लिया था

had taken; took, had …

→ लेना

phrase Uncommon #5,483

had taken; took Used for a completed past action with a masculine singular object. English often uses the simple past (“took”) where Hindi uses this form.

HI: मैंने बैंक से लोन लिया था।

EN: I took out a loan from the bank.

शादी का नाम भी नहीं लिया था मैंने।

I hadn't even brought up marriage.

— Jab We Met (2007)

एक से ज्यादा लिया था क्या लोन?

Did you take out more than one loan?

— Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi (2021)

तुमने पंगा क्या लिया था, वैसे भी?!

Why did you pick a fight anyway?!

— The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

मैंने उसके साथ तुम्हारा नाम लिया था।

I mentioned your name to him/her.

ये सब उन्होंने ही प्लान लिया था।

They were the ones who planned all of this.

— AK vs AK (2020)

भाई हमने तो एक-दो बार लिया था और फिर हमने वापस लौटा दिया तुरंत।

Bro, we only took it once or twice, and then we returned it right away.

— Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi (2021)

“क्या मार्कॉफ़रसन ने आपसे कोई पैसा उधार लिया था?”

Did Markofferson borrow any money from you?

हाकू ने इसे युबाबा की बहन से लिया था, कामाजी।

Haku got this from Yubaba’s sister, Kamaji.

— स्पिरिटेड अवे (2001)

तुम्हारी सालगिरह के लिए लिया था।

I got it for your anniversary.

— Superboys of Malegaon (2025)

phrase Rare #9,618

had … Used after a verb to show that an action was completed before a past point; लिया can also add a sense of doing something fully or for oneself.

HI: मैंने दरवाज़ा बंद कर लिया था।

EN: I had closed the door.

“तो किसी और ने उनका सारा माल ख़रीद लिया था?”

“So someone else had bought all their stuff?”

ज़्यादा पी लिया था क्या सुबह-सुबह?

Did you have too much to drink so early in the morning?

— Superboys of Malegaon (2025)

अरे यार बंटी ने बुला लिया था खेलने के लिए, मैं क्या करता?

Come on, Bunty had called me over to play—what was I supposed to do?

— Axone (2019)

मगर मैंने पहली नज़र में पकड़ लिया था।

But I spotted it at first glance.

— Jab We Met (2007)