Verb Structures

Question 1

Present Continuous Tense

Answer 1

Tense marker: NA, used for ongoing present actions. Ex: WA-NA-IMB-A (they are singing)

Question 2

Habitual Present Tense

Answer 2

Tense marker: HU, used for things that are generally or usually done. No subject prefix is used, a subject pronoun can be used if needed. Ex: mimi HU-L-A (I usually eat)

Question 3

General Present Tense

Answer 3

Tense marker: A, used as simple present tense, for things that may not be happening right now. Ex: nAsoma vitabu (I read books). *Note that the subject prefix and tense marker coalesce (NI+A = NA, U+A = WA, A+A = A, TU+A = TWA, M(U)+A = MWA, WA + A = WA)

Question 4

Negative Present Tense

Answer 4

Used to negate all three present tenses. There is no tense marker. Instead, HA is added before the subject prefix, except in first person in which case NI is changed to SI. In addition, the A at the end of the verb is changed to I, except for non-Bantu verbs. Ex: HA-WA-IMB-I (We don’t sing), SI-L-I (I don’t eat). Before A and U, the the negative marker becomes just H (H-U-SOMI = You don’t read, H-A-SOMI = He doesn’t read).

Question 5

Future Tense

Answer 5

Tense marker: TA, used for all future actions. Ex: WA-TA-IMB-A (They will sing). For monosyllabic verb stems, the KU- of the infinitive is retained. Ex: NI-TA-KU-L-A (I will eat)

Question 6

Negative Future Tense

Answer 6

Tense marker: TA, also need to add either HA before the subject prefix or in the case of first person replace NI with SI. As in the positive case, for monosyllabic verb stems the KU- of the infinitive is retained. Ex: HA-WA-TA-IMB-A (They will not sing), SI-TA-KU-L-A (I will not eat)

Question 7

Simple Past Tense

Answer 7

Tense marker: LI, used for past events that took place at a distinct time. The KU- of the infinitive is retained for monosyllabic stems. Ex: WA-LI-IMB-A (They sang), NI-LI-KU-L-A (I ate).

Question 8

Subject Prefixes

Answer 8

NI - I
U - You (singular)
A - (He/she/noun class 1)
TU - We
M(U) - You (plural)
WA - They/noun class 2

Question 9

Negative Past Tense

Answer 9

Tense marker: KU, also need to add either HA before the subject prefix or for first person replace NI with SI. The KU- for infinitives is not used in monosyllabic stems. Ex: HA-WA-KU-IMB-A (They did not sing), SI-KU-L-A (I did not eat).

Question 10

Present Perfect Tense

Answer 10

Tense marker: ME, used for the construction of has/have + action. Useful in both process verb constructions (I have sat up to express what in English would be I am sitting) and static verb constructions (The cup has been broken). For monosyllabic stems, the KU- is retained. Ex: NI-ME-SIKI-A (I have heard), NI-ME-KU-L-A (I have eaten).

Question 11

The “Not Yet” Tense

Answer 11

Tense marker: JA, used as the negative of the past perfect. Unlike the KU tense, it is used for something that has not yet happened, but might happen in the future. Also requires use of HA before the subject prefix, or in the case of first person the substitution of NI with SI. Ex: HA-WA-JA-IMB-A (They have not sung), Si-JA-L-A (I have not eaten).

Question 12

The Consecutive Tense

Answer 12

Tense marker: KA, used to indicate either that something happened after another verb, or as a consequence of it. Note that the word “and” is included in the verb conjugation and does not need to be added. Ex: Naliamka, NI-KA-A-NYW-A chai, NI-KA-ONDOK-A (They awakened, drank tea, and left), Mliwafundisha WA-KA-IMB-A vizuri (You taught then and they sang well).

Question 13

The Simultaneous Tense

Answer 13

Tense marker: KI, used in 2 primary ways: 1) in a dependent clause, to indicate an action taking place at the same time as one in the main clause (similar use as the NA tense). Ex: Aliwasikia WA-KI-IMB-A (He heard them [while they were] singing), 2) in a conditional clause, it functions as “if,” or in some cases as “when.” Ex: WA-KI-IMB-A tutawasikia (If they sing, we will hear them).

Question 14

The “If Not” Tense

Answer 14

Tense marker: SIPO, used as the negative of “if,” as in “if not,” “when not,” or “unless.” Ex: TU-SIPO-JARIBU atatufukuza kazi (If we don’t try, he will fire us.)

