Swahili Method for Beginners

8/12/2019 Swahili Method for Beginners

1/197


2/197


3/197

KISWAHILI ? HAKUNA MATATA !

KISWAHILI GRAMMAR - TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 00 INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 01 Swahili Spelling and pronunciation

CHAPTER 0 !reeting"

CHAPTER 0# $er%" & The In'initi(e

CHAPTER 0) $er%" & The I*perati(e

CHAPTER 0+ No*inal Cla""e"

CHAPTER 0, Noun" & The -./A. !ender

CHAPTER 0 Su%2ect Pronoun"

CHAPTER 03 $er%" & Pre"ent De'inite Ten"e

CHAPTER 04 Noun" & The -./-I. !ender

CHAPTER 10 $er%" & Pre"ent Inde'inite Ten"e

CHAPTER 11 Concordant Ad2ecti(e"

CHAPTER 1 In(aria%le Ad2ecti(e"

CHAPTER 1# Noun" & The 5I./-A. !ender

CHAPTER 1) $er%" & Pa"t per'ect Ten"e

CHAPTER 1+ The De*on"trati(e"

CHAPTER 1, Noun" & The 6I./$I. !ender

CHAPTER 1 The $er% 6UA 7 to %e

CHAPTER 13 The $er% 6UA NA 7 to ha(e

CHAPTER 14 Ad(er%"

CHAPTER 0 Noun" & The N. !ender

CHAPTER 1 Interrogati(e ord"

CHAPTER Nu*%er"

CHAPTER # Ti*e

CHAPTER ) Da8"9 -onth"9 Date"

CHAPTER + Noun" & The U. !ender

CHAPTER , Place

CHAPTER E*phatic"

CHAPTER 3 Prepo"ition" and Con2unction"

CHAPTER 4 Po""e""ion

CHAPTER #0 O%2ect In'i:e"

CHAPTER #1 The Su''i: ;.O; o' Re'erence
http://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap00.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap01.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap02.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap03.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap04.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap05.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap06.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap07.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap08.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap09.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap10.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap12.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap13.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap14.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap15.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap16.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap17.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap18.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap19.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap20.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap21.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap22.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap23.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap24.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap25.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap26.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap27.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap28.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap29.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap30.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap31.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap00.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap01.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap02.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap03.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap04.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap05.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap06.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap07.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap08.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap09.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap10.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap12.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap13.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap14.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap15.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap16.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap17.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap18.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap19.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap20.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap21.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap22.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap23.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap24.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap25.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap26.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap27.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap28.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap29.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap30.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap31.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap32.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap33.htm


4/197

INTRODUCTION

Swahili in the wl"

Swahili is at the 7 thrank of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with somewherebetween 45 and 100 million people that use it as their first or second language. Swahili, whichmeans "the coast", is at first the mother tongue of the peoples that lie on the !ast coast offrica, that stretches from the South of Somalia to the #orth of $o%ambi&ue, ia the islands of'ate, (amu, 'emba, )an%ibar and $afia. *rom !ast to +est, the area of influence of Swahilietends from -an%ania and enya through the interior of /ongo e)a2re3, up to ganda,urundi, )ambia and $alawi.

Source 6the /( language materials proect

What i# Swahili ?

Swahili belongs to the large family of antu languages, spoken in all the southern half of thefrican continent. 8oweer, it distinguishes itself from the other antu languages by itsocabulary of mied antu and rabic origins.

(anguage of contact and communication between the men that came from the outside,
http://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap45.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap46.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap47.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap47.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap48.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_links.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_links.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_index.htmlhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap35.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap36.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap37.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap38.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap39.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap40.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap41.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap42.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap43.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap44.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap45.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap46.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap47.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap48.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap49.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap50.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap51.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap52.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap53.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap54.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap55.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_links.htm


5/197

eplorers, merchants, slae traders, coloni%ers, missionaries, etc. and the populations of thecoast and of the inside of the continent, it deelopped as a lingua franca, and while preseringits antu grammatical structure characteri%ed by a system of nominal classes and anagglutinatie erbal construction, it managed to appropriate &uantity of foreign words, for thegreater part of 'ersan and rabic origins, but also some 'ortuguese, 9erman and mostly!nglish words.

De$el%&ent ' Swahili

Swahili, which was first transcribed in rabic characters by $oslem men of letters on theislands along the !ast coast from as early as the :;; ththrough the :;:thcentury, took a newepansion with the arrial of the !nglish missionnaries at the end of the :;: thcentury, whotranscribed it in latin characters, and used it to propagate the teaching of the /hristian faith tohundreds of peoples that each possessed their own tribal language. -he first works of Swahili

standardi%ation were begun by the !nglish missionnaries and the goernors of )an%ibar at thebeginning of the ::thcentury.

t the time of the independence of -anganyika, Swahili naturally imposed itself as a mediumof political propaganda and was seen as the language of liberation from the colonial yoke andas an instrument of unity between the local populations 6 indeed, Swahili was nobody


6/197

Cha%te ) - Swahili S%ellin( an"*n+n,iatin

A - THE SWAHILI AL*HABET

-he basic principle which was retained to establish the Swahili alphabet, is that eery distinctsound or phoneme should always be transcribed by the same distinct written form either asingle letter, or a cluster of letters3, and conersely.

-he Swahili alphabet includes 6

?@ single letters 6 a. /. ". e. '. (. h. i. 0. 1. l. &. n. . %. . #. t. +. $. w. 2. 34

-he letters & and are not used. -he letter ,, although present, is neer used alone.

= digraphs 6 ,h. "h. (h. 1h. n(5. n2. #h. th. t#4

1. A>+!((S 6

S*ELLING *HONEME E6AM*LE En(li#h e7+i$alent

A. a BC /a/afather3 far, but cut shortE. e BC "e/egallon3 bedI. i BiC 1itichair3 kitO. BoC &tfire3 off, lotU. + BuC 1+1+chicken3 too, to

s you can see in this table, Swahili contains 5 owels. -hese are pronounced openly, withoutdiphtongs, like in Spanish or in ;talian. -hey must always be kept short.

?. /(S-!D >* A>+!(S 6

nlike in !nglish, two or three3 written owels that follow each other neer merge together toform a single sound. !ach keeps its own sound.

*or eample 6 +is pronounced "ooo" as in "go", a+is pronounced "aoo" as in "cow", ei ispronounced "eee" as in "bay", aiis pronounced "aee" as in "tie", etc.

;n theory, any owel can be in succession with any other one.

;t is not unfre&uent to meet two similar owels in succession 6 they must be pronounced asone long owel 6

Naa& ! E Fes G 3 8++ E on top3 K++ E principal3

9ii ! E Hown I 3 M3ee E old3 8( E cock3
http://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_index.html


7/197

@. S!$;A>+!(S 6

S*ELLING *HONEME E6AM*LE En(li#h E7+i$alent

W. w BwC weweyou3 why, week:. 2 BjC 2e2ehe, she3 yes, you

4. S;$'(! />#S>##-S 6


B. / BbC /a/afather3 badD. " BdC "a"asister3 doF. ' BfC 1+'aato suit3 far G. ( BgC (aicar3 gotH. h BhC ha2a !>.. I3 hat8. 0 BC 0++on top3 JohnK. 1 BkC 1+1+chicken3 kid, catL. l BlC lala !sleep I3 lotM. & BmC Ma&amother3 manN. n BnC naand, with3 no*. % BpC %a%ashark3 potR. BrC an(icolour3 ratS. # BsC #aaclock, time3 soapT. t BtC taalamp3 toy;. $ BvC 1+$aato wear3 ery9. 3 BzC -3+inice, good3 %oo, easy+hile most of the consonants are similar to the !nglish ones and do not offer any difficulty,special care must be paid to 6

'6 it has always the sound of the "f" in "fat", neer that of the "f" in "of".

(6 it is always hard like in "got". ;t should neer be pronounced soft like the "g" in"gin".

#6 it has always the sound of the "s" in "sad", neer that of the "s" in "is" or "easy".

5. />$;#-;>#S >* />#S>##-S 6


8/197


/h, ch BC ,haitea3 chat, churchHh, dh BC "haha/+gold3 this, that9h, gh BRC (haliepensie3 in *rench 6 "rare"h, kh BC #+/al1heigood morning3 in Scottish 6 "loch"#g#S>##- "$" 6

-he syllable Mcorresponds to the class prefi MU-/lass 1 and /lass @3 whose Uhas beendropped. 8oweer, the "m" doesn


9/197

S*ELLING E6AM*LE TRANSLATION

M/ M/+2+ baobab

M,h M,he3 game

M' M'an eample

M( M(eni guest, foreigner

M0 M0i town, city

M1 M1e wife

Ml Mlan( door

M& M&ea plant, crop

Mn Mnaa minaret, tower

M% M%ia ball, pipe, tube

M# M#a'ii traeller

M#h M#hahaa salary

Mt Mtt child

M$ M$+$i fisherman

M3 M3+n(+ white man

B - S:LLABE. STRESS AND *RONUNCIATION

-he Swahili syllable is said to be open, for it always ends on a owel sound. *or eample 6

KI-SWA-HI-LI E Swahili3 8A-MBO E hello I3 M-9U-NGU E a white man3

NG5O-MBE E a cow3 N-NE E four3 TA-N9A-NI-A E -an%ania3netra owel is usually added in loanwords, in order to conform to the open syllable pattern. *or

eample 6

O-I-LI E oil3 SHI-LI-NGI E shilling3 BE-NKI E bank3

*E-TRO-LI E petrol3 NA-NA-SI E pineapple3 SHA-TI E shirt3 -hestress usually falls on the last but one syllabe of a word. -here are howeer a small number ofeceptions, on words of rabic origin. *or eample 6 la3i&aE it is necessary3 6 L


10/197

E6ERCISE ) Dead aloud the following words 6

a4 Kaa. taa. #aa. 0aa. n0aa. &aana. ,hai. 2ai. 3ai"i. 'ai"a. laini. ha. wa. a+. /ila+i.#a+ti. "a+. &3ee. /ei. ,he. le. n2e+%e. n2e+#i. n0ia. 1ia#i. 1+lia. %ia. #ia(i. aia.

