Here, we will learn how to use verbs in two tenses in Punjabi: the present habitual and present progressive tenses. We will study the remaining tenses in the future units.
Present Habitual Tense
The habitual tense refers to actions that take place habitually but the timing isn’t generally known. For example, let’s look at the sentence “I play basketball.” It is definitely in the present, but we don’t know definitively when the action began or stopped. Thus, we say that this sentence is in the present habitual tense. It is formed by combining the imperfective participle (root + ਦਾ, ਦੀ, ਦੇ, or ਦੀਆਂ) with the conjugated form of ਹੋਣਾ.
Present Progressive Tense
The progressive tense refers to actions that take place but the timing is known. For example, let’s look at the sentence “I am playing basketball.” Here, we are not referring to a habit or a habitual action like the habitual tense, but rather an action that is taking place in a known time period. You can remember this tense like this: time is progressing while an action takes place.
The present progressive tense refers to actions that are going on in the present but have not yet been completed. To form this tense, take the root of the verb and add the correct form of ਰਿਹਾ, which can be seen in the table below.
Forms of ਰਿਹਾ
| Singular | Plural | |
| Masculine | ਰਿਹਾ | ਰਹੇ |
| Feminine | ਰਹੀ | ਰਹੀਆਂ |