Question 15

The Present Conditional Tense

Answer 15

Tense marker: NGE, indicates a supposed condition with a consequence that might happen, but is unlikely. Both the condition and the consequence use the tense marker. For monosyllabic stems, the KU- is retained. Ex: WA-NGE-KU-L-A zaidi WA-NGE-NENEP-A (If they ate more, they would get fat.)

Question 16

The Past Conditional Tense

Answer 16

Tense marker: NGALI, used to express a past consequence that cannot now be realized because the condition was not fulfilled. Both the condition and the consequence use the tense marker. For monosyllabic stems, the KU- is retained. Kama can be used to denote “if.” Ex: (Kama) I-NGALI-NYESH-A TU-NGALI-PAT-A mazao (If it had rained, we would have gotten crops).

Question 17

The Negative Present Conditional Tense

Answer 17

Tense marker: NGE, also needs additional prefixes. Both the condition and the consequence use the markers. There are 2 options: 1) Put SI after the subject prefix. Ex: I-SI-NGE-NYESH-A TU-SI-NGE-PAT-A mazao (If it did not rain we would not get crops). 2) Put HA before the subject prefix or for first person substitute SI for NI. Ex: HA-I-NGE-NYESH-A HA-TU-NGE-PAT-A mazao (If it did not rain we would not get crops), SI-NGE-JARIBU SI-NGE-MALIZ-A kazi upesi (If I did not try I would not finish the job quickly).

Question 18

The Negative Past Conditional Tense

Answer 18

Tense marker: NGALI, also needs additional prefixes. Both the condition and the consequence use the markers. There are 2 options: 1) Put SI after the subject prefix. Ex: NI-SI-NGALI-JARIBU NI-SI-NGALI-MALIZ-A kazi upesi (If I hadn’t tried, I would not have finished the job quickly.) 2) Put HA before the subject prefix or for first person substitute SI for NI. Ex: Chakula HA-KI-NGALI-PATIKAN-A HA-TU-NGALI-KUL-A (If food had not been available we would not have eaten so much), SI-NGALI-JARIBU SI-NGALI-MALIZA kazi upesi (If I hadn’t tried, I would not have finished the job quickly.)

Question 19

Mixing negatives of NGE and NGALI

Answer 19

Can be mixed. Ex: U-SI-NGALI-JIFUNZ-A kwa bidii, U-SI-NGE-WEZA kusema Kiswahili leo. (If you hadn’t studied hard, you wouldn’t be able to speak Swahili now).

Question 20

3 Ways to Express a Condition

Answer 20

A conditional clause “if” can be made with KI, creating a real condition. However, uses with NGE and NGALI indicate imaginary conditions.

1) With KI: A-KI-W-A na nafasi, atakwenda (If he has time, he will go). Or: A-SIPO-KUW-A na nafasi, hatakwenda (If he doesn’t have time, he won’t go).
2) With NGE: A-NGE-KUWA na nafasi, A-NGE-KWENDA (If he had time, he would go [but the implication is that he does not have time, so will not go]).
3) With NGALI: A-NGALI-KUWA na nafasi, A-NGALI-KWENDA (If he had had time, he would have gone)

Question 21

Imperative/Commands

Answer 21

Singular: Just the verb root.
Soma! (Read)
Amka! (Wake up)
Rudi! (Return)

Plural: Change the “a” to “e” and add “ni” at the end. For verbs that don’t end in “a,” just add “ni.”
Someni! (Read, all of you)
Amkeni! (Wake up, all of you)
Rudini (Return, all of you)

Singular negative: U+Si+Root+change "a" to "e"
Usisome! (Don't read)
Usiamke! (Don't wake up)
Usirudi! (Don't return)
Usijaribu (Don't try)

Plural negative: M+SI+Root+change “a” to “e”
Msisome! (Don’t read, all of you)
Msirudi (Don’t return, all of you)
Msijaribu (Don’t try, all of you)

Question 22

Two common irregular imperatives

Answer 22

Kuja (to come)
Singular: Njoo
Plural: Njooni
Singular negative: Usije
Plural negative: Msije

Kuenda (to go)
Singular: Nenda
Plural: Nendeni
Singular negative: Usiende
Plural negative: Msiende

Question 23

The infinitive KU is dropped in the negative form except for…?

Answer 23

Negative past and future tenses

Question 24

Causative Extension

Answer 24

Changes the verb to mean to “make” do something. Ex: kukopa = to borrow, kukopesha = to lend.

