Gedi architect

The Waswahili Community Trust UK
(Wadhamini wa Jumuiya ya Waswahili)

map
Tutorial on Kiswahili Online

Tutoral

SECTION 12

Present Tense - Negative ( A )
Siandiki-I do not write Huandiki-You do not write (singular) Haandiki-He/She does not write
Hatuandiki-We do not write Hamuandiki-You do not write(plural) Hawaandiki-They do not write

NOTE!

The main rule for the present tense negative is as shown above that, there is no tense prefix. Notice the final vowel of the verb stem is changed to ( i )

This change does not take place in verbs derived from the Arabic which end in in some other vowel, for example :

KUJIBU / TO REPLY :

( See the Table below )

Present Tense - Negative ( B )
Sijibu - I do not reply Hujibu - You do not reply ( singular ) Hajibu - He/She does not reply
Hatujibu - We do not reply Hamjibu - You do not reply ( plural ) Hawajibu - They do not reply

SECTION 13

Past Tense - Negative
Sikuketi - I did not sit Hukuketi - You did not sit ( singular ) Hakuketi - He/She did not sit
Hatukuketi - We did not sit Hamkuketi - You did not sit ( plural ) Hawakuketi - They did not sit

Past Tense - Negative
Sikula - I Did not eat Hukula - You did not eat ( singular ) Hakula - He/She did not eat
Hatukula - We did not eat Hamkula - You did not eat ( plural ) Hawakula - They did not eat

NOTE!

The list of are the Infinitive Verbs, Let's take the first one " KUCHEKA ", and if you omit " KU " which is at the beginning, then what you have is the stem of the verb that is " CHEKA "

Now to put the verb " CHEKA " into Past Tense Negative, you simply add:
" si ", from the very beginning of the verb for the first person. This becomes " sikucheka " / I did not laugh


For the second person (singular) add:
" hu " from the beginning. This becomes " Hukucheka "


For the third person ( He / She ) add:
" ha " from the beginning. This becomes " Hakucheka "


For " We " add:
" Hatu " from the beginning. This becomes " Hatukucheka "


For " You " Plural add:
" Ham " from the very beginning. This becomes " Hamkucheka "


For " They " add:
" Hawa " from the very beginning. This becomes " Hawakucheka "

So simple !
isn't ?

SECTION 14

Future Tense - Negative
Sitaketi - I will not sit Hutaketi - You will not sit ( Singular ) Hataketi - He / She will not sit
Hatutaketi - We shall not Sit Hamtaketi - You will not sit ( plural ) Hawataketi They will not sit

SECTION 15

The Not Yet Tense ( HA - JA )
Sijaandika - I have not yet write Hujaandika - You have not yet write ( Singular ) Hajaandika - He / She has not yet write
Hatujaandika - We have not yet write Hamtaketi - You have not yet write ( plural ) Hawataketi - They have not yet write

SECTION 16

The Object Prefix Present Tense : ( KI / VI )
Ninakitandika kitanda - I am making the bed Unakitandika kitanda - You are making the bed ( Singular ) Anakitandika kitanda - He / She is making the bed
Tunakitandika kitanda - We are making the bed Mnakitandika kitanda - You are making the bed ( plural ) Wanakitandika Kitanda - They are making the bed


NOTE !

We have alredy seen from our conjugations of verbs that subject Prefixes come before the verb stem, e.g. :

Ninaketi : - NA - comes before the verb stem, ( Present Tense ). This is also the case with the ( Future Tense ) , ( Past Tense ) , ( Simple Present Tense ), etc.

Please refer back to the conjugation verbs to remind you about the point, I am making. Then it is very easy to understand the object prefix referred above. And this is that :


The object prefix come before the verb stem, e.g. the verb stem above is " Tandika " . Therefore object prefix comes before " Tandika. " But the point must be emphasised here that we are referring to those nouns which are in ( KITU - VITU CLASS ).

I am sure this is fully understood. Well the point I am making, is nonetheless, so simple, and it is as clear as crystal ball. Shall we move on now?

