"वे दिन में सोते थे।"

Translation: They used to sleep in the day.

[anupamarrao]

Shouldn't it be, They used to sleep during the day?

[naweaver7]

"During" more natural though "in" is literal.

[JustusRobi3]

I agree, "during" is better than "in" in this case.

[piguy3]

It's accepted.

[Kateykr]

Does this tense also say, "They SLEPT in the day" ? (Not always having to say "used to") ?

[RanzoG]

No. I mean, you might choose to translate it like that in English, but if you do you have to realize that this sleeping is a regular/repeated occurrence as opposed to a one time event. The inclusion of "used to" helps us know it was not just a one-time event.

Let's say a Hindi verb has two parts. The last part, just as "hai" or "thā," tells us the actual "tense" of it, WHEN it occurs, whether it is in the present, past, future... or hypothetical future (< I don't think Duolingo teaches that).

Then you've got the piece (one or more words) that comes before that. It tells us HOW the action is being done in relation to time, i.e.: being done regularly over time, being done continuously/in-progress, finished being done.

*This being said, I think you and I have already flagged the issue of there being some idiomatic nuance to the case of "habitual" versus "continuous" (i.e. The Shakespeare Issue).

Example.

1. main khaati hoon.
2. main khaa rahi hoon
3. main khaa rahi thi

In #1 and #2, we are in the Present because "hoon." #3 is in the Past because of "thi."

In #1, the action is happening habitually (or, more precisely, it is not in progress but nor is it completed). In #2 and #3 the action is/was in progress.

[prvashisht]

Here's a lingot man! Amazing explanation, even for a native :)

[Aakhil6]

But वे दिन में सोते थे can also interpreted as they used to sleep in those days. as pronoun dropping is also acceptable in Hindi.
Hindi speakers! please confirm it as well as correct it.

[Kateykr]

In those days would be: "Un dinon men"

(Not "ve din men")

[Aakhil6]

Oh thanks! I forgot that thing. It is उन दिनों में सोते थे। Thankyou for reminding.

[Kateykr]

You were right too, "Un" not "In" -- because 'un' means those and 'in' means these. My answer reflects that now.

[Mark347251]

I would say 'in the daytime,' which is the same as 'during the day,' but not accepted. Just a side note: 'They used to sleep in the day' makes me think maybe the speaker wants to say 'They used to sleep, back in the day' -- like nobody sleeps anymore. Which is kind of true, in my experience.

[Wrongfooting]

Great explanation. This is why I stopped using the app - misses out these discussions

[Kateykr]

Hi wrongfooting, you're right that there's no access to Discussions when it comes to questions in the Lessons area (the circles), but the app does have access to Discussions in the Practice area (with the barbell).

The app and the website (for some reason) do have access to specific parts of Duolingo. Separately each is great, but together they are whole. For example, only with the app do we have access to Clubs. Etc.

Just fyi, take it or leave it. :)

[piguy3]

I think this answer is applicable to Android but not iOS. But I think some Android users have access to the sentence discussions everywhere. There's never just one version of Duolingo ;)

[slacker822]

Shouldn't it be थें instead of थे since it's plural?

[Kateykr]

Good question. "The" is already the plural --- "tha/thi" is the singular.

[khF1S]

Yes, I too am wondering about this.

[RanzoG]

See Kateykr 's reply, above. थें simply does not exist.

[Ann165371]

It should be 'They used to sleep during the day'.

[JustusRobi3]

Likely; since Hindi distinguishes simple-past from imperfect. The main Romance languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian) also do (inherited from Latin); as does Greek (again, inherited from Ancient Greek).

[nbbarathy]

they used to sleep in the day time