3ii. hii. 1i+. 1i+&/e. 1+a. 1+%a. 1+3ea. ,h. n0. 0(. 1i. n".#hi1a&. '+a. /a+a. &$+a. a"+i. 1+3+ia. h+. +n(. 0++. h++. 1++4

/4 Wewe. wi1i. "awa. /wana. 1i#wahili. 2a. 2a. ha2. 2e2e. &a2ai4,4 Ba/a. /a". /ata. /aa/aa. &aaha/a. "a"a. "e/e. "+1a. /aa"a. 1+'aa. 'i#i. a'2a.

ha'i'+. (+nia. 1+(awa. (ai. 1+0en(a. ha/a. ha%a. h"i. #ahihi. 0e&/e. 0a&/.1+0+a. 0i/+. 0+3i0+3i. 1a1a. 1+1aa. haa1a. 1i"(. 1i/a/a. la. la1ini. 1+lia. 1+/ali.&a&a. &+wa. &a&la1a. na. naa&. nana#i. n+1ta. nen. %a%a. %ana. %le.1+%a1a. li%a. +1a. /. #taehe. #i#i. #ii. #a/a/+. a#ante. tat+. tele. ti#a. ta'+ta.&at+ta. 1+$aa. $e&a. 1a$+. $iti. +$i$+4

"4 Ch+i. ,he. ,ha'+. ,ha,he. "haa+. 'e"ha. "haha/+. a&a"hani. (hali. (ha'+la.#h+(h+li. l+(ha. #+/al1hei. n(5a&/. n(5&/e. n(5a. n2+&a. n2ta. n21a.#hi"a. #hilin(i. #h+le. #a'i#ha. th+&ni. ha"ithi4

e4 M/+. &/wa. &0in(a. &hin"i. &'al&e. &,he3. &0i. &1ate. &li&a. &na3i. &%a1a.aa"a. tai. wa1i. &3+n(+4

'4 Ta'a"hali. &a(hai/i. &a#hai1i. n2wele. 1+,heha. &,han(an2i1.n2an(5an2a. &a#al1hei. thelathini. &(n0wa. &ahaa(we4

Cha%te < - Geetin(#

Swahili people pay a lot of importance to the echange of greetings. 'oliteness recommends

that you dedicate some moments to greeting a person and en&uiring about hisLher health,hisLher actiities, and possibly about hisLher close relations, especially if you didn


11/197


12/197

- S+/al1hei ! 9ood morning I (Arabic greeting)

- Ma#al1hei ! 9ood eening I (Arabic greeting)

- Ha&0a&/ n2+&/ani ? 8ow is the family G

- U hali (ani ? 8ow are you G

- U &3i&a ? Four health is good G

- =Ni> &3i&a ; am well.- Na wewe ? nd you G

- Na wewe %ia ? nd you are you well3 G

- Ha2a ! So I L >.. I L (et


13/197

- Kwa hei ! 9ood bye I (To a single person)

- Kwa heini ! 9ood bye I (To several people)

- Kwa hei 2a 1+nana ! See you soon I

- T+tanana ! See you again.

- T+tanana 1e#h4 See you tomorrow I

- A#+/+hi n0e&a4 8ae a good morning I +hen takingleae at night, you can wish 6

- U#i1+ &we&a ! 9ood night I t the time ofsleeping, you can also wish 6

- Lala #ala&a ! Sweet dreams I

#>+, (!D# -8! S>#9 6 J$> 6

Jambo !

Jambo Bwana !

Habari gani ?

Nzuri sana !

EXERCISES

E6ERCISE ) /lick on the lion to get the eercise 6

E6ERCISE < translate into !nglish 6

)4 - H"i !


14/197

E6ERCISE -ranslate into Swahili 6

1. 8ello I 8ow are you G ; am fine.?. 8ow is work G *ine.@. +hat about home G *ine.

4. Sorry I -hank you ery much.5. $y respects -hank you.K. nybody I

Cha%te - The In'initi$e

)4 GENERALITIES

-he main characteristic of the Swahili erb is its agglutinatie aspect. ;n order to be functional,to be conugated and be part of the sentence, we must attach to it a certain number of affies 6prefies, infies and suffies, according to the situation. ll these affies possess a preciseposition and function. -he general position scheme of these affies in relation to the erbradical is as follows 6

*e-*e'i J S+/0e,t *e'i J Ten#e &a1e J O/0e,t In'i J RADICALJDei$atin J S+''i J *#t-S+''i

(uckilyenough, it is ery rare for a erb to possess all these affies at one and the same time I-hese different affies and their functions will all be eplained along the following chapters.


15/197

s shown through these different eamples, the radical of the Swahili erbs of antu originends in -Ain the infinitie. -here are howeer a few eceptions, especially with erbs of rabicorigin, which end in -E, -Ior -U.

4 SOME ;ERBS OF ARABIC ORIGIN

K+-/a"ili to echange K+-0ai/+ to try

K+-/a1i to stay K+-0i/+ to answer

K+-'a+l+ to succeed K+-1eti to sit

K+-'i1ii to think K+-+"i to return, to come back

K+-'+ahi to reoice K+-#a'ii to trael

K+-hai/+ to destroy K+-#a&ehe to forgie

4 A LIST OF COMMON ;ERBS

K+-an(+1a to fall K+-na to see

K+-,h+1+a to sei%e, to take K+-%en"a to loe

K+-'aa to fit K+-%i1a to cook

K+-'+ata to follow K+-#a'i#ha to clean

K+-'+n(a to close K+-#e&a to say, to tell

K+-'+n(+a to open K+-#i&a&a to stop

K+-1aa to stay, to lie K+-ta'+ta to look for

K+-1ata to cut, to reduce K+-ta1a to want

K+-leta to bring K+-t+%a to throw

K+-n(0a to wait K+-+3a to sell

K+-n+n+a to buy K+-we3a to be able

4 MONOS:LLABIC ;ERBS

K+-'a to die K+-wa to be

K+-0a to come K+-wa na to hae

K+-la to eat Kw-en"a to go

K+-n2wa to drink Kw-i#ha to end

#>-! 6 -he last two erbs, Kw-i#haand Kw-en"a, although disyllabic, hae beenincluded in this table because they behae like monosyllabic erbs in theirconugation.+e also note that the Uof KU-weakens into Wbefore the owel Eor Iofthe radical.

4 THE NEGATI;E INFINITI;E

Swahili possesses a negatie infinitie. ;t is obtained by inserting the infi -TO-between theinfinitie prefi KU-and the radical of the erb. n etra KU-, which is compulsory in the caseof monosyllabic erbs, is sometimes added before the radical.


16/197

6U < TO >< 6U? < RADICA=

!:$'(!S 6

A''i&ati$e Ne(ati$eK+#&a to read - K+t=1+>#&a not to read

K+'an2a to do - K+t=1+>'an2a not to do

K+0i/+ to answer - K+t=1+>0i/+ not to answer

K++"i to come back - K+t=1+>+"i not to come back

K+la to eat - K+t1+la not to eat

K+'a to die - K+t1+'a not to die

EXERCISES

E6ERCISE ) -ranslate into swahili 6

a. -o learn, to catch, to arrie, to try, to wait, to look at, to see, to hear, to think, toanswer, to strike, to hae, to do, to know, to loe, to go, to come, to drink, to eat, to be,to clean, to want, to sit, to come back, to succeed.

b. #ot to find, not to catch, not to do, not to try, not to know, not to come back, not tostay, not to bring, not to wait, not to say, not to buy, not to sell, not to read, not to hear,not to stop.

E6ERCISE < -ranslate into !nglish 6

a4 K+we1a. 1+/a1i. 1+#a'ii. 1+#a&ehe. 1+an(+1a. 1+1aa. 1+#i&a&a. 1++3a.1+n+n+a. 1+%i1a. 1wi#ha. 1+#e&a. 1+'+n(a. 1+'+n(+a. 1+leta. 1+'a. 1+'aa.1+0i/+. 1+0ai/+. 1+'+ahi. 1+/a"ili. 1+we3a. 1+1eti. 1+'+ata. 1+ta'+ta4

/4 K+t1+wa. 1+t1+n2wa. 1+t1+la. 1+t1+0a. 1+twe1a. 1+t'i1a. 1+t'a+l+.1+t'+ahi. 1+t#a'ii. 1+t'aa. 1+t1+na. 1+t1+%i1a. 1+tta1a. 1+t1+we3a.

1+t'i1ii4

Cha%te - The I&%eati$e

)4 The Die,t I&%eati$e
http://mwanasimba.online.fr/keys/E_key03.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_index.htmlhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/keys/E_key03.htm


17/197

-he Hirect ;mperatie is used to gie an "abrupt" order, as would a boss to an employee, or aparent to a child. ;t is the most simple erbal form, since it is simply made of the erb radical.

;f we take the erb KUFAN:Afor eample, we simply remoe the infinitie prefi KU-, whichgies 6 FAN:A !E do I

-he Hirect ;mperatie possesses only ? persons 6 the second person singular E "you"singular3 and the second person plural E "you" plural3.

-he plural is formed by replacing the ending -Aof the radical by the suffi -ENI.

S>$! A!DS ;# -8! H;D!/- ;$'!D-;A! 6

#S 6

-he erb KULETA E to bring3 makes LETE ! E bring I3 instead of LETA in thesecond person singular.

-he erb KU8AE to come3 makes N8OO !E come I3 and N8OONI !E come I3.

-he erb KWENDAE to go3 makes NENDA !E go I3 and NENDENI !E go I3.


18/197

/hakubanga

- Nana hi2 ,hai i&e%a4 Nen"a1ai%a#he &t tena4- Cha1+/an(a ! Una 1+n(+nit+&/ni #i1+ hi3i ?

; can see the tea is cool. 9o andwarm it again. /hakubanga I 8ae you got bugs inyour stomach these days G

$! A!DS ;# -8! '>(;-! ;$'!D-;A! 6

* D;/ >D;9;# 6

U0ai/+ ! try I M0ai/+ ! try I

U+"i ! come back I M+"i ! come back I

U#a&ehe ! forgie I M#a&ehe ! forgie I

$>#>SF((;/ A!DS 6
http://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap33.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap33.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap33.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap33.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap33.htm


19/197

Uen"e ! go I Mwen"e ! go I

U0e ! come I M0e ! come I

Ule ! eat I Mle ! eat I

Un2we ! drink I Mn2we ! drink I

4 THE IM*ERATI;E OF THE )#t *ERSON *LURAL

So far we hae studied the imperatie of the ?nd person singular and plural3. ;t$! !:$'(!S 6

)#t%e#n %l+alT+'an2e ! let


20/197


21/197

K+0a. 1wen"a. 1+leta. 1+%i(a. 1++3a. 1+%en"a. 1+#a'ii. 1+0i/+. 1+'i1ii. 1+an(alia.1+'i1a. 1+1aa. 1+n+n+a. 1+0ai/+. 1+/a1i4

E6ERCISE -ranslate into !nglish 6

a4 N0 ! Nen"a ! F+ata ! Fan2a ! *i(a ! Lete ! R+"i ! 8ai/+ !b. N0ni ! Fan2eni ! 8ai/+ni ! Sa&eheni ! Leteni ! F+ateni ! Ta'+teni ! Nen"eni !,4 U%i1e ! U#a'i#he ! M'+n(+e ! M0ai/+ ! U0+e ! Uwe1e ! M'a+l+ ! Ule !"4 U#i0i/+ ! U#i#&e ! U#ien"e ! U#in2we ! U#i#e&e ! U#ian(alie ! U#iwe ! U#i1ae !

e4 M#i'+ate ! M#i/a1i ! M#i+"i ! M#i'i1ii ! M#ian(+1e ! M#i'+n(+e ! M#i1eti !M#ine !

Cha%te - The N&inal Cla##e#

;n swahili, as in any other antu languages, substanties are not diided into genders of themasculine L feminine L neutral types, but in nominal classes. Swahili includes 1@ nominalclasses, plus three etra classes called the locatie classes.

