In this lesson, we will learn how to conjugate verbs in the past tense and in the future tense in Tahitian and how to make sentences in the past tense and in the future tense.
This lesson is related to previous lessons:
In this lesson, we will see cases 3. and 4 from the lesson Conjugate in Tahitian. The cases 1. and 2. are covered by the lesson The present tense in Tahitian – E, Tē…nei, Tē…ra
Codification (underline, bold, italic)
First, in this lesson, we will adopt the following codification that we have already used in the lesson: Make a sentence in Tahitian – Particle I, no, na
| Tahitian | English | Grammatical component |
| Tē haere nei | to go | VERB |
| au | I | SUBJECT |
| i te haapiiraa | At school | COMPLEMENT |
A quick reminder: How to conjugate in Tahitian?
In the previous lesson Conjugate in Tahitian, we saw that to conjugate, we have several scenarios:
- No indication of the degree of accomplishment of the action (for example: It is a house)
- Action in progress
- Here, now, right now (for example: I’m going to school)
- For a while now, I’ve started and I’m still…
- Yesterday, I was doing…
- Action accomplished
- Action to come
The past tense and the future tense in Tahitian
In this lesson, we will see cases 3. and 4.
- Case 3. can be translated into the past tense in English, but also to the present tense and a lot more.
- Case 4. translates into the future tense in English.
3) Action accomplished – The past tense in Tahitian, and a lot more
Straightforward, here’s the rule.
| Conjugation Rule: Action accomplished |
| In Tahitian, the structure is as follows: UA – VERB – SUBJECT – COMPLEMENT |
And, “ua,” what is it?
| Particle | Detail |
| Ua | Evolution particle
Gives information on the nature of a state resulting from an action completed in relation to a given moment (this moment may be in the past, present or future) |
“ua” provides information on the accomplishment of an action in relation to a given moment, the reference moment is either:
- In the past
- During the present
- In the future
The following examples will allow us to better understand, the reference moment appears in blue:
| Tahitian | English | Matching |
| I to’u taeraa mai i te ‘utuāfare, ua reva a’e na ‘o Hina i te haapiiraa | At my arrival at home, Hina was already gone to school | Past simple tense |
| I teie nei, ua reva ‘o Hina i te haapiiraa | Now, Hina is gone to school. | Present simple tense |
| I teie nei, ua rahi ‘o Hina | Now, Hina is tall (understood, before she was small) | Present simple tense |
| A nanahi, ua reva ‘o Hina i te haapiiraa | Tomorrow, Hina will be gone to school | Future tense |
Thanks to these few examples, our vocabulary is enriched:
| Tahitian | English |
| Tae | Arrive, reach, achieve |
| Te taeraa | The arrival |
| To’u taeraa | My arrival |
| Te ‘utuāfare | The house, the household, the family |
| Reva | To leave |
| A’e na | Already (gap from any other moment that is not that of enunciation) |
| I teie nei | Now, right now |
| Rahi | Tall, numerous, a lot |
| A nanahi | Tomorrow |
Mai: we already know it from the lesson Where are you from in Tahitian – Where are you going – Mai, atu
I: we also know it from the lesson Make a sentence in Tahitian – Particle I, no, na
4) Action to come – the future tense in Tahitian
Here’s the rule:
| Conjugation Rule: Action to come (Future tense) |
| In Tahitian, the structure is as follows: UA/E – VERB – SUBJECT – COMPLEMENT |
Two cases can be distinguished:
- with “ua” considering the state resulting from the action taken in the future
- with “e” , the zero-aspect particle, we have no indication of the degree of achievement of the action
In both cases, it is necessary to have a complement of time in the future or a context that indicates the future.
Let’s illustrate with examples:
| Tahitian | English | Matching |
| A nanahi, ua reva ‘o Hina i te haapiiraa | Tomorrow, Hina will be gone to school | Future tense |
| A nanahi, e haere ‘o Hina i te haapiiraa | Tomorrow, Hina will go to school | Future tense |
And then what?
You now know how to conjugate verbs and make sentences in the past tense and the future tense in Tahitian. I’m proud of you! Finally, with this lesson, we learned 16 words or vocabulary phrases. See you soon for a next lesson