Formation:
1) Take off the last vowel of infinitive, if the nearest remaining vowel is A, I, or U, then add ISHA.
Ex: kurudi -> kurudisha; kuzama -> kuzamisha

2) If the nearest remaining vowel is E or O, then add ESHA.
Ex: kusoma -> kusomesha; kukopa -> kukopesha

3) If the root ends in K, it changes to SH, and nothing else is added.
Ex: kukumbuka -> kukumbusha; kuwaka -> kuwasha.
Exceptions: kuandika -> kuandikisha; kucheka -> kuchekesha

4) Sometimes a Z is added to the causative form. Or if a verb root ends in N, the causative is formed with NY
Ex: kuuma -> kuumiza; kulala -> kulaza; kupona -> kuponya

5) Can also be formed from nouns and adjectives.
Ex: safi -> kusafisha (to clean); rahisi -> kurahisisha (to simplify); maana -> kumaanisha (to mean)

Question 25

Subjunctive

Answer 25

A polite form, used to make requests, suggestions, give directions, express “should,” etc.
If the verb ends in A, change it to E, and drop the tense infix. If the verb does not end in A, don’t change to E. The KU is dropped for monosyllabic verbs.

Asome (He/she should read)
Tuende/twende (Let’s go)
Ujaribu (You should try)
Nile (I should eat)

Often used with phrases such as afadhali (it’s better that/to…,ought to…), lazima (it’s necessary that/to…, must), tafadhali (please), ni bora (it’s better that/to…)

Question 26

Negative subjunctive

Answer 26

Take the positive subjunctive, and insert SI between the subject prefix and the stem.

Tusiende Mombasa (Let's not go to Mombasa)
Usipige picha hapa (You shouldn't take pictures here)
Usile nyama (You shouldn't eat meat)

Question 27

Subjunctive and purpose clause

Answer 27

Subjunctive can be used to express a purpose clause, usually following “ili” (in order to/that…)

Walienda hospitali ili wamuone daktari (They went to the hospital in order to see the doctor).
Anajifunza Kiswahili ili afanye kazi Kenya (He’s learning Swahili in order to work in Kenya.

Question 28

Alternative formation of Present Perfect

Answer 28

Instead of the infix ME, can also use MESHA. There is not a big difference in meaning, but MESHA puts greater emphasis on the fact that something has already been done. The KU is retained for monosyllabic stems. To negate, use JA just as for the negative of ME.

Mwalimu ameshaondoka (The teacher has already left)
Watoto wameshakula chakula cha jioni (The children have already eaten dinner).

Question 29

Passive Voice Extension

Answer 29

To express passive voice, the extension WA is used.
kusema = to speak, kusemwa = to be spoken
kufundisha = to teach, kufundishwa = to be taught

If the verb ends in -IA or -EA, insert W between the vowels.
kusaidia = to help, kusaidiwa = to be helped
kutumia = to use, kutumiwa = to be used

If the verb ends in -AA or -UA, the ending -LIWA is added.
kuzaa = to have a child, kuzaliwa = to be born
kuchukua = to carry, kuchukuliwa = to be carried

If the verb ends in -OA, the extension is -LEWA
kutoa = to take or put out, kutolewa = to be taken or put out
kuondoa = to remove, kuondolewa = to be removed

If the verb ends in a vowel other than A, the vowel is changed to I and WA is added.
kuharibu = to destroy, kuharibiwa = to be destroyed
kukubali = to accept, kukubaliwa = to be accepted

Monosyllabic verbs take on special forms.
kula = to eat, kuliwa = to be eaten
kupa = to give, kupewa = to be given
kunywa = to drink, kunywewa = to be drunk

To express “by” in the passive construction, use NA
Kiswahili kinafundishwa na mwalimu (Swahili is taught by the teacher)

Question 30

Object Infixes for People

Answer 30

mimi - NI (me)
wewe - KU (you)
yeye - M/MW (him/her)
sisi - TU (us)
nyinyi - WA (you all)
wao - WA (them)

Goes between the tense infix and the stem

Question 31

Object Infixes for Things

Answer 31

Use the pronominal prefix. If something is in a class besides 1/2 but refers to a person, used the 1/2 infixes.

Goes between the tense infix and the stem

Question 32

Reflexive Infix

Answer 32

JI
Placed right before the verb stem
Mtoto alijikata (The child cut herself)
Tom anajufunza Kiswahili (Tom is learning [teaching himself] Swahili)