Mastering the Past Tense in Arabic: How to Use It Correctly

If you’re learning Arabic, you need to master the past tense to talk about events, share stories, and have everyday conversations. This article will go through everything you need to know about the past tense in Standard and colloquial Arabic, including Levantine, Egyptian, Gulf, and Darija.

How to form the past tense in Arabic

To form the past tense, you start with the verb’s root and add specific suffixes to match the subject. There are eight common conjugations for any tense in Arabic, corresponding to the eight pronoun forms mentioned below (MSA has more, but it’s rarely used in everyday speech). Let’s use the verb كتب (to write), whose root is ك ت ب , as an example:

Pronoun	Pronoun	Levantine	Egyptian	MSA	Gulf	Darija	Suffixes used
I	أنا	كتبت	كتبت	كتبت	كتبت	كتبت	ت ت
We	نحنا إحنا نحن	كتبنا	كتبنا	كتبنا	كتبنا	كتبنا	نا
You [pl]	أنتو أنتم	كتبتوا	كتبتوا	كتبتم	كتبتوا	كتبتوا	توا تم
You [m]	أنتَ أنتَ	كتبت	كتبت	كتبتَ	كتبت	كتبت	ت ت
You [f]	أنتي أنتِ	كتبتي	كتبتي	كتبتِ	كتبتي	كتبتي	تي ت
He	هوِّ هُوَّ هو	كتب	كتب	كتبَ	كتب	كتب	—
She	هيّي هيَّ َهِي	كتبت	كتبت	كتبت	كتبت	كتبت	ت
They	هِنِّن همّا هم	كتبوا	كتبوا	كتبوا	كتبوا	كتبوا	وا

The suffixes (e.g., نا for إحنا or تي for أنتي ) indicate the subject and should be memorized to use the past tense fluently.

This clip is recommended for practicing the past tense and routines in Egyptian dialect.

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Negating the past tense in Arabic

To say that something didn’t happen, use the negation marker م or ما in Levantine, Gulf, Darija, and MSA or ما…ش or م…ش in Egyptian. Palestinian and Jordanian Arabic use م…ش ما…ش sometimes as well, but more often leaves out the ش . Here’s how you negate the verbs in the table listed above:

Pronoun	Pronoun	Levantine	Egyptian	MSA	Gulf	Darija
I	أنا	ما كتبت	ما كتبتش	ما كتبت	ما كتبت	ما كتبتش
We	نحنا إحنا نحن	ما كتبنا	ما كتبناش	ما كتبنا	ما كتبنا	ما كتبناش
You [pl]	أنتو أنتم	ما كتبتوا	ما كتبتوش	ما كتبتم	ما كتبتوا	ما كتبتوش
You [m]	أنت أنت	ما كتبت	ما كتبتش	ما كتبتَ	ما كتبت	ما كتبتيش
You [f]	أنتي أنتِ	ما كتبتي	ما كتبتيش	ما كتبتِ	ما كتبتي	ما كتبتيش
He	هوِّ هُوَّ هُوَ	ما كتب	ما كتبش	ما كتب	ما كتب	ما كتبش
She	هيّي َّهي هي	ما كتبت	ما كتبتش	ما كتبت	ما كتبت	ما كتبتش
They	هنن همّا هم	ما كتبوا	ما كتبوش	ما كتبوا	ما كتبوا	ما كتبوش

Beyond the basics: exploring different uses of past tense in Arabic

After mastering how to form and negate the past tense, it’s important to delve into the nuanced ways Arabic expresses past states, habitual actions, possibilities, obligations, near misses, wishes, and hypotheticals. These variations expand your ability to describe events with precision and emotional depth, making your conversations more natural and engaging. The following sections explore key constructions like كان for past states, habitual actions, and unrealized possibilities, as well as expressions like كان لازم for past obligations and ياريت for expressing regrets or wishes. Understanding these uses will enhance your fluency in Arabic.

Expressing past states with كان in Arabic

In Arabic, the verb كان is used to indicate a past state or condition, functioning similarly to the verb “be” in English when referring to the past. It describes how things were at a specific point in time. For example, أحمد كان مشغول (Ahmed was busy) conveys a state that was true in the past but may not necessarily continue into the present. The use of كان helps place the description or condition firmly in the past, making it an essential element for discussing past events, states, or circumstances in Arabic.

