsaan raawwatamaa ture ibsa.
(Past continuous tense: a continuous tense describes an action that was taking place continuously in
the past.)
Fakkeenyaaf,
a) Hawwiin kitaaba dubbisaa turte. (Hawi was reading a book.)
b) Kakuufi Biiftuun Afaan Oromoo dubbisaa turan. (Keku and Biftu were reading Afan Oromo.)
c) Deraartuu Tulluu fügicha shaakalaa turte. (Derartu Tulluu was practicing running.)
Himoonni asii olii hundi henna tarsiiqaadha. Hundi isaanii gocha yeroo darbe keessa raawwatamaa
ture agarsiisu; garuu, gocha yeroo darbe keessa raawwatamaa ture agarsiisu malee yeroo ammaa
waliin kan wal hin qabannedha.
(All of the above sentences are past continuous tense. They all refer to actions in the past; however, it
refers to an action that was taking place in the past and is not related to the present.)
C. Hennaa darbeennaa murteessaa (Past perfect tense): Hennaa kana keessatti gochoota lama yeroo
darbe raawwataman keessaa tokko kan biroo dursee raawwatamuu kan ibsudha.
(past perfect tense: In this sentence, it shows that from two actions in the past when one action is
done before the other.)
Fakkeenyaaf,
a) Yeroo ani buufata konkolaataa ga'e, konolaataan bahee ture. (When I arrived at the bus station,
the car had left.)
b) Yeroon achi ga'e, siren ani gaafadhe qabamee ture. (When I got there, the bed I requested was
reserved.)
c) Utuu hinrafin, natti bari'e. (Before I slept, it dawned on me.)
Himoota asii olii keessa gochoota lama kan yeroo darbe raawwatamantu jiru. Gochi tokko gocha kaan
dursee raawwatame. Lachuu yeroo darbe raawwataman Kanaafuu, henna akkasiin darbeennaa
murteessaa jenna.
(There are two past tense verbs in the sentences above. One action preceded another. Both are done in
the past tense Therefore, we say such tenses past perfect tense.)