;n order to rationali%e the study of the nominal classes, these can be grouped into 7 "genders"or categories3 that each include ? classes 6 one class for the singular and another class forthe plural.-he Kth"gender" doesn


22/197


23/197


24/197

/l 1 Singular3 6 prefi M- MTU E a person, the person

/l ? 'lural3 6 prefi WA- WATU E people, the people

;n front of aowel,

the singular prefi M-becomesMW-6

MWALIMU E a teacher, the teacher

-he plural prefi WA-becomes W-6

WALIMU E teachers, the teachers

)4 SOME NOUNS OF THE M-WA- GENDER

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATION

M"+"+ Wa"+"+ an insect, insects

M'aan#a Wa'aan#a a *rench, the *rench

M(eni Wa(eni a guest, a foreigner, guests

M(n0wa Wa(n0wa a patient, patients

Mhin"i Wahin"i an ;ndian, ;ndians

M0e+&ani Wa0e+&ani a 9erman, 9ermans

M0&/a Wa0&/a an uncle maternal3, uncles

M1e Wa1e a spouse, a wife, wies

M1i#t Wa1i#t a /hristian, /hristiansM1+li&a Wa1+li&a a farmer, farmers

Mn2a&a Wan2a&a an animal, animals

M%i#hi Wa%i#hi a cook, cooks

M#i,hana Wa#i,hana a young girl, young girls

Mtt Watt a child, children

Mt+ Wat+ a person, people

M+&e Wa+&e a husband, husbands

M$+lana Wa$+lana a young man, young men

Mwa'i1a Waa'i1a an frican, fricans

Mwali&+ Wali&+ a teacher, teachers

Mwana Wana a child, a son, a daughter, children

Mwana"a&+ Wana"a&+ a human being, child of dam3

Mwana'+n3i Wana'+n3i a student, a pupil, students

Mwana&1e Wanawa1e a woman, women

Mwana+&e Wana+&e a man, men

Mwaa/+ Waaa/+ an rab, rabs

Mwin(ee3a Wain(ee3a an !nglish, the !nglish

Mwi#la&+ Wai#la&+ a $uslim, $uslims

Mwitalia Waitalia an ;talian, ;talians

Mwi3i We3i =aJi e> a thief, thiees

M3ee Wa3ee an old man, old men

M3+n(+ Wa3+n(+ a white man, white men


25/197

lthough the M-WA-gender eclusiely contains nouns of people, it is not all inclusie. -hus,a certain number of nouns refering to people can be found in other genders 6 mainly in the N-gender /l = L /l 103, the KI-;I-gender /l 7 L N3 and the 8I-MA-gender /l 5 L K3. Fet, theerbs, adecties, etc. that agree with them must take /lass 1L? prefi agreements.

Noun" o' the N. !ENDER >Cl 4 / Cl 10?


Ba/a Ba/a father, dad

Ba/+ Ba/+ grandfather

Da"a Da"a sister

Ka1a Ka1a brother

Ma&a Ma&a mother, mum

N2an2a N2an2a grandmotherRa'i1i Ra'i1i friend

Shan(a3i Shan(a3i aunt paternal3

Noun" o' the 6I./$I. !ENDER >Cla""e" / 3? &


Ki/a+a ;i/a+a a day laborer, laborers

Ki0ana ;i0ana a youth, youths

Ki%'+ ;i%'+ a blind man, blind men

Ki3iwi ;i3iwi a deaf person, deaf persons

Noun" o' the 5I./-A. !ENDER >Cla""e" + / ,? &


Bwana Ma/wana Sir, master, gentlemen

Bi/i Ma/i/i $adam, ladies

Dee$a Ma"ee$a a drier, driers

4 CLASS AGREEMENTS

1. decties 6 the adectie takes prefies of class agreements identical to those of thenoun 6 See 6/hapter 11.3

/lass 1 6 Mtt &1+/wa &"( &3+i &/a2a &we&a ...

a big L small L pretty L bad L nice L ... child

/lass ? 6 Watt wa1+/wa wa"( wa3+i wa/a2a we&a ...

big L small L pretty L bad L nice L ... children

?. 'ossessie adecties 6
http://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htm


26/197


27/197

Mwana'+n3i. &wi#la&+. &wana. &wi3i. &3ee. &3+n(+. &hin"i. &n2a&a. &+&e. &1e.&wana&+&e. &wana&1e. &(eni. &waa/+. &wa'i1a. &0&/a. 1i0ana. a'i1i. 1i%'+.1i/a+a. "a"a. #han(a3i. /i/i. /wana. "ee$a4

Cha%te - The S+/0e,t *n+n#

;n Swahili, the subect pronouns hae the particularity of being always affied to the erb asprefies.

;n the @rd person singular and plural, there is no substitution between the subect noun and thesubect prefi, but complementarity 6 the subect prefi is there, een when the subect noun isalready epressed in the sentence.

)4 AFFIRMATI;E SUB8ECT *REFI6ES

GENDERS Cla##e# SINGULAR E7+i$alent *LURAL E7+i$alent

1Q?Q

M-WA-9ender /l 1 L ?3 @Q

NI-U-A-

E ;E you

E he, she

TU-M-

WA-

E weE youE they

M-MI-9ender /l @ L 43 U- E it I- E they

8I-MA-9ender /l 5 L K3 LI- E he L she L it :A- E they

KI-;I-9ender /l 7 L N3 KI- E he L she L it ;I- E they

N-9ender /l = L 103 I- E he L she L it 9I- E they

U-9ender /l 11 L 143 U- E it

KU-9ender /l 153 KU- E it

(>/-;A! /(SS!S *A-, KU-or M- E it

>nly the M-WA-gender /lasses 1 L ?3 comprises subect prefies for the 1st and ?ndpersons singular and the 1st and ?nd persons plural.

;n the @rd person singular he L she L it3 and the @rd person plural they3, the choice of thesubect prefi depends on the nominal class to which the corresponding subect noun belongs.

8oweer, when the subect noun represents a person, whateer the class it belongs to, we willuse a subect prefi of /lass 1 in the singular and /lass ? in the plural, as for the nouns of theM-WA-gender.

!:$'(!S 6


28/197

Ana'i1a 8e L she arries /lass 13

Ma&a ana'i1a $om she3 arries /lass = O 13

Wa&elala -hey sleep /lass ?3

Watt wa&elala -he children they3 sleep /lass ?3

A&e1+'a 8e L she died /lass 13

M(n0wa a&e1+'a -he patient he3 died /lass 13

M/wa a&e1+'a -he dog it3 died /lass = O 13

Ina'aa ;t fits /lass =3

N(+ ina'aa -he cloth it3 fits /lass =3

9ina'aa -hey fit /lass 103

N(+ 3ina'aa -he clothes fit /lass 103

Lina1wen"a ;t leaes /lass 53

Ba#i lina1wen"a -he bus it3 leaes /lass 53


29/197

4 THE AUTONOMOUS *ERSONAL *RONOUNS

MIMI E ;, me

WEWE E you

:E:E E he, she, him, her SISI E we, us

NIN:I E you 'lur3

WAO E they, them

+ith ordinary erbs, the autonomous personal pronoun reinforces the suect prefi, withoutreplacing it. -hus 6

:e2e ana1wen"a D"&a E 8im, he goes to Hodoma

Mi&i #i#e&i 1i#wahili E $e, ; donn the otherhand, with the erb KUWAE to be3 in the present tense, the personal pronoun is essential tomark the person, since the erb is identical for all the persons 6

Mi&i ni &wali&+ E ; am a teacher

Wewe ni &'aant#a E Fou are *rench

:e2e ni &1en2a E 8e is enyan

Si#i ni wana'+n3i E +e are pupils

Nin2i ni wa(eni E Fou are the guests

Wa ni watan3ania E -hey are -an%anians ;t will be thesame in the negatie form, by replacing NIwith SI. *or eample 6

Mi&i #i &0in(a E ;


30/197

Mwili wte wani+&a ll the body hurts me

Lete $i#+ $2te ring all the knies

Cha1+la ,hte 1i&ehai/i1a ll the food is damaged

Wat+ wte wa&e'i1a !erybody has arried

+e can also associate -OTEwith personal pronouns or with numbers. *or eample 6

Si#i #te s all L ll of us

Nin2i n2te Fou all L ll of you

Ste wawili s two L oth of us

N2te wawili Fou two L oth of you

=;ita/+> $2te $iwili oth books3

=Miti> 2te &itat+ ll three trees3

VOCABULARY

M'an2a1a3i =wa-> a worker, workers M#a'ii =wa-> a traeller, traellers

M(ii1i =wa-> a 9reek, 9reeks Mtan3ania =wa-> a -an%anian, -an%anians

M0in(a =wa-> an idiot, idiots Mwa#hi =wa-> a mason, masons

M1en2a =wa-> a enyan, enyans Mwn( =wa-> a liar, liars

Mle$i =wa-> a drunkard, drunkards M3an3i/ai =wa->a )an%ibarian,)an%ibarians

M&a#ai =wa-> a $asai, $asais M3a3i =wa-> a parent, parents

Cha%te - The *e#ent De'inite Ten#e

-he present definite tense in Swahili is primarily used to describe actions which take place atthe time when one speaks. ;t is anchored in the present moment and has the same alue asthe 'D!S!#- />#-;#>S in !nglish.

)4 THE AFFIRMATI;E FORM

-he tense marker of the present definite is the infi -NA- which is placed between theaffirmatie subect prefi and the erb radical. -he termination of the erb does not change.

SU@5ECT PREIB < NA < $ER@ RADICA=

$>H!( 6 KUFAN:A E to make, to do


31/197

NI-NA-FAN:A - nina'an2a ; am making

U-NA-FAN:A - +na'an2a you are making

/lasse 1, Sing.3 A-NA-FAN:A - ana'an2a he L she is making

TU-NA-FAN:A - t+na'an2a we are making

M-NA-FAN:A - &na'an2a you are making

/lasse ?, 'lur.3 WA-NA-FAN:A - wana'an2a they are making

#>-! 6

$onosyllabic erbs keep the infinitie prefi KU-6

KU8AE to come3 NI-NA-KU-8A - nina1+0a ; am coming

KWENDAE to go3 A-NA-KW-ENDA - ana1wen"a he L she is going

n theother hand, erbs of rabic origin keep their final owel without taking -I. s for monosyllabicerbs, they lose the infinitie prefi KU-but take the termination -I.

NE!ATI$E SU@5ECT PREIB < $ER@ RADICA= < I

$>H!( 1 Aerb of antu origin3 6 KUFAN:A E to make, to do

SI-FAN:-I - #i'an2i ; am not making=HAJU> HU-FAN:-I - h+'an2i you are not making

=HAJA> HA-FAN:-I - ha'an2i he L she is not making

HA-TU-FAN:-I - hat+'an2i we are not making

HA-M-FAN:-I - ha&'an2i you are not making

HA-WA-FAN:-I - hawa'an2i they are not making

$>H!( ? Aerb of rabic origin3 6 KU8IBU E to answer

SI-8IBU - #i0i/+ ; am not answering

=HAJU> HU-8IBU - h+0i/+ you are not answering=HAJA> HA-8IBU - ha0i/+ he L she is not answering

HA-TU-8IBU - hat+0i/+ we are not answering

HA-M-8IBU - ha&0i/+ you are not answering

HA-WA-8IBU - hawa0i/+ they are not answering

$>H!( @ $onosyllabic erbs3 6 KU8A E to come

SI-8-I - #i0i ; am not coming

=HAJU> HU-8-I - h+0i you are not coming

=HAJA> HA-8-I - ha0i he L she is not coming

HA-TU-8-I - hat+0i we are not coming HA-M-8-I - ha&0i you are not coming

HA-WA-8-I - hawa0i they are not coming


32/197

4 SOME SENTENCES IN THE *RESENT DEFINITE

Ma&a ana%i1a $other is cooking

Ra'i1i wana1+0a le -he friends are coming today

Watt wana,he3a &%ia -he children are playing ballUna%en"a &%ia 2a &i(++ ? Ho you like football G

Nina%en"a &%ia #ana ; like football a lot

Hawa0i le -hey are not coming today

Hat+'an2i 1a3i +e are not working

VOCABULARY

Na and, with a+ or

La1ini but Le today

Sa#a now Tena againKila each, eery Sana ery, a lot

EXERCISES

E6ERCISE ) -ranslate into Swahili 6

a. ; loe, ;