A story teller describes a child using كان.

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Understanding the habitual and progressive past in Arabic

In Arabic, the habitual or progressive past is expressed using the imperfect verb form الفعل المضارع in combination with certain contextual indicators that show the action occurred repeatedly or continuously in the past. Unlike English, which uses auxiliary verbs like “used to” or “was/were + -ing,” Arabic relies heavily on context or adverbs of frequency, such as كان (used to be) followed by the imperfect verb, to indicate the progressive or habitual aspect. For example, كان يزورنا كل يوم (he used to visit us every day) emphasizes habitual action, while كان بيلعب لما دخلت (he was playing when you entered) highlights a progressive past action. This nuanced use allows Arabic speakers to convey temporal and aspectual distinctions within past events effectively.

A Jordanian child talks about how he learned to sing.

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Expressing near misses or unfulfilled actions in Arabic

In Arabic, the structure كان followed by a verb in the imperfect form can indicate an action that was on the verge of happening but ultimately did not occur. This construction conveys a sense of imminence, highlighting that the event was close to happening but was interrupted or prevented. For example, حسن كان حيعمل مشكلة (Hassan was about to have an accident) emphasizes that the accident was narrowly avoided. The auxiliary verb كان sets the context in the past, while the imperfect verb form حيعمل suggests the action was imminent but not completed. This use is particularly common in colloquial Arabic and adds a layer of detail to the narrative, allowing the speaker to express unrealized possibilities or near misses with clarity and immediacy.

Expressing past necessities and obligations in Arabic

In Arabic, the phrases كان لازم and كان المفروض are used to express necessity or obligation in the past. These constructions indicate actions that were required or expected but may or may not have been fulfilled. For example, كان لازم اعمل شاي (I had to make tea) shows a past necessity. Similarly, كان المفروض تقولي (You should have told me) highlights an obligation or expectation that was not met. These expressions rely on كان to place the obligation in the past, while لازم or المفروض convey the sense of necessity or duty. This usage allows Arabic speakers to articulate past responsibilities or missed expectations with clarity.

A clip from the famous Syrian series “Maraya,” featured among real-world videos on the Playaling.

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Expressing past possibilities in Arabic

In Arabic, the phrase كان ممكن is used to express a past possibility or potential that was not realized. It conveys that an action was feasible or achievable under certain circumstances, but for some reason, it did not happen. For example, كان ممكن أعملها (I could have done it) implies that the speaker had the ability or opportunity to perform the action but chose not to or was unable to. The use of كان places the possibility in the past, while ممكن signifies that the action was within the realm of potential. This construction allows Arabic speakers to reflect on unrealized possibilities or missed opportunities with nuance and precision.

Two Egyptians discuss the implications of accepting a عزومة مراكبية (“boatman invitation”).

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Expressing wishes and regrets in Arabic

In Arabic, the word ياريت is used to convey a wish or longing for something that did not happen or is unlikely to happen. It expresses a deep sense of regret or desire for a different reality. For example, ياريتني عرفتك من زمان (I wish I’d met you earlier) reflects a wistful yearning for a past event that could have changed the present. This construction is common in spoken Arabic and adds emotional depth to expressions of longing, making it a powerful tool for articulating personal hopes and regrets.

A woman uses يا ريت in a Syrian series.

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Expressing hypotheticals in the past in Arabic

In Arabic, past hypotheticals are often expressed using the structure لو (if) combined with كان and a verb in the past or imperfect tense. This construction conveys situations that could have happened but didn’t, or hypothetical outcomes of past events. For example, لو درست أكتر، كنت نجحت (If I had studied more, I would have succeeded) reflects a hypothetical scenario that contrasts with reality. The use of لو introduces the conditional, while كان or كنت places the hypothetical action or result firmly in the past. This structure is a key tool for discussing “what if” scenarios and expressing reflections on alternate outcomes in Arabic.

An example of past hypothetical construction in Syrian Arabic.

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Oh, and by the way…

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