ماضی
māzī/mɑː.ziː/masculine
The English word 'past' can be translated into Urdu as ماضی (māzī). Wiktionary also lists گُذَشْتَہ (guzaśta).
Meaning: period of time that has already happened (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ماضی | māzī | /mɑː.ziː/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
| گُذَشْتَہ | guzaśta | masculine |
ماضی refers to the abstract concept of 'the past' or a period of time that has already happened. In linguistic contexts, it is also the standard term for 'past tense'.
Which one should you use?
ماضی is used as a noun to refer to the abstract concept of the past. In contrast, گُذَشْتَہ is an adjective used to describe something that has already passed or elapsed, such as 'past days'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Urdu grammar, ماضی is the term used to denote the past tense.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of ماضی is /mɑː.ziː/.
Did you know?
- While ماضی refers to the past, its root in Arabic implies the act of 'cutting through' or 'passing' like a blade.
- The word ماضی is not native to Urdu but is shared across several South Asian languages including Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi and Telugu.
- In Urdu poetry and literature, ماضی is often personified or treated as a place one can mentally visit or return to.
Examples in context
- میں ماضی کو زیادہ کریدنا نہیں چاہتا۔I don't want to dredge up the past.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use ماضی when referring to the past as a concept.Tatoeba #4241498 by nabeel_tahir, translation #3728773 by CM
- گزشتہ روزYesterday
- گزشتہ ہفتہLast week
- پچھلا مہینہThe previous month
- ماضی کے واقعات بھول جانا چاہیے۔maazi ke waqiyat bhool jaana chahiye.One should forget the events of the past.
- وہ ماضی میں بہت خوش تھا۔woh maazi mein bohat khush tha.He was very happy in the past.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their childhood memories.
- احمد Ahmedزینب، کیا تمہیں اپنا ماضی یاد ہے؟Zainab, kya tumhein apna maazi yaad hai?Zainab, do you remember your past?
- زینب Zainabہاں احمد، میں اکثر ماضی کے بارے میں سوچتی ہوں۔Haan Ahmed, mein aksar maazi ke baare mein sochti hoon.Yes Ahmed, I often think about the past.
- احمد Ahmedوہ دن کتنے سادہ تھے۔Woh din kitne saada thay.Those days were so simple.
- زینب Zainabبالکل، وہ وقت بہت اچھا تھا۔Bilkul, woh waqt bohat acha tha.Exactly, that time was very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “past” translations and entries ماضی, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ماضی, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