SECTION 17

The Swahili Time

The Swahili day ( siku ) begins at sunset, and consists of :

The night consists of :


Section 18

Swahili Numbers : ( KITU VITU CLASS ) PREFIX
  1. Moja ( Kitabu Kimoja / One book ) ( Vitabu Viwili )
  2. Mbili ( Kibanda Kimoja / One hut ) ( Vibanda Vitatu / Three huts)
  3. Tatu ( Kitanda Kimoja / One bed ) (Vitanda sita / Six beds )
  4. Nne ( Kiazi Kimoja / One potaoe ) (Viazi vitano )
  5. Tano
  6. ( Kitambaa kimoja / One cloth ) ( Vitambaa sita / Six clothes )
  7. sita ( Kikombe kimoja / One cup) (Vikombe tisa )
  8. Saba ( Kidude kimoja / One topy ) ( Vidude Saba / seve tous
  9. Nane (Kidaraja kimoja / One small bridge ) ( Vidaraja vinane )
  10. Tisa ( Kisahani kimoja / One plate ) (Visahani tisa / Nine plates
  11. Kumi ( Kisu kimja / One knife ) ( Visu kumi /Ten knives
  12. Kumi na moja ( Viwanja kumi na moja / 11 : continue in the same order
  13. Kumi na mbili
  14. Kumi na tatu
  15. Kumi na nne
  16. Kumi na tano
  17. Kumi na sita
  18. Kumi na saba
  19. Kumi na nane
  20. Kumi na tisa
  21. Ishirini ( Visu ishirini / Twenty knives )
  22. Ishirini na moja ( Vijiko ishirini na moja (21 spoons) : continue in the same order
  23. Ishirini na mbili
  24. Ishirini na tatu
  25. Ishirin na nne
  26. Ishirini na tano
  27. Ishirini na sita
  28. Ishirini na saba
  29. Ishirini na nane
  30. Ishirini na tisa
  31. Thelathini ( Vioo thelathini / 30 mirrors ) (Vioo thelathini na moja / 31 mirrors ) Continue in the same order
  32. Arubaini ( For the following, the same order as shown above is to be followed. The above prefix is only for (KITU VITU CLASS)
  33. Khamsini / 50
  34. Sitini / 60
  35. Sabini / 70
  36. Themanini / 80
  37. Tisini / 90
  38. Mia /100
  39. Elfu / 1000

NOTE :

In the above examples, regarding numbers we have learned that the first five numbers i.e.1,2,3,4, and 5.These five numbers take the prefix of( KITU VITU CLASS. ) When we come to learn different noun prefixes, the same rule will apply. We shall see later as we come to consider the six other nouns' classes. This is to say up to this point we should not worry ourselves about the other nouns' classes.


Vocabulary Relating to Time

Dakika / Minute or minutes

Saa / Watch or watches

Ngapi? / How many?

Tafadhali / Please

Sasa / Now

Robo / 1/4

Nusu / 1/2

Kasorobo / 1/4 to

NOTE:

When one ask for a time, it is asked in this way:

Ni saa ngapi sasa tafadhali? / What time is it now please? / but in English literally is: How many watches now please?

The answers :

Sasa ni saa moja / Now it's 7.00

Sasa ni saa moja na dakika ishirini / Now it's 7.20 now

Sasa ni saa mbili na robo / Now it's 8.15

Sasa ni saa tisa unusu / now it's 3.30

Sasa ni saa nane kasorobo / Now it's 1.45

The day is divided into twenty-four hours. The first hour afterafter sunset is :

  1. Saa moja ( 7 P.M. )
  2. Saa mbili ( 8 P.M. )
  3. Saa tatu ( 9 P.M. )
  4. Saa nne ( 10 P.M. )
  5. Saa tano (11 P.M. )
  6. Saa sita (12 A.M. )
  7. Saa saba ( 1 A.M. )
  8. Saa nane ( 2 A.M. )
  9. Saa tisa ( 3 A.M. )
  10. Saa kumi ( 4 A.M. )
  11. Saa kumi na moja ( 5 A.M. )
  12. Saa kumi na mbili ( 6 A.M.)
  1. Saa kumi na mbili u nusu ( 6.30 )
  2. Saa moja na robo ( 7.15 )
  3. Saa mbili kasorobo ( 7.45 )
  4. Saa tatu na dakika kumi (9.10 )
  5. Saa tisa nne kasoro dakika tano ( 8.55 )

SECTION 19

Preposition ( KITU VITU CLASS ) -a
Kitabu cha Ali / Ali's book Vitabu vya Ali / Ali's books Kiti cha mwanafunzi / Student's chair
Viti vya mwanafunzi / Student's chairs Viti vya wanafunzi / Students' chairs Kitanda cha mama / Mother's chair

Back


We appeal for your donation for our charity
Comments and suggestions to improve this website
Your suggestions or concerns about our services
Please send you contributions.

Thank you

Asanteni


coffeeset


Copyright© March 2003: The Waswahili Community Trust (UK)
Registered Charity:1083065


Back to top