Beginner Grammar
Mongolian Past Tense (-сан/-сон/-сэн/-сөн)
The suffix -сан / -сон / -сэн / -сөн makes the past tense in Mongolian. It describes an action that has been completed: Би ном уншсан (“I read a book”).
To build it, take the dictionary form of the verb, drop the infinitive ending -х, and attach the suffix. Which of the four versions you use is decided by vowel harmony: the vowel of the suffix matches the last vowel of the verb root. So авах becomes авсан, очих becomes очсон, идэх becomes идсэн, and өгөх becomes өгсөн.
The same suffix also works as a participle that describes a noun (“the person who came”). Mongolian has other past forms too, such as -лаа/-лоо/-лээ/-лөө for something that has just happened. For now, master -сан/-сон/-сэн/-сөн, which you will meet most often. As in every Mongolian sentence, the verb goes at the end.
Rules & Suffixes
| Last vowel of the root | Suffix | Example (dictionary form → past) |
|---|---|---|
| а, у | -сан | авах → авсан, унших → уншсан, уулзах → уулзсан |
| о | -сон | очих → очсон, орох → орсон, болох → болсон |
| э, и, ү | -сэн | хэлэх → хэлсэн, идэх → идсэн, хийх → хийсэн, үзэх → үзсэн |
| ө | -сөн | өгөх → өгсөн, төрөх → төрсөн |
The root is the dictionary form without -х. The negative past uses -аагүй/-ээгүй/-оогүй/-өөгүй: уншсан → уншаагүй, идсэн → идээгүй.
Example Sentences
-
Би өчигдөр ном уншсан.
Bi öchigdör nom unshsan.
I read a book yesterday.
-
Бат Улаанбаатарт очсон.
Bat Ulaanbaatart ochson.
Bat went to Ulaanbaatar.
-
Бид кино үзсэн.
Bid kino üzsen.
We watched a film.
-
Тэр өнөөдөр эрт ирсэн.
Ter önöödör ert irsen.
He/She came early today.
-
Ээж надад ном өгсөн.
Eej nadad nom ögsön.
Mom gave me a book.
-
Чи хоол идсэн үү?
Chi khool idsen üü?
Did you eat? / Have you eaten?
-
Сурагчид шалгалт өгсөн.
Suragchid shalgalt ögsön.
The students took the exam.
-
Бид өчигдөр хамт хоол хийсэн.
Bid öchigdör khamt khool khiisen.
We cooked together yesterday.
-
Би өчигдөр ном уншаагүй.
Bi öchigdör nom unshaagüi.
I did not read a book yesterday.
Romanization is simplified to help you read along; it is not an official standard.
Common Mistakes
-
Incorrect Тэр ном өгсэн.
Correct Тэр ном өгсөн.
The vowel of the suffix follows the root. Өг- has ө, so the suffix is -сөн, not -сэн.
-
Incorrect Бид хоол хийхсэн.
Correct Бид хоол хийсэн.
Remove the infinitive ending -х before adding the suffix: хийх → хий- → хийсэн.
-
Incorrect Би ном уншсан биш.
Correct Би ном уншаагүй.
Биш negates nouns and statements of identity, not verbs. Make a negative past with -аагүй/-ээгүй/-оогүй/-өөгүй.
-
Incorrect Би өчигдөр ном уншна.
Correct Би өчигдөр ном уншсан.
Уншна is future/present-future. Words like өчигдөр (yesterday) need a past form.
Practice Past Tense (-сан/-сон/-сэн/-сөн)
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