33/197

)4 Wewe ni &tan3ania4


34/197


35/197

1. dectie 6 -he adectie takes prefies of class agreements identical to those of thenoun 6 See 6/hapter 11 /oncordant decties.3

/lass @ 6 Mti &1+/wa &"( &3+i &e'+ &we+#i ...

a big L small L beautiful L high L dark L ... tree

/lass 4 6 Miti &i1+/wa &i"( &i3+i &ie'+ &2e+#i ...

big L small L beautiful L high L dark L ... trees


/lass @ 6 Mti wan(+ wa1 wa1e wet+ wen+ wa

E my L your L his her its L our L your L their tree

/lass 4 6 Miti 2an(+ 2a1 2a1e 2et+ 2en+ 2a E my L your L his her its L our L your L their trees

A/iia ,h+n(aM9IGO :AKO44MARADHI -UMASIKINI -U8INGA - N8AA

-raeller look after

F>D (999!..H;S!S! '>A!D-F ;H;>/F 8#9!D

EXERCISES


a. rier, a mountain, a forest, a tree, a baobab tree, a mango tree, a coconut tree, athornbush, an orange tree, a banana tree, cassaa, corn, sugar cane, the smoke, afire.

b. reads, balls, toothbrushes, bags, games, months, years, wages, towns, the hands,the doors, hearts, eams, coconut trees, umbrellas.
http://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/keys/E_key09.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/keys/E_key09.htm


36/197


a4 Mi1n. &i(++. &i'ee0i. &we&/e. &na3i. &i/+2+. &,h+n(wa. &ili&a. &it.&iti. &+wa. &i'+1. &,hele. &,he3. &ia$+li. &i"&. &i3i(. i1iti. &inaa.

&tihani4/4 Che3a &%ia ! An(alia &tt &"( ! Fa+l+ &tihani ! Cha &2 ! Li&a

&+hin"i ! F+n(a &lan( ! U#i'+n(+e &lan( ! An(alia &ii/a ! N+n+a &1ate !U#ile &1ate !


)4 Watt wana%en"a 1+,he3a &%ia4


37/197

NI-A-SOMA - na#&a ; read

U-A-SOMA - wa#&a you read

A-A-SOMA - a#&a he L she reads

TU-A-SOMA - twa#&a we read

MU-A-SOMA - &wa#&a you read

WA-A-SOMA - wa#&a they read

$>H!( ? 6 KU8A E to come

NI-A-8A - na0a ; come

U-A-8A - wa0a you come

A-A-8A - a0a he L she comes

TU-A-8A - twa0a we come

MU-A-8A - &wa0a you come

WA-A-8A - wa0a they come

#>-! 6 -he erb KUWAE to be3 does not conugate in the 'resent ;ndefinite. ;thas only one present tense form 6 NI. See 6/hapter 7and /hapter 17

-he Aerb KUWA.3


38/197

K+-,ha'+a to dirty K+-%i(a %a#i to iron

K+-'i,ha to hide K+-#hna to sew

K+-'+a n(+ to wash the linen K+-ta3a&a to stare

K+-(%a to be afraid K+-tia to put

K+-&/a to ask, to beg K+-ta to remoe

K+-%an"a to go up, to climb K+-+li3a to ask a &uestion

EXERCISES

E6ERCISE ) -ranslate into Swahili, using the 'resent ;ndefinite 6

a. ; learn, you sew, she sweeps, she cooks, they wash the linen, they cultiate, heremoes, you listen 'lur3, they agree, he buys, they sell, they play, she sleeps, weechange, we are afraid.

b. ; don


39/197

+e will deote this first chapter to the study of the adecties which agree 6 the concordantadecties.

-he adecties are usually introduced without any prefi in the lists of ocabulary. ;t istherefore adisable to be able to recogni%e them from their roots.

-he agreement prefies of the adecties are identical to the class prefies of the nouns withwhich they agree.

8oweer, a few modifications of a phonetic nature can be obsered, especially with theadecties whose root starts with a owel. -herefore, for more transparency, we propose todiide our study of the concordant adecties into two subcategories 6 the adecties whoseroot starts with a consonant and those whose root starts with a owel.

)4 AD8ECTI;ES STARTING WITH A CONSONANT

AD8ECTI;E TRANSLATION AD8ECTI;E TRANSLATION

-/a2a bad -1++ chief, main

-/i,hi raw, green, unripe -1++1++ used, old

-/i$+ ripe -nene fat

-/$+ rotten -nn big, fat animal3

-,ha,he a few, some -%ana large

-,ha'+ dirty -%2a new

-,h+n(+ bitter -e'+ long, high

-"( small, little -#h+%a$+ brae, firm

-'+%i short -ta&+ delicious, sweet

-(eni strange, foreign -t+%+ empty, naked

-(+&+ hard -$i$+ la%y

-0an0a cunning, crafty -wi$+ ealous

-1ali seere, sharp, cruel -3ee old

-1a$+ dry -3i&a whole, adult

-1e female -3it heay

-1'i saage, brutal -3+i pretty, beautiful

-1+/wa big

-he prefi agreements for the M-WA-gender /lasses 1 L ?3, the M-MI-gender /lasses @ L43 and the KI-;I-gender /lasses 7 L N3 are strictly identical to those of the nouns. *or the 8I-

MA-gender /lasses 5 L K3, only the adectie -*:Atakes the prefi 8I-in the singular, whichmakes 6 8I*:A. -he other adecties do not take any prefi in the singular. -hey all take theprefi MA-in the plural.

;t is only with the N-gender /lasses = L 103, that matters get a little more tricky 6

1. -he adectie takes the prefi N-if the adectial root starts with D, Gou 96

2.

N- -DOGO O NDOGO E small, little3

N- -GUMU O NGUMU E hard3

N- -9URI O N9URI E beautiful, nice3

3. -he adectie takes the prefi M-if the adectial root starts with B, *ou ;6


40/197

4.

M- -BA:A O MBA:A E bad3

M- -*:A O M*:A E new3

M- -;I;U O M;I;U E la%y3

5. -he adecties whose roots start with other consonants do not take any prefi, eceptfor -REFUwhich makes 6 NDEFUE long, high3.

S>$! !:$'(!S 6

Mtt &"( a little child /lass 13

Watt wa"( little children /lass ?3

Mti &e'+ a high tree /lass @3

Miti &ie'+ high trees /lass 43

T+n"a 0i%2a a new fruit /lass 53

Mat+n"a &a%2a new fruits /lass K3

Cha1+la 1i/a2a a bad food /lass 73

;2a1+la $i/a2a bad foods /lass N3

N(+ '+%i a short cloth /lass =3

N(+ '+%i short clothes /lass 103

U# &3+i a beautiful face U-9ender, Sing, d /l @3

N2+# n3+i beautiful faces U-9ender, 'lur, d /l 103

K+#&a 1+3+i studying is good KU-9ender3

J E O MWE ! 6 Mtt &we&a nice child

M=+> J I O MWI ! 6 Mtt &win(ine nother child

3.

'(D( /lass ?3WA J A O WA ! 6 Wat+ wa&ini'+ 8onest people

WA J E O WE ! 6 Watt we&a #ice children

WA J I O WE ! 6 Watt wen(ine >ther children

4. -he M-MI- 9ender 6


41/197

5.

S;#9(D /lass @3M=+> J E O MWE ! 6 Mti &we+#i dark tree

M=+> J I O MWI ! 6 M1ate &win(ine nother bread

6.

'(D( /lass 43

MI J E O M:E ! 6 Miti &2e+#i Hark treesMI J I O MI ! 6 Mi1ate &in(ine >ther breads

7. -he 8I-MA- 9ender 6

8.

S;#9(D /lass 538I J E O 8E ! 6 8+a 0e1+n"+ red sun

8I J I O 8I ! 6 8+a 0in(i lot of sun

9.

'(D( /lass K3MA J E O ME ! 6 Ma/a#i &e1+n"+ Ded buses

MA J I O ME ! 6 Ma/a#i &en(ine >ther buses10. !:/!'-;># 6 8I J INGINE - LENGINEE another311.1?. -he KI-;I- 9ender 6

13.

S;#9(D /lass 73KI J E O CHE ! 6 Kiti ,he+#i black chair

KI J I O KI ! 6 Cha1+la 1in(i lot of food

14.

'(D( /lass N3;I J E O ;: ! 6 ;iti $2e+#i lack chairs

;I J I O ;I ! 6 ;2a1+la $in(ine >ther foods

15. -he N- 9ender 6

16.

S;#9(D /lass =3N J E O N:E ! 6 N(+ n2e+%e white cloth

N J I O N:I ! 6 N(+ N2in(ine nother cloth

17.

'(D( /lass 103N J E O N:E ! 6 N(+ n2e+%e +hite clothes

N J I O N:I ! 6 N(+ N2in(ine >ther clothes

1N. !:/!'-;># 6 N J EMA - N8EMAE good3

EXERCISES


a. ig, fat, small, short, heay, light, dirty, hard, sweet, bitter, new, la%y, red, black, white,malignant, main, raw, bad, good.

b. cunning man, an honest child, a few people, a seere teacher, a la%y young man, aealous woman, a nice young girl, adult people, a high mountain, sweet sugar cane,beautiful mai%e, a thin body, dirty hands, a whole month, a black umbrella, long legs, a
http://mwanasimba.online.fr/keys/E_key11.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/keys/E_key11.htm


42/197

white smoke, a red fire, a difficult eam, a good heart.


a4 M'+%i. n3it. &$i$+. 1a$+. 1i(+&+. 1i"(. &a,ha'+. &/i,hi. &1ali. 0i%2a.

&a1+/wa. n3+i. n0e&a. len(ine. &3ee. n2e1+n"+. wa&ini'+. &wan(a$+.,he%e#i. t+%+4

/4 Mtt &$i$+. &'+1 &t+%+. wat+ wa3i&a. wan2a&a wa1ali. wa&a#ai wa1+/wa.n(+ &%2a. &t+ &we+#i. &0i &1++. &i(++ &i'+%i. wa3+n(+ wa(eni. &i1n&i%ana. &%ia &"(. &a(ai &a,ha,he. 1it+ 1in(ine. ,ha1+la 1ita&+. &+hin"i&/i,hi. &tt &/a2a. wana'+n3i wen(i. &wi3i &w$+. n(+ '+%i4

E6ERCISE 'ut the following phrases in the plural 6

Gai 0i%2a. n(+ n2e1+n"+. 1iti 1i"(. +# &we&a. &wana&1e &1ali. &t &%ana. &ti

&e'+. &t+ &3i&a. &$+lana &$i$+. &n2a&a &nn. &0i &1+/wa. &(n0wa &win(ine.&lan( &1++. hahaa &"(. &1ate &win(i. &2 &3it. it+ &we+#i. &1n&,ha'+. (ai /$+. ,ha1+la 1i,ha,he4

Cha%te )< - In$aia/le A"0e,ti$e#

$ost of the inariable adecties are borrowed from the rabic. (ike the concordant adecties,they are always placed *-!D the noun. few of them can be both noun and adectie. *oreample 6 &a#1iniE poor, a poor, and ta0ii&a-3 E rich, a rich person.

