Event Shape / Aspect
Is it ongoing, completed, habitual, repeated, or just starting?
Maana
The internal time shape of an event: in progress, finished, repeated, habitual, started, continued, or result-focused.
Jinsi ya kuitambua
Ask how the event unfolds over time, not just when it happens.
Mifano
still|already|used to|finished|ongoing
is reading|has written|keeps asking
She is writing the letter.
Visual guide
Event = line, aspect = shape start ── writing ── end now: [in progress] She is writing the letter. Ask: ongoing? finished? repeated?
Time vs aspect: WHEN? past / now / future SHAPE? ongoing / done / habitual English: is reading / has written Other languages: verb form, aux, particle, prefix, or context
Mtazamo wa lugha
Katika lugha yako
Aspect is central: perfective, imperfective, participles and auxiliary constructions shape event meaning.
كان يقرأ عندما اتصلتُ.
He was reading when I called.
Katika lugha unayojifunza
Aspect is central: progressive, perfect, habitual and resultative meanings use distinct verb patterns.
আমি বই পড়ছি।
I am reading a book.
Learners often translate tense alone and miss aspect differences.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.