Language/Bengali/Grammar/Verbs
As a Bengali language teacher for over 20 years, I have seen many students struggle with Bengali verbs. In this lesson, we will learn about different types of verbs and their tenses in Bengali sentences.
Types of Verbs
Bengali verbs can be classified into three types:
1. ক্রিয়া বিশেষণ ক্রিয়াপদ (kriya bishesan kriyapod): Action verbs 2. গত কাল (gat kal): Past tense 3. অতীত কাল (atit kal): Future tense
Action verbs are further classified as transitive and intransitive verbs:
1. Transitive verbs need an object to complete their meaning. For example:
Bengali | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
পড়া | "pôṛa" | read (transitive) |
লিখা | "likha" | write (transitive) |
2. Intransitive verbs do not require an object to complete their meaning. For example:
Bengali | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
বসা | "bôsa" | sit (intransitive) |
খেলা | "khela" | play (intransitive) |
Tenses
Bengali verbs have two basic tenses: গত কাল (gat kal) or past tense and অতীত কাল (atit kal) or future tense.
Past Tense
Past tense is used to describe actions that have already happened. To form the past tense, add '-ল' (-l) to the root verb. For example:
Bengali | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
লিখা | "likha" | write (transitive) |
লিখলাম | "likholam" | wrote |
For intransitive verbs, add '-ল' (-l) to the root verb ending with '-ই' (-i). For example:
Bengali | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
বসা | "bôsa" | sit (intransitive) |
বসলাম | "bosolam" | sat |
Future Tense
Future tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. To form the future tense, add '-ব' (-b) to the root verb. For example:
Bengali | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
লিখা | "likha" | write (transitive) |
লিখব | "likhabo" | will write |
For intransitive verbs, add '-ব' (-b) to the root verb ending with '-আ' (-a). For example:
Bengali | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
বসা | "bôsa" | sit (intransitive) |
বসব | "bosbo" | will sit |
It is important to note that there are some verbs that have irregular past and future tense forms. For example:
Bengali | Pronunciation | Past Tense | Future Tense |
---|---|---|---|
হতা | "hôta" | হলাম "holam" | হব "hob" |
আসা | "asha" | আসলাম "aslam" | আসব "asbo" |
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have learned about different types of verbs and their tenses in Bengali sentences. Remember that verbs can be either transitive or intransitive and have two basic tenses: past and future. Keep practicing and soon you will be able to use Bengali verbs with confidence.
Related Lessons
- Give your Opinion
- Pronouns
- Question Words
- Future Tense
- Types of Adverbs
- Subordinating Conjunctions
- Nouns
- Adverbial Phrases
- How to Use Be
- Questions
Sources
- Automatic Extraction of Bengali Root Verbs using Paninian Grammar
- Bengali grammar - Wikipedia
- Bengali/Grammar - Wikibooks, open books for an open world