)4 THE MOST COMMON IN;ARIABLE AD8ECTI;ES

AD8ECTI;E TRANSLATION AD8ECTI;E TRANSLATION/a ecellent, better &an0an yellow

/+e useless, free &a#1ini poor

(hali epensie &+hi&+ important

ha/a few, little $2 bad, alueless

ha'i'+ weak ahi#i cheap, easyhai alie a#&i official

halali pure, legitimate #a'i clean

haa&+ forbidden #ahihi correct

h"ai brae, intelligent, cleer #awa e&ual, same

i&aa strong #hwai calm

1a&ili complete, eact ta0ii rich

1i0ani green ta2ai ready

1weli true tele plenty

laini soft, smooth wa3i open, obious

&aal+& special


43/197

Bwana ta0ii rich man

Mtt &a#1ini poor child

Ka3i /+e $2 useless L slapdash piece of work

Sa'ai a#&i n official ourney

Wana'+n3i h"ai /leer pupils

Ma&/ &+hi&+ ;mportant matters

Cha1+la ni ha/a -here is little food

Cha1+la ni tele -here is plenty of food

Cha1+la ta2ai -he food is3 ready

Mlan( ni wa3i -he door is open

Kila 1it+ #awa !erything is e&ual L fine

Ha/ai (ani ? - Sa'i #ana ! 8ow are you G Aery fine I

Ha/ai 3a 1a3i ? - Shwai ! +hat about your work G ;t.. I

4 THE COM*ARATI;E OF SU*ERIORIT:

-o translate "more than" we use in Swahili the epression KULIKO E where there is3, oralternatiely KU9IDIE to increase3, KU*ITAE to oertake3, or KUSHINDAE to defeat3. llthese different epressions are e&uialent and interchangeable.

!:$'(!S 6

Ali ni &e'+ 1+li1 8+&a

li is taller than Juma (Ali is tall more than Juma)

N(+ 2an(+ ni #a'i 1+%ita 2a1

$y cloth is cleaner than yours (... is clean more than yours)

A/"allah ni h"ai 1+#hin"a O&ai

bdallah is more intelligent than >mari (... is intelligent more than Omari)

9an3i/a ni &0i &3+i 1+3i"i Da e# Salaa&

)an%ibar is a more beautiful town than Har es Salaam (... is a town beautiful more than ares !alaam)

SF;#9 6

Damu nzito kuliko maji

VOCABULARY

K+-a&1a to wake up K+-n+1a to smell bad

K+-an3a to start, to begin K+-n+1ia to smell good

K+-'+ta to wipe K+-ta to grow, to dream

K+-(n(a to hit, to knock K+-#aha+ to forget

K+-hita0i to need K+-t#ha to be sufficient

K+-li%a to pay K+-$aa to wear

EXERCISES


44/197


poor child, rich traellers, an epensie car, a useless piece of work, an important ob, an

open door, forbidden games, a cleer pupil, an official ourney, a clean rier, a weak patient, aready luggage, an easy ob, important matters, forbidden food, cheap bread, plenty of food,better food, complete matters, clean clothes.


Shwai. #awa. laini. 1weli. haa&+. halali. /a. /+e. ta2ai. ta0ii. &a#1ini. (hali. ahi#i.i&aa. ha'i'+. a#&i. tele. ha/a. wa3i. &+hi&+. $2. &an0an. 1i0ani. hai. h"ai4


)4 Mi3i( 2a1 =ni> ta2ai4


45/197

only eist in class K plural3.

/l 5 Singular3 6 prefi 8I- 8ICHOE an eye, the eye

prefi - TUNDA E a fruit, the fruit

/l K 'lural3 6 prefi MA- MACHOE eyes, the eyes

MATUNDAE fruits, the fruits

)4 NOUNS TAKING THE *REFI6 8I- IN THE SINGULAR

NOUN TRANSLATION NOUN TRANSLATION8i,h. &a,h an eye, eyes 8a&/. &a&/ a matter, matters

8i1. &e1 a cooker, cookers 8iwe. &awe a stone, stones

8in. &en a tooth, teeth


46/197

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATIONBlan1eti &a/lan1eti a blanket, blankets

De/e &a"e/e a 4 gallon tin can

Dii#ha &a"ii#ha a window, windows

Gai &a(ai a car, cars also in classes = L 103

Ga3eti &a(a3eti a newspaper, newspapers

G" &a(" a mattress, mattressesG+nia &a(+nia a coarse bag, a sack

8e&/e &a0e&/e a hoe, hoes

San"+1+ &a#an"+1+ a bo, a trunk, boes

Sh1a &a#h1a an ae, aes

RUITS9 NATURA= PRODUCTS &

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATIONCh+n(wa &a,h+n(wa an orange, oranges

Da'+ &a"a'+ a coconut with milk, coconuts

E&/e &ae&/e a mango, mangoes

8ani &a0ani a leaf, leaes

Li&a+ &ali&a+ a lemon, lemons

Nana#i &anana#i a pineapple, pineapples

*a%ai &a%a%ai a pawpaw, pawpaws

T+n"a &at+n"a a fruit, fruits

:ai &a2ai an egg, eggs

# NATURA= OR @UI=T P=ACES &

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATIONBaa3a &a/aa3a a eranda, erandas

Daa0a &a"aa0a a bridge, bridges

D+1a &a"+1a a shop, shops

*i &a%i the bush

Sha&/a &a#ha&/a a field, a farm, fields

S1 &a#1 a market, markets

) NOUNS O PEOP=E &

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATIONBi/i &a/i/i young lady, grandmother, ladies

Bwana &a/wana Sir, master, gentlemen

F+n"i &a'+n"i a craftsman, craftsmen

Kaani &a1aani a clerk, clerks

Rai# &aai# a president, presidents

See&ala &a#ee&ala a carpenter, carpenters

Shan(a3i &a#han(a3i an aunt paternal3, aunts

Ta0ii &ata0ii a rich person, rich people

Wa3ii &awa3ii a minister, ministers

+ PARTS O THE HU-AN @OD &


47/197

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATIONBe(a &a/e(a a shoulder, shoulders

Gti &a(ti a knee, knees

Si1i &a#i1i an ear, ears

T+&/ &at+&/ the stomach, the bowells

, A@STRACT OR CONCRETE CONCEPTS &

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATION8ina &a0ina a name, names

8+a &a0+a the sun, suns

K#a &a1#a a mistake, mistakes

Nen &anen a word, words

Sha+i &a#ha+i an adice, adices

S& &a#& a lesson, lessons

Wa3 &awa3 a thought, thoughts

9+n(+&3 &a3+n(+&3 a conersation, conersations

4 THE AUGMENTATI;E *REFI6 8I-

-he prefi 8I-can possess an augmentatie alue. ;n that case, we replace the normal nounclass prefi with the prefi 8I-or the prefi -in some cases3. ;n the plural, the prefi MA-isplaced in front of the augmentatie prefi.

ORIGIN SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATIONM"+"+ insect3 - D+"+ &a"+"+ a large insect, large insects

Mt+ person3 - 8it+ &a0it+ a giant, giantsN21a snake3 - 81a &a01a a large snake, large snakes

N2+&/a house3 - 8+&/a &a0+&/a a building, buildings

Mt fire3 - 8t &a0t the heat

4 CLASS AGREEMENTS

1. dectie 6 -he adectie takes prefies of class agreements identical to those of thenoun 6

See 6 /hapter 11 /oncordant decties.3

/lass 5 6 T+n"a 1+/wa "( 3+i /a2a 0i%2a ...

a big L small L beautiful L bad L new L ... fruit

/lass K 6 Mat+n"a &a1+/wa &a"( &a3+i &a/a2a &a%2a ...

big L small L beautiful L bad L new L ... fruits

?. 'ossessie decties 6
http://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htmhttp://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap11.htm


48/197

/lass 5 6 T+n"a lan(+ la1 la1e let+ len+ la

E my L your L his her L our L your L their fruit

/lass K 6 Mat+n"a 2an(+ 2a1 2a1e 2et+ 2en+ 2a

E my L your L his her L our L your L their fruits

#>-! 6 -he adectie that &ualifies a class 5 L K noun of person, must take class 1L ? agreements.

Kaani &3+iinstead of 1aani 3+i3 good clerk

Ma1aani wa3+iinstead of &a1aani &a3+i3 9ood clerks

:+le /wana &1+/wa -hat big man

Wale &a/wana wa1+/wa -hose big men

VOCABULARY

T tan#late @in. n. at@ the #+''i @-NI@

Baa3ani on the eranda Mlan(ni at the doorD+1ani in the shop Mli&ani on the mountain

8i1ni in the kitchen Mtni in the rier

M'+1ni in the bag *ini in the bush

M1nni in the hand Sha&/ani on the farm

M0ini downtown S1ni at the market

EXERCISES


a. /orn, oil, water, mangoes, lemons, eggs, oranges, pawpaws, milk, a can, a coarsebag, a hoe, newspapers, an ae, cars, a shop, a market, craftsmen, ministers, clerks.

b. ; drink water, ; eat corn, he takes a pawpaw, he sells oil, buy oranges I -ake blankets IHon


49/197


)4 Nen"a "+1ani +n+n+e &a3iwa !


50/197


51/197

!:$'(!S 6 A&ina a&e+"i ? - A0a+"i /a"4 or 6 Ba" !E 8as mina come back G She hasn


52/197

Cha%te ) - The De&n#tati$e#

-here is no distinction between demonstratie adecties and demonstratie pronouns inSwahili.

-he demonstratie must agree with the noun to which it refers, but it doesn#S-D-;A! >* 'D>:;$;-F 6

;t corresponds to 6 this, these, for the demonstratie adecties Rand to 6 this one, these ones, for the demonstratie pronouns.

*>D$-;># 6 ;t starts with H-and ends in the subect prefi corresponding to theclass of the noun with which it agrees. -he intermediate owel isidentical to the final owel.

!:$'(!S 6

MTU /lass 13 Subect prefi:U-#>- A-3 H44 - :U - HU:U

WATU /lass ?3 Subect prefi WA- H44 - WA - HAWA

MTI /lass @3 Subect prefi U- H44 - U - HUU

MITI /lass 43 Subect prefi I- H44 - I - HIITUNDA /lass 53 Subect prefi LI- H44 - LI - HILI

MATUNDA /lass K3 Subect prefi:A- H44 - :A - HA:A

?. -8! H!$>#S-D-;A! >* H;S-#/! 6

;t corresponds to 6 that, those, for the demonstratie adecties Ror to 6 that one, those ones, for the demonstratie pronouns.

*>D$-;># 6 ;t starts with the subect prefi corresponding to the class of thenoun with which it agrees, and ends in -LE.

!:$'(!S 6

MTU /lass 13 Subect prefi:U-#>- A-3 :U - LE - :ULE

WATU /lass ?3 Subect prefi WA- WA - LE - WALE

MTI /lass @3 Subect prefi U- U - LE - ULE

MITI /lass 43 Subect prefi I- I - LE - ILE

TUNDA /lass 53 Subect prefi LI- LI - LE - LILE

MATUNDA /lass K3 Subect prefi:A- :A - LE - :ALE

@. -8! H!$>#S-D-;A! >* D!*!D!#/! 6

;t is used to designate the person or the thing which has already been spoken about. ;tcan be translated by 6 this, that R

>r by 6 this one, that one.


53/197

*>D$-;># 6 ;t borrows its first syllable from the demonstratie of proimity, andends in the suffi "-O" of reference corresponding to the class ofthe noun with which it agrees.See 6 /hapter @1.3

!:$'(!S 6

MTU /lass 13 ">" of reference -:O HU - :O - HU:O

WATU /lass ?3 ">" of reference -O HA - O - HAO

MTI /lass @3 ">" of reference -O HU - O - HUOMITI /lass 43 ">" of reference -:O HI - :O - HI:O

TUNDA /lass 53 ">" of reference -LO HI - LO - HILO

MATUNDA /lass K3 ">" of reference -:O HA - :O - HA:O

/(SS!S LNOUNSDEMONSTRATI;ES

'D>:;$;-F H;S-#/! D!*!D!#/!

