The Past Perfect Continuous tense is used to describe an action that started before another action in the past and continued up to that point. The formula is 'had been + verb-ing'. It shows that one action was in progress before another action started.
Neno 'Past Perfect Continuous' hutumiwa kuelezea kitendo kilichotokea kabla ya kitendo kingine katika zamani na kilikuwa kinaendelea hadi wakati huo. Fomula ni 'had been + verb-ing'. Inaonyesha kwamba kitendo kimoja kilikuwa kinaendelea kabla ya kitendo kingine kuanza.
Mifano & Matamshi
She had been cooking ugali before her mother arrived.
Alukuwa amekuwa akichoma ugali kabla mama yake kufika.
Showing an action in progress before another action
They had been studying for their exams before they went to sleep.
Walikuwa wamekuwa wakisoma kwa ajili ya mitihani yao kabla ya kwenda kulala.
Describing an action that continued before another action
We had been waiting for the daladala for an hour before it arrived.
Tulikuwa tumekuwa tunasubiri daladala kwa saa moja kabla ya kuwasili.
Showing a long action that continued before another action
had been studying
alikuwa amesoma
learning
had been working
alikuwa amefanya kazi
job
Zoezi: Tamka mifano hii
Soma Zaidi
Mfano (Example) 1
I had been studying English for three years before I moved to Dar es Salaam. My sister had been living there for five years and she helped me to find a house. We had been talking about moving to the city for a long time.
Nilikuwa nimekuwa nasoma Kiingereza kwa miaka mitatu kabla sijahamia Dar es Salaam. Dada yangu alikuwa amekuwa akiishi huko kwa miaka mitano na alinisaidia kupata nyumba. Tulikuwa tumekuwa tunazungumza kuhusu kuhamia jiji kwa muda mrefu.
Maelezo (Detail)
In the sentence 'I had been studying English for three years before I moved to Dar es Salaam', the word had been studying is in the Past Perfect Continuous tense. This is because it describes an action that started before another action in the past. The alternative sentence could be 'I studied English for three years before I moved to Dar es Salaam', but it doesn't show that the action was in progress.
Katika sentensi 'Nilikuwa nimekuwa nasoma Kiingereza kwa miaka mitatu kabla sijahamia Dar es Salaam', neno had been studying linatumia Past Perfect Continuous. Hii ni kwa sababu inaelezea kitendo kilichotokea kabla ya kitendo kingine katika zamani. Sentensi nyingine inaweza kuwa 'Nilisoma Kiingereza kwa miaka mitatu kabla sijahamia Dar es Salaam', lakini haionyeshi kuwa kitendo kilikuwa kinaendelea.
Mfano (Example) 2
Hadija had been living in Dar es Salaam for five years before she moved to Mtwara.
Hadija alikuwa amekaa Dar es Salaam kwa miaka mitano kabla ya kuhamia Mtwara.
Maelezo (Detail)
In the sentence Hadija had been living in Dar es Salaam, had been living describes the action that started before a specific time in the past. We can also use had been working or had been studying.
Katika sentensi Hadija alikuwa amekaa Dar es Salaam, alikuwa amekaa inaelezea kitendo kilichoanza kabla ya wakati maalum uliopita. Tunaweza pia kutumia alikuwa akitengeneza au alikuwa akisoma.
Mfano (Example) 3
Ivan had been playing football since he was a child.
Ivan alikuwa amecheza soka tangu akiwa mtoto.
Maelezo (Detail)
In the sentence Ivan had been playing football, had been playing describes the action that started before a specific time in the past. We can also use had been running or had been dancing.
Katika sentensi Ivan alikuwa amecheza soka, alikuwa amecheza inaelezea kitendo kilichoanza kabla ya wakati maalum uliopita. Tunaweza pia kutumia alikuwa akiruka au alikuwa akicheza
Maswali
1
Identify the verb in the Past Perfect Continuous tense in the sentence below: (Tambua kiti kitendo kilichotokea kabla ya kitendo kingine katika sentensi ifuatayo:)
My brother had been playing football before he broke his leg.
Kaka yangu alikuwa amekuwa akicheza mpira wa miguu kabla ya kuumia mguu wake.
had been playing
2
Choose the correct sentence: (chagua majibu yote sahihi)
Kwa sababu inaonyesha kitendo kilichokuwa kinaendelea kabla ya kitendo kingine
3
Complete the sentence with the correct verb form:
Kwa sababu inaonyesha kitendo kilichokuwa kinaendelea kabla ya kitendo kingine
4
Find the error in the sentence:
Kwa sababu inaonyesha kitendo kilichokuwa kinaendelea kabla ya kitendo kingine
5
Find the past perfect continuous verb: Ethan had been playing tennis.
had been playing inaelezea kitendo cha Ethan.
6
Choose the correct form: I ___ my homework before I went to school.
had been doing ni sahihi.
7
Change to past perfect continuous: They were studying English.
had been studying ni sahihi.
8
Which words are past perfect continuous? (chagua majibu yote sahihi)
had been eating na had been working ni sahihi.
9
Correct the sentence: I go to school before I had been eating breakfast.
I had gone to school before I had eaten breakfast ni sahihi.
10
Classify the verb: had been waiting
had been waiting ni wakati uliopita unaendelea.
11
Transform the sentence: Ivan had been studying English before he moved to Dar es Salaam.
Ivan had been studying English before his move to Dar es Salaam ni sahihi.
Zungumza
Sema: Say a sentence about what you had been doing before you came to school today.