If you take the Present Habitual form and replace the ending “-o³ɂi” with “-v³ɂi” or “-e³ɂi” you create the Past Progressive form. This form indicates an action that was ongoing at a certain point in the past.

☞ Note how this matches “ᎨᏐᎢ (gesoi) - often is being”, “ᎨᏒᎢ (gesvi) - was being”, and “ᎨᏎᎢ (gesei) - was reportedly being”.

Examples:

• ᎠᎩᎪᎮᎢ. Agigohei. “I saw it.”

  • ᏥᎪᏩᏘᏍᎪᎢ. Jigowhtisgoi. “I am often seeing it.”

  • ᏥᎪᏩᏘᏍᎬᎢ. Jigowhtisgvi. “I was seeing it.”

• ᏣᏚᎸᎲᎢ. Jadulvhvi. “You wanted it.”

  • ᏣᏚᎵᏍᎪᎢ. Jadulisgoi. “You are often wanting it.”

  • ᏣᏚᎵᏍᎬᎢ. Jadulisgvi. “You were wanting it.”

• ᎤᏚᎸᎮᎢ. Udulvhei. “He/she reportedly wanted it.”

  • ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎪᎢ. Udulisgoi. “He/she is often wanting it.”

  • ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎨᎢ. Udulisgei. “He/she was reportedly wanting it.”

⚠ Note that “was/were… ing” is used in all of these examples. This is the correct form to use when you are wanting to express something in Cherokee that occurred in the past where English would use “was/were… ing”.