/lass 1 Mt+/lass ? Wat+

HU:UHAWA

:ULEWALE

HU:OHAO

/lass @Mti

/lass 4 MitiHUUHII

ULEILE

HUOHI:O

/lass 5 T+n"a/lass K Mat+n"a

HILIHA:A

LILE:ALE

HILOHA:O

/lass 7 Kiti/lass N ;iti

HIKIHI;I

KILE;ILE

HICHOHI;:O

/lass = N(+/lass 10 N(+

HIIHI9I

ILE9ILE

HI:OHI9O

/lass 11L14 U#/lass 10 N2+#

HUUHI9I

ULE9ILE

HUOHI9O


54/197


55/197

)4 Ka&ata &wi3i h+2+ !


56/197


57/197

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATIONKi/1 $i/1 an hippopotamus, hippos

Ki'a+ $i'a+ a rhinoceros, rhinoceroses

Ki%e%e $i%e%e a butterfly, butterflies

, PARTS O THE HU-AN @OD &

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATIONKi,hwa $i,hwa a head, heads

Ki"le $i"le a finger, fingers

Ki"n"a $i"n"a an ulceration, ulcerations

Ki'+a $i'+a the chest, chests

A@STRACT OR CONCRETE CONCEPTS &

SINGULAR *LURAL TRANSLATIONChe $2e a rank, a row, ranks

Cheti $2eti a certificate, certificates

Cha&a $2a&a a party, an association, parties

3 NA-ES O =AN!UA!ES >Cla"" onl8? &

SINGULAR TRANSLATIONKiaa/+ rabic

Ki'aan#a *rench

Kihin"i ;ndian, 8indi

Kiin(ee3a !nglish

Ki#wahili Swahili


58/197


59/197


60/197


61/197

AFFIRMATI;E Tan#latin NEGATI;E Tan#latin

NITAKUWA ; will be SITAKUWA ; won#H;-;>#( 6 Nin(e1+waAn(e1+wa

E ; would beE he L she would be

'S- />#H;-;>#( 6 Nin(ali1+waAn(ali1+wa

E ; would hae beenE he L she would hae been


62/197

+hat is "8!D!" or "-8!D!", that is a precise, definite place. -hat translates in thesuffi -*O/lass 1K3.

+hat is "8!D! >-" or ">A!D -8!D!", that is a more or less indefinite place.-hat translates in the suffi -KO/lass 173.

+hat is ";#" or ";#S;H!". -hat translates in the suffi -MO/lass 1N3.

-hus, as an eample,:+%means 6 he L she is here L there,:+1E he L she is here aboutLoer there, and:+&E he L she is in.

-he negatie conugation is not more difficult 6 Ha2+%means 6 he L she is not here L there,Ha2+1E he L she is not here aboutL oer there Ha2+&E he L she is not in L inside.

(et


63/197

@ PAST &

AFFIRMATI;E Tan#latin NEGATI;E Tan#latin

NILIKUWE*O ; was there SIKUWE*O ; wasn


64/197

M1++(en3i =wa-> a director M+n(+ 9od

Mlin3i =wa-> a watchman Mwana,ha&a =w-> a member, a partisan

M#ai"i3i =wa-> an assistant, a second Mwanan,hi =w-> a citi%en

M#i&a&i3i =wa-> a foreman, a manager Mwen2e0i =w-> a illager, an inhabitant

Mtawala =wa-> a ruler, a goernor Mwen2e3i M+n(+ the (ord 9od

Mt+&i#hi =wa-> a serant Mwin"a0i =wa-> a hunter

EXERCISES


a. -hey are students, they are day laborers, this tree is a mango tree, you are a teacher,it


65/197

*or want of a genuine erb "to hae" in Swahili, we use the epression KUWA NA, whichlitteraly means "to be with".

;n the absence of a erb radical, the particle @NA@is directly coupled to the subect prefi 6 thisis the case in the 'resent Hefinite. ;t will remain separated from the erb in the other tensesand forms, including the infinitie.

)4 CON8UGATION OF THE ;ERB @KUWA NA@

A PRESENT &

;n the affirmatie form, the affirmatie subect prefies are directly followed by the particle"NA", in the absence of any erb radical. +e speak of a radical3.

-he same applies to the negatie form, where the negatie subect prefies are directlyfollowed by the particle "NA".

CLASS AFFIRMATI;E Tan#latin NEGATI;E Tan#latin

1?

/l 1 Mt+@1?

/l ? Wat+@

NINAUNA

ANATUNAMNAWANA

; haeyou hae

he L she haswe haeyou haethey hae

SINAHUNA

HANAHATUNAHAMNAHAWANA

; haen


66/197


67/197


68/197

hae eggs G -he drier has no car, the car has no drier, the farmer has a large field.


)4 M3+n(+ ana &i3i( &i3it4 la 1+#e&a44 M1ate +% ? - Ha&na44 Mie&/e ile ina &ae&/e &en(i44 Mtt &a#1ini h+2+ hana ,hah+la 1ila #i1+44 Mna wen2e0i wen(i Nai/i44 Gai lile lina &atati3 &en(i44 Wana,ha&a wana &1+tan le44 Kitan"a hi1i ha1ina #h+1a4

)4 T+na &tihani wa 1i#wahili le4

Cha%te ) - A"$e/#

D!$;#H!D 6 n aderb is an inariable word that says how an action proceeds &uickly,slowly, etc... 3, with which fre&uency often, sometimes, neer, etc... 3. ;t epresses possibilityor certainty maybe, certainly, etc... 3, or &ualifies an adectie ery large, &uite small, etc... 3

;n Swahili, the aderb is placed after the erb, ecept in some particular cases.

)4 COMMON AD;ERBS

Ba"ala instead of Mn too much

B+e in ain *a&0a together

Gha'la suddenly O$2 anyhow

Ha1i1a sure *en(ine maybe

Hali#i eactly *ia also, too

Haa1a &uickly Sana ery

Ha#a especially Taati/+ regularlyKa/i#a completely Tena again

Ka"hali1a in the same way T+ only

Ka&we neer, at all U%e#i &uickly

Kweli true U%2a again

La/"a perhaps 9ai"i more


69/197

HA!DS *>D$!H ># -8! 'D!*;:!S ; and A;

COM*ARISON MANNERKia#1ai like a soldier Hi$i in this way

Ki"( a little Hi$2 in that way

Kin2a&a like an animal ;i/a2a badly

Ki%+&/a$+ like an idiot ;i(+&+ difficultKi#ha&/a like a peasant ;in(ine in another way

Ki#hen3i like a saage ;in(ine$2 in any other way

Kitt like a child ;i$2 in the same way

Ki3+n(+ like a white ;i3+i well


70/197


71/197

Cha%te


72/197

Ba+a a letter N(&a a drum

Ch+%a a bottle Sa/+ni soap

Dawa a drug, a medicine Sahani a plate

Kala&+ a pen S+'+ia a pan

Kaata#i a paper S++ali trousers

# NATURE &

A"hi ground, earth Hewa air, atmosphere

Bahai sea N++ light

Bai"i cold M$+a rain

Baa'+ ice N0ia a way

) A@STRACT CONCEPTS &

A0ali an accident H+3+ni sadness

Bahati luck N(+$+ strengthF+aha oy R+h+#a permission

Ha#aa a loss Shi"a difficulties

Hatai a danger Tha&ani alue

+ ANI-A=S &

K+1+ a chicken N(5&/e a cow

M/+ a mos&uito N21a a snake

M/+3i a goat *a1a a cat

M/waa dog

Sa&a1ia fishN"e(e a bird Si&/a a lion

, OOD9 RUITS9 $E!ETA@=ES &

Chai tea N"i3i a banana

Ch+&$i salt N2a&a meat

Kahawa coffee *ili%ili pepper

M/(a a egetable Sia(i butter, margarine

Na3i a coconut S+1ai sugar


73/197

/lass = 6 N(+ 1+/wa n"( n3+i &/a2a n2e+#i ...

a large L small L beautiful L bad L dark L ... cloth

/lass 10 6 N(+ 1+/wa n"( n3+i &/a2a n2e+#i ...

large L small L beautiful L bad L dark L ... clothes


/lass = 6 N(+ 2an(+ 2a1 2a1e 2et+ 2en+ 2a

E my L your L hisherits L our L your plur3 L their cloth

/lass 10 6 N(+ 3an(+ 3a1 3a1e 3et+ 3en+ 3a

E my L your L hisherits L our L your plur3 L their clothes

#>-! 6 +hen the noun it refers to is a person, the possessie adectie takesagreements of the N- gender, instead of the usual M-WA- gender

agreements, which makes it possible to distinguish between the singular andthe plural.

!:$'(!S 6

Nina,he3a &%ia na a'i1i 2an(+ ; play football with my friend

Nina,he3a &%ia na a'i1i 3an(+ ; play football with my friends

A&e1wen"a #1ni na "a"a 2a1e She has gone to the market with her sister

N2an2a 2an(+ &1ali $y grandmother is seere

EXERCISES


a. Salt, pepper, a banana, a coconut, a dog, a cat, a fish, a goat, a danger, a loss,sadness, the alue, ice, cold, rain, a way, a bottle, a drug, soap, a plate.

b. $y grandmother, my grandfather, my friend, my friends, this sisterinlaw, thesesistersinlaw, my trousers, my clothes, my pen, this large lion, this little cat, this fiercedog, my tea, your coffee, a great sadness, a great danger, bad luck, delicious

bananas, rotten coconuts, a long way.


a4 Kahawa. ,hai. #ia(i. #+1ai. tha&ani. &/+3i. &/wa. &/+. n(+$+. &$+a. n++.hewa. a"hi. /ahai. &/(a. n2a&a. 1aata#i. n(&a. #ahani. n"+(+. a'i1i.a#1ai. ha#aa. +h+#a. n"e(e4

/4 Ra'i1i 3a1. &a&a 2an(+. "a"a 2a1e. 1a1a 2et+. n2an2a 2a1. n(+ 3an(+.

#++ali 2a1e. ,h+%a 3et+. /a+a 2an(+. 1ala&+ 2a1. #ahani 3a1e. +h+#a 2a1.&/wa 2an(+. 1+1+ 3a. '+aha 2a1e. #hi"a 3et+. n"i3i 3a. na3i 3an(+. %a1a


74/197

2a1. ha#aa 2en+4


)4 M%i#hi a&e%i1a ,hai na 1ahawa4


75/197

- Unata1a nini ? +hat do you want G

- Nini hii ? +hat is it G

- Una#e&a nini ? +hat do you say G

- Ni,h+1+e nini na nini ? +hat should ; take G

@. GANI ? E +hat G L +hat sort G L +hat kind G L +hich G

- Unata1a 1it+ (ani ? +hat do you want G

- K+na #"a (ani ? +hat kind of soda is there G

- Una'an2a 1a3i (ani ? +hat sort of work do you do G

- ;it+n(++ 1ia#i (ani ? 8ow much are the onions G

- Manana#i /ei (ani ? +hat price are the pineapples G

- U&e%ata a0ali na&na (ani ? 8ow hae you got an accident G

4. WA*I ? E +here G

5.

- Wa(eni wa&e1wen"a wa%i ? +here hae the guests gone G- Bwana 2+1 wa%i ? +here is the master G

K. -NGA*I ? E 8ow much G L 8ow many G

-n(a%i ?works like an adectie. ;t is placed after the name and agrees in class with it.

