📽 Verb Aspect 📸
Pashto verbs express actions by looking at them from two different aspects.
Introducing the Two Aspects
The aspects can be thought of as two different perspectives or ways of looking at an action:
Imperfective | Perfective |
|---|---|
Looking from inside at ongoing or repeated event - think of a video | Looking from outside at single, whole event - think of a photo |
Imperfective Aspect
The imperfective aspect is used for looking at the action as a process that's continuous or repeating over time, kind of like a video.
For example:
Perfective Aspect
The perfective aspect is used for looking at the action as a complete whole, without thinking about repititon or the flow of time, kind of like a photo.
For example:
Pashto Uses Aspects Everywhere!
As we saw in the examples above, in English we are used to using these two different aspects with the past tense. But Pashto uses these two aspects for almost everything! This is very import to remember and it takes a while for learners to get used to.
For example, when making commands in Pashto we have to choose which aspect we are talking about. In English we can only say "clean your room!" But in Pashto we have to think, are we talking about a one-time request to get something done (perfective ), or asking someone to work on something as on ongoing, repeated thing (imperfective )?
Imperfective | Perfective |
|---|---|
خبله کوټه صفا کوه! khpula koTa safaa kawa Clean your room! | خبله کوټه صفا کړه! khpula koTa safaa kRa! Clean your room! |
"Do it generally, or get going on it." (Asking someone to clean their room as an ongoing or repeated task.) | "Just get it done, once." (Asking someone to clean their room as a one-time task. Just get it done, once.) |
Or when talking about things in the future tense, we face the same choice of aspect:
Imperfective | Perfective |
|---|---|
مونږ به کېنو او خبرې کوو moonG ba keenóo aw khabure kawoo We'll sit and talk | مونږ به کېنو او خبرې وکړو moonG ba kéenoo aw khabure ookRoo We'll sit and talk |
We'll have a process of sitting and talking together (this will happen repeatedly or will take time) | We'll sit down and have a talk (a one time event, thought of as a whole) |
Even when talking about ability in the past tense, you still have to choose an aspect!
Imperfective | Perfective |
|---|---|
هغه له کوره وتلی شوه haghá la kora watulay shwa She was able to leave the house. | هغه له کوره ووتلی شوه haghá la kora óowatulay shwa She was able to leave the house. |
She had permission to go and could go whenever she wanted, repeatedly or in general. | In one particular instance, she was able to get out of the house. |
See what a big difference the aspect ( / ) makes? Poor English verbs don't have these aspects in a lot of situations, and so when we speak English we just have to make do with more ambiguity. But in Pashto we can (and must!) be precise.
In the next chapters (coming soon) we'll learn how to actually make verbs with these two different aspects. For now, it's just important to be aware that they exist. It takes a long time for learners to get used to the idea that they have to use the right aspect for almost everything. Otherwise, we tend to pick an aspect at random and then sound completely wrong or confusing 50% of the time. 🤦♂️