Want to, can: the -te form
Joining verbs
Want to, can: the -te form
A verb that goes with want or can, or says why you came or went, takes -te, sits just before that verb, and stays the same for every person: jete chai (I want to go).
Which ending
Stem ends in a consonant
-te
For example
korte, bolte
to do, to say
Short vowel stems
-te with a vowel change
For example
khete, jete, dite
to eat, to go, to give
About this rule
How to tell
The action takes -te and comes right before the verb when it goes with:
chai (want)
pari (can)
bhalo lage (like)
coming or going for a reason (came to see)
Some stems change their vowel:
kha (eat) and ja (go) give khete (to eat) and jete (to go).
de (give) and ne (take) become dite (to give) and nite (to take).
Why it works
This is Bangla's "to do". The -te form is the same for every person; the verb after it carries the person and the tense:
Good to know
To say must, add hobe (will be): Amake jete hobe (I have to go).
Examples
I want to go home.
Ami bari jete chai.
Word by wordI home to-go want
Can you speak Bangla?
Tumi Bangla bolte paro?
Word by wordyou Bangla to-speak can
I can't come today.
Ami aj ashte parbo na.
Word by wordI today to-come will-be-able not
I came to see you.
Ami tomake dekhte eshechhi.
Word by wordI you to-see have-come
Do you like cooking?
Tomar ranna korte bhalo lage?
Word by wordyour cooking to-do good feels
Slips to avoid
After chai (want), use the -te form.
Pari (can) needs the -te form.
Lessons that use it
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