/l ? - Wat+ wan(a%i ? 8ow many people G

/l 4 - Mia1a &in(a%i ? 8ow many years G

/l K - Ma,h+n(wa &an(a%i ? 8ow many oranges G

/l N - ;i0i1 $in(a%i ? 8ow many spoons G

/l 10 - N2+&/a n(a%i ? 8ow many houses G

!:$'(!S 6

- Wa1 wat+ wan(a%i 9an3i/a ? 8ow many people in )an%ibar G

- Ki1a%+ hi1i #hilin(i n(a%i ? 8ow much is this basket G

- Ba#i linan"1a #aa n(a%i ? +hat time does the bus leae G

- U&e1wen"a La&+ &aa n(a%i ? 8ow often hae you been to (amu G

7. LINI ? E +hen G

- Uta+"i lini ? +hen will you come back G

- Tan(+ lini +&e1+wa &(n0wa ? Since when hae you been ill G

- M$+a ita1wi#ha lini ? +hen will the rain stop G

- Lini wata1wen"a M&/a#a ? +hen will they go to $ombasa G

N. 8E ? or -8E ?affied to the erb E +hat G L 8ow G


76/197

- 8e. +na1wen"a Nai/i le ? ; say, are you going to #airobi today G

- 8e 1a3i i&e1wi#ha ? !h I ;s work finished G

- ;iat+ hi$i +na+3a0e ? 8ow much do you sell these shoes G

- Una#e&a0e ? +hat do you say G

- T+'an2e0e ? +hat should we do G

- Na1wen"a #1ni4 Wewe 0e ?;


77/197

A1ili intelligence Mali fortune

Fai"a profit Ma1iti the market in )


78/197

)4 NUMBERS FROM ) TO -! 6 y their nature, number 1 -&0a3 takes only class agreements in thesingular, whereas numbers ? -wili3, @ -tat+3, 4 -nne3, 5 -tan3 and N-nane3 take only plural agreements.;n the case of a composite number 11, 1?, 1@, 14, 15, 1N, etc.3 only theconcordant part of the number takes a prefi of class.

AGREEMENTS OF THE NUMBERS ne fruit

) N(+ &0a >ne cloth

) Ki0i1 1i&0a >ne spoon

Mia1a &itat+ -hree years

Mat+n"a #ita Si fruits

Mat+n"a &anane !ight fruits

Wat+ wanane !ight people

)) ;i0i1 1+&i na 1i&0a !leen spoons

)< ;i0i1 1+&i na $iwili -wele spoons

) Mat+n"a 1+&i na &atat+ -hirteen fruits) Miti 1+&i na &inne *ourteen trees

) Wat+ 1+&i na wanane !ighteen people


79/197


80/197

)) El'+ &0a na &0a

) El'+ &0a &ia #ita

) El'+ &0a &ia #a/a thelathini na tan

< El'+ nne &ia tat+ haini na &/ili

El'+ nne &ia tan

El'+ #a/a &ia nane

El'+ nane &ia ti#a na tat+

4 TENS OF THOUSANDS

+hen handling numbers with tens of thousands, some care must be taken to aoidconfusions. *or eample 6

#umber )4should read 6 El'+ 1+&i na tan, which can also be interpreted as 6 ))I

-hus, to aoid any risk of confusion, the word el'+ will be placed *-!D the number that

&uantifies it, and the number will read 6 )4 K+&i na tan el'+.

-his rule must be obsered eery time the tens of thousands are not followed by any othernumber.

!:$'(!S 6

)4 K+&i na #ita el'+

4 Thelathini el'+

4 A/aini na nane el'+ >n the other hand,when the tens of thousands are followed by hundreds, tens, or units, there is no such risk ofconfusion, and the words retain their normal order.

!:$'(!S 6

)4 El'+ 1+&i na #ita na thelatini

4-! 6 -here is a Swahili word to designate the hundreds ofthousands 6 LAKIE lakh, lac. -hus 6 La1i &/iliE ?00.000,La1i #ita E K00.000, etc.$illion is 6 MILIONI.

4 FRACTIONS

)< N+#+ a half

) R/ a &uarter

) Th+&ni an eighth

4 DECIMALS

-he figure "%ero" is 6 SIFURI.-he word "point" is 6 NUKTAor *OINTI.

Hecimal numbers are read in Swahili as in !nglish, i.e. by separating each figure after the


81/197

point.

!:$'(!S 6

4 Si'+i n+1ta tan

)4


82/197

EXERCISES

E6ERCISE ) +rite these numbers in letters in Swahili 6

0 R = R ??R @1 R N= R =@ R 157 R ?@5 R K=5 R 7K? R 104= R ??0@ R 7.000 R10.05K R 10.=14 R 14.000 R 14.005 R [email protected] R @00.000 R 75?.@?K .

E6ERCISE < +rite these numbers in figures 6

K+&i na tan 1+&i na ti#a i#hiini na #a/a thelathini na &0a a/aini na nne haini na nane #a/ini na tat+ the&anini na tan &ia &/ili &ia nne &ia #a/a &ia tat+ 1+&i na #ita el'+ tan el'+ 1+&i el'+ 1+&i na &/ili &ia tan #a/ini na nne 1+&i na tan el'+ a/aini na &/ili el'+ la1i &0a la1i #a/a &ilini &/ili4

E6ERCICE -ranslate into Swahili, writing the numbers in letters 6

1? cups R @0 trees R 11 chairs R ?4 years R @ children R ? dogs R @ cats R 10 cows R 115 islands R?1 people R 4 fruits R N oranges R 4 spoons R 1? houses R @ young people R 14 lessons R 1Nanimals R 4 bananas R ??5 pupils R ?? teachers.

Cha%te


83/197

SWAHILI TIME WESTERN TIME

SAA MO8A one o


84/197

#ote that to add minutes and a &uarter, we use the word NAE and3, while to add a half weuse the word Ufrom the rabic "+" E and3

4 SOME MINUTES TO

'ast the half, we count the missing minutes to reach the following hour. +e use theepressions 6

KASORO DAKIKA444E ... minutes to R and KASOROBOE &uarter to.

!:$'(!S 6

Saa nane 1a# "a1i1a 1+&i ten to eight ( ten to two)

Saa ti#a 1a# "a1i1a i#hiini twenty to nine ( twenty to three)Saa ti#a 1a#/ &uarter to nine ( 0uarter to three)

4 DIFFERENT *ERIODS OF THE DA: AND OF THE NIGHT

!ery ?4 hour period can be diided as follows 6

KUCHA Sunrise Hawn

ASUBUHI from K am to 1? amapproimately $orning

MCHANAfrom 1 pm to 4 L 5 pmapproimately

-he day

8IONIfrom 4 pm to K pmapproimately

!ening

MACHWA Sunset -he twilight

USIKU from K pm to 5 am #ight

USIKU KUCHA from K pm to 5 am -he whole night

USIKU WA MANANE around ? am -he dead of the night

KUCHA KUTWA ?4 hours-he whole day and wholenight

4 *RA:ER TIMES

;n strongly islami%ed places such as )an%ibar, (amu an island north of kenya3, etc., the fie$uslim prayers gie its rythm to the day and constitute for the local population temporalreference points, almost like "hours" 6

ALFA8IRI around 5.45 am L K.@0 am -he dawn prayer

ADHUHURI around 1? am L 1?.@0 am -he noon prayer

ALASIRI around @ pm L 5 pm -he afternoon prayer MAGHARIBI around K pm L K.@0 pm -he sunset prayer

ALESHA around N pm and after -he night prayer


85/197

VOCABULARY

Bata a duck *an2a a rat, a mouse

Faa#i a horse *+n"a a donkey8( a cock M/wa &wit+ a wolf, a wild dog

Kn" a sheep S+n(+a a hare, a rabbit

N(++we a pig Te&/ N"$+ an elephant

N0iwa a pigeon Twi(a a giraffe

EXERCISES


7 h 15, K h @0 in the eening, ? h 10, noon, half past three, what time hae you got G -wentyfie to four, 17 h, fie past one, nine o


86/197

8UMAMOSI -he 1stday of the week3 Saturday

8UMA*ILI -he ?ndday of the week3 Sunday

8UMATATU -he @rdday of the week3 $onday

8UMANNE -he 4thday of the week3 -uesday

8UMATANO -he 5tday of the week3 +ednesday

ALHAMISI fie3 -hursday

I8UMAA assembly3 *riday

ctober

MWE9I WA KUMI NA MO8A NO;EMBA #oember

MWE9I WA KUMI NA MBILI DESEMBA Hecember

4 HOW TO READ A DATE

1. -he date of today 6

8+&atat+ ) De#e&/a


87/197


88/197

NAME OF THE HOLIDA: DATE What5# /ehin"444

Mwa1a M%2a 1stJanuary #ew Fear

Si1+ 2a Ma%in"+3i 2a 9an3i/a 1?thJanuary )an%ibar Deolution Hay

Si1+1++ K+/wa I"i-el-Ha0i ariable date ;ddelebir, last day of thepilgrimage, celebrates the sacrificeof braham

I0+&aa K++ ariable date 9ood *riday*a#a1a ariable date !aster ? days off3

Si1+ 2a M++n(an wa Tan(an2i1ana 9an3i/a

?Kthpril /elebrates the nion of -anganyikaand )an%ibar

Si1+ 2a Wa'an2a1a3i 1st $ay +orkers Hay

Ma+li"i 2a M'+n(+ Sita ariable date $aulid, commemorates both thebirth and the death of prophet$uhamad (!.A.$. peace be uponhim), 1? Dabiulawwal.3

Intenatinal Ta"e Fai 7thJuly ;nternational -rade *air efestialof Sa/a Sa/acelebrating thecreation of TANU-anganyikafrican #ationalist nion3

Si1+ 2a Wa1+li&a Nthugust *armers< Hay

Si1+ 2a Mwali&+ N2eee 14th>ctober /ommemorates the death of Julius. #yerere and /lima of "huru-orch Dace"

Si1+1++ N"( I"i-el-Fiti ariable date ;ddel*itr, celebrates the end of themonth of Damadan ? days off3

Si1+ 2a Uh++ =thHecember /elebrates the ;ndependence of theDepublic of -anganyika

Ki#&a#i ?5thHecember /hristmas ? days off3

4 E6*RESSIONS RELATED TO TIME


89/197

Baa"a2e after Maa &0a at once

Ba" not yet Maa n2in(i often

Ba" 1i"( in a little while M/ele before, earlier

B+1+ la taehe a diary Milele for eer

Dai&a continuously M%a1a till, until

Hala'+ then Mtn" in three days

Ha% 1ale a long time ago M+"a (ani ? 8ow long G

Hati&a2e finally Mwe3i +0a net month

8ana yesterday Mwe3i +li%ita last month

8+3i day before yesterday Mwi#h finally, at the end

8+3i 0+3i the other day N2+&a later

Ka/la before *ale %ale at this ery moment

Kalen"a a calendar *a% ha% immediately

Ka&a 1awai"a as usual *en(ine sometimes

Kane a century Saa n(a%i ? at3 what time G

Kati 1ati ;n between Sa#a now

Ke#h tomorrow Sa#a hi$i hi$i #a#a immediately, at once

Ke#h 1+twa day after tomorrow Si1+1++ a holiday

Kila #i1+ eeryday Si1+3te alwaysKi#ha and then Tan(+ since

Kwan3a first Taehe a date

Le today Wa1ati (ani ? at which moment G

Lini ? when G Wi1i ili2%ita last week

Ma%e&a early 9a&ani formerly

Maa 1wa &aa from time to time 9a&ani 3a 1ale a long time ago

VOCABULARY

A#ali honey N2an2a a tomato

Bia beer *&/e local beer

Bilin(ani an egg plant Sa&li fat ghee3

M/e(+ a seed S+%+ soup

M$in2 wine Ten"e a date fruit3

N(an wheat T+n(+le a tomato in )ctober, #oember, pril, $ay, 9ood *riday, !aster, /hristmas, )an%ibarDeolution Hay, ;ddel*itr, ;ddelebir.

?. 1st, ?nd, @rd, 1Nth, @1st, 1stJanuary, ?0th$ay, ?ndpril, 1=thugust, =thHecember, 1?th

January ?00?, 5th*ebruary 1==7, ?5thHecember 1===, 7thJuly 1=77, 11thSeptember?001.


90/197


)4 Le. 0ana. 0+3i. 0+3i 0+3i. 1e#h. 1e#h 1+twa. 3a&ani. #a#a. &a%e&a. 1ila #i1+.#i1+3te. &aa 1wa &aa. &ilele. /a" 1i"(. hati&a2e. 1a/la. /aa"a2e. 1ane.

%en(ine. &wi#h4


91/197

SINGULIER *LURIEL Cla##e Ta"+,tinUa &a+a /l K a flower, flowers

Ua n2+a /l 10 a courtyard, courtyards

U/a /a /l 10 a board, boards

U"e$+ n"e$+ /l 10 a hair of beard, a beard

U'a n2+'a /l 10 a crack, cracks

U'+n(+ '+n(+ /l 10 a key, keysU(&$i &a(&$i /l K a &uarrel, &uarrels

U(n0wa &a(n0wa /l K a disease, diseases

U1 1 /l 10 a clan, clans

U1+ta 1+ta /l 10 a wall, walls

Uli&i n"i&i /l 10 the tongue, tongues

U&a n2+&a /l 10 a fork, forks

Un2wele n2wele /l 10 a hair, the hair

U%an"e %an"e /l 10 a side, sides

U%an(a %an(a /l 10 a machete, machetes

U%e% %e% /l 10 wind, bad spirits

U#i1+ #i1+ /l 10 the night, the day

U# n2+# /l 10 a face, faces

Uta&/i ta&/i /l 10 a wick, wicks

U$+&/i $+&/i /l 10 a grain of dust, dust

U3i n2+3i /l 10 a thread, threads

Wa1ati n2a1ati /l 10 time, times

We&/e n2e&/e /l 10 a ra%or blade, ra%or blades

Wi&/ n2i&/ /l 10 a song, songs

%? uncounta%le noun"9 without plural &

NOUN Tan#latinU"n( the soil, the ground

U(ali mai%e paste

U0i porridge

U1i&wi ;HS

Uli&wen(+ the world

U&e&e electricity

U&i age

Un(a flour

U#in(i3i sleep

Uwn( a lie

Win ink


92/197

AD8ECTI;E Tan#latin NOUN Tan#latin-/a2a bad U/a2a maliciousness

-,ha'+ dirty U,ha'+ dirtiness

h++ free Uh++ freedom

-0in(a stupid U0in(a stupidity

-&0a one U&0a unity

-e'+ long Ue'+ length#a'i clean U#a'i cleanliness

-#awa e&ual U#awa e&uality

-ta0ii rich, wealthy Uta0ii wealth

-$i$+ la%y U$i$+ la%iness

-3+i beautiful U3+i beauty

%? No*inal root &

NOUN Tan#latin NOUN Tan#latin8a&aa a group of people U0a&aa a community

Ki0ana a young person U0ana youth

Ma#1ini a poor U&a#1ini poerty

M,hawi a witch U,hawi witchcraft

M'al&e a king U'al&e a kingdom

Mtt a child Utt childhood

M3ee an old man U3ee old age

c? $er%al root &

;ERB Tan#latin NOUN Tan#latin

K+i/a to steal Uwi3i theftK+1#a to miss U1#e'+ lack

K+la to eat Wali cooked rice

K+%en"a to loe, to like U%en" loe

K+we3a to be able Uwe3 capacity

K+#aha+ to forget U#aha+li'+ forgetfulness

d? Na*e" o' countrie" &

NAME OF COUNTR: Tan#latin

U'aan#a *ranceU(an"a ganda

Uha/e#hi !thiopia

Uhin"i ;ndia

Uin(ee3a !ngland

U0e+&ani 9ermany

Ula2a !urope

Un(+0a ;sle of )an%ibar

Uen 'ortugal

U+#i Dussia

U#+1+&a Sukumaland

4 CLASS AGREEMENTS OF THE AD8ECTI;E


93/197

;n the singular, the adectie agrees with the noun by taking the class @ singular prefi M-.

;n the plural, the adectie usually agrees with the noun by taking the class 10 prefi N-or -,or more rarely the class K prefi MA-.

Sin(+la *l+alU1+ta &e'+ a high wall K+ta n"e'+ high walls

U3i &we+%e a white thread N2+3i &we+%e white threads

U%an"e &&0a one side *an"e &/ili two sides

U'+n(+ &win(ine another key F+n(+ n2in(ine other keys

U(&$i &1ali a seere &uarrel Ma(&$i &a1ali seere &uarrels

#>-! 6 -he names of countries that start with the prefi U-behae like the namesof countries of the N-gender 6 Tan3ania. Ken2a. Mi#iE !gypt3, etc. andtake class = agreements with the erbs, adecties, possessies anddemonstraties.

-#)#;# S(>9# 6

Uhuru ni Kazi

$>--> >* -#)#; 6

UHURU NA UMO8A

VOCABULARY

U/i#hi a &uarrel U%ana width

U,ha,he scarcity U#hi. n2+#hi an eyebrow

U'a(i. 'a(i a broom, a brush U#hii1a a cooperatie

U1+ni. 1+ni firewood Uta. n2+ta an arc

U1+a#a. 1+a#a a page We&a kindness

Unn wellbeing, comfort Wi$+ ealousy

EXERCISES


a. key, a board, a side, a tongue, the face, dust, a song, porridge, time, a beard, the

hair, firewood, machetes, dust, wicks, diseases, sleep, ink, electricity, the ground.b. *reedom, beauty, unity, cleanliness, dirtiness, childhood, old age, lack, loe, capacity,

forgetfulness, poerty, wealth, the length, stupidity, *rance, !ngland, 9ermany, the


94/197

;sle of )an%ibar, 'ortugal.


U'a(i &"(. +1+ta &e'+. +# &3+i. 1+ni n2in(i. +3i &we+#i. %an"e &/ili. +'+n(+&%2a. &a(n0wa &a1+/wa. +li&i &,ha'+. n2+&a #a'i. wi&/ &3+i. n2wele n2e+#i.+"n( &3+i. win &we1+n"+. +n(a &3+i. +%en" &1+/wa. n2e&/e 1ali. &/a n3it.n"e$+ n"e'+. +#i1+ &we+#i4


)4 Taa hi3i &/ili 3ata1a ta&/i &%2a4


95/197

-his system has also gien proper names of districts or illages 6

Bwawa E marsh - Bwawa-ni E on the marshes

Daa0a E bridge - Daa0a-ni E by the bridge

F"ha E customs - F"ha-ni E at the customs

M(&/a E banana tree - M(&/a-ni E where there is a banana tree

M1+na3i E uub tree - M1+na3i-ni E where there is a uub tree

M#a#a E rough plant - M#a#a-ni E where there are rough plants

Mt E rier - Mt-ni E by the rier

8oweer, proper names of cities and countries, as well as some common place nouns *#taE the postoffice, BaaE a continent, Ma1itiE a market3 do not take that suffi, thus 6

Na1wen"a D"&a ; go to Hodoma (I go odoma)

Wa&e'i1a 9an3i/a -hey arried in )an%ibar(They have arrived1an2ibar)

Wa3a3i wan(+ wana1aa Iin(a $y parents lie in ;ringa (3y parents live Iringa)

:+1 *#ta 8e is at the postoffice (4e is post5office)


96/197


97/197

Chat+ a python N2ani a baboon

Ch+i a leopard N2ati M/( a buffalo

D+&a a cheetah *aa an impala

Fi#i a hyena Swala a ga%elle

Ma&/a a crocodile Tai a ulture

N(a&ia a camel T+&/ili a monkey

EXERCISES


a. t home, on the way, at sea, at school, at the market, on the plantation, in the bush,on the table, on the chair, in the basket, in the trunk, at work, in bed, at the door, onthe eranda, by the bridge, at the customs, by the rier, on the marshes, at thebanana plantation.

b. ; go to #airobi, they climb $ount ilimanaro, they are in Har es Salaam, ; haearried in )an%ibar, they lie in ;ringa, the gentleman is at the postoffice, where doyou go G ; go to town, where do you all go G +e are going to !ngland, he comes from$beya, my house is near the postoffice, they lie on the other bank of the rier, thechild is behind the tree, put the basket oer there.


)4 Mna1wen"a wa%i ? - T+na1wen"a *#ta4


98/197

to the noun to which it agrees.

)4 SIM*LE EM*HATICS

GENDERSL /lasses

EM*HATICS

Sin(+la *l+al

M-WA-/lasses 1 L ?3 n"i2e n"i

M-MI-/lasses @ L 43 n"i n"i2

8I-MA-/lasses 5 L K3 n"il n"i2

KI-;I-/lasses 7 L N3 n"i,h n"i$2

N-/lasses = L 103 n"i2 n"i3

U-/lasses 11, 14 L 103 n"i n"i3

*A(ocatie /lass 1K3 n"i%

KU(ocatie /lass 173 n"i1

MU(ocatie /lass 1N3 n"i&

!:$'(!S 6

M%i#hi 2+le n"i2e h"ai -hat cook is indeed gifted

Hawa n"i wat+ walinii/a &i3i(2an(+

-hey are the ery people who stole us ourluggage

H++ n"i &1/a wan(+ ;t


99/197

;t


100/197


101/197

@. -hese people are indeed robbers.4. -his wine is indeed ery good.5. +e do come at nine o


102/197

Ata1aa ha%a hata 1e#h4 8e will remain here till tomorrow.

@. KABLA =:A> E before

Ka/la h+0an"1a. '+n(a &lan(4 /lose the door before leaing.

4. KISHA E then , and then

Nen"a &a1iti. n+n+a &/(a. 1i#ha +"i ha%a4 9o to the market, buyegetables, then come back here.

5. M*AKA E till, until

Ali'an2a 1a3i &%a1a #aa &0a 2a +#i1+4 8e worked until seen in the eening.

K. TANGU TOKA E from, since

Ata1aa hteli t1a le &%a1a 1e#h 1+twa4 8e will stay at the hotel from today tillthe day after tomorrow.


103/197

7. BILA E without

Mtt ali'i1a /ila $ita/+ $2a1e4 -he child arried without his books.

Ali1wen"a Tan3ania /ila 1+na 9an3i/a4 8e went to -an%ania without seeing)an%ibar.

N. I8A*O E een if

I0a% nita1+'a. #ita1+/ali4 !en if ; die, ; won


104/197

make a hotel.

17. KWA E for, to, by, with

Ana'an2a 1a3i 1wa Bwana Man0i4 8e works for $r $ani.

Kata nana#i 1wa 1i#+ ! /ut the pineapple with a knife.

T+li1+0a ha%a 1wa &i(++4 +e came here by foot.

Nita1+la wali 1wa &,h+3i4 ; will eat rice with sauce

Swahili Method for Beginners

Documents

Transcript of Swahili Method for Beginners