 | Chapter 8 - The Present Definite Tense |
|---|
The present definite tense in Swahili is primarily used to describe actions which take place at the time when one speaks. It is anchored in the present moment and has the same value as the PRESENT CONTINUOUS in English.
1. THE AFFIRMATIVE FORM :
The tense marker of the present definite is the infix -NA- which is placed between the affirmative subject prefix and the verb radical. The termination of the verb does not change.
MODEL : KUFANYA = to make, to do
| NI-NA-FANYA | -> ninafanya | I am making | |
| U-NA-FANYA | -> unafanya | you are making | |
| (Classe 1, Sing.) | A-NA-FANYA | -> anafanya | he / she is making |
| TU-NA-FANYA | -> tunafanya | we are making | |
| M-NA-FANYA | -> mnafanya | you are making | |
| (Classe 2, Plur.) | WA-NA-FANYA | -> wanafanya | they are making |
NOTE :
Monosyllabic verbs keep the infinitive prefix KU- :
| KUJA (= to come) | NI-NA-KU-JA | -> ninakuja | I am coming |
| KWENDA (= to go) | A-NA-KW-ENDA | -> anakwenda | he / she is going |
2. THE NEGATIVE FORM :
There is not tense marker on the negative present definite. A negative subject prefix is directly followed by the verb radical. In case of a Bantu verb, its termination -A changes into -I. On the other hand, verbs of Arabic origin keep their final vowel without taking -I. As for monosyllabic verbs, they lose the infinitive prefix KU- but take the termination -I.
MODEL 1 (Verb of Bantu origin) : KUFANYA = to make, to do
| SI-FANY-I | -> sifanyi | I am not making | |
| (HA+U) : | HU-FANY-I | -> hufanyi | you are not making |
| (HA+A) : | HA-FANY-I | -> hafanyi | he / she is not making |
| HA-TU-FANY-I | -> hatufanyi | we are not making | |
| HA-M-FANY-I | -> hamfanyi | you are not making | |
| HA-WA-FANY-I | -> hawafanyi | they are not making |
MODEL 2 (Verb of Arabic origin) : KUJIBU = to answer
| SI-JIBU | -> sijibu | I am not answering | |
| (HA+U) : | HU-JIBU | -> hujibu | you are not answering |
| (HA+A) : | HA-JIBU | -> hajibu | he / she is not answering |
| HA-TU-JIBU | -> hatujibu | we are not answering | |
| HA-M-JIBU | -> hamjibu | you are not answering | |
| HA-WA-JIBU | -> hawajibu | they are not answering |
MODEL 3 (Monosyllabic verbs) : KUJA = to come
| SI-J-I | -> siji | I am not coming | |
| (HA+U) : | HU-J-I | -> huji | you are not coming |
| (HA+A) : | HA-J-I | -> haji | he / she is not coming |
| HA-TU-J-I | -> hatuji | we are not coming | |
| HA-M-J-I | -> hamji | you are not coming | |
| HA-WA-J-I | -> hawaji | they are not coming |
3. SOME SENTENCES IN THE PRESENT DEFINITE :
Mama anapika Mother is cooking Rafiki wanakuja leo The friends are coming today Watoto wanacheza mpira The children are playing ball Unapenda mpira ya miguu ? Do you like football ? Ninapenda mpira sana I like football a lot Hawaji leo They are not coming today Hatufanyi kazi We are not working
VOCABULARY
| Na | and, with | au | or |
| Lakini | but | Leo | today |
| Sasa | now | Tena | again |
| Kila | each, every | Sana | very, a lot |
EXERCISES
EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :
I love, I'm writing, I'm going out, you are breaking, she is crying, they are drawing, they are leaving, we are working, she is sweeping, you are cultivating (Plur), he is jumping, we are playing, you are cleaning, you are waiting (Plur), you are reading (Plur).
The child is playing, the little child is crying, the men are eating, the women are cleaning, the teacher is working, the pupils are coming in, the driver is waiting, the youths are coming back, my parents are travelling, my children are reading, the father is working, the friends are coming back, the drunkard is drinking, the masons are working, the fisherman is coming back.
I'm not playing, he is not drawing, we are not trying, you don't come, he doesn't stay, I don't know, you don't drink, she is not working, we are not going, you don't answer, they are not cooking, I am not travelling, you don't hear, he doesn't sleep, it doesn't fit.
EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :
Anafika, unakuja, wanapiga, tunafurahi, mnasafiri, inafaa, wanajaribu, anabaki, ninabadili, tunasafisha, mnapika, unakaa, anafuata, tunangoja, ninanunua.
Sijui, sifikiri, sisemi, hujui, hujibu, husomi, hasikii, harudi, hasafiri, hatuingii, hatufaulu, hamwendi, hawali, hawanyi, hawafanyi.
EXERCISE 3 : Translate into English :
- Wewe ni mtanzania.
- Unasema kiswahili.
- Lakini husemi kiingereza.
- Mtoto anapenda kucheza sana.
- Baba na mama wanasafiri leo.
- Mwanafunzi anajaribu kusoma.
- Vibarua hawafanyi kazi leo.
- Wazazi wangu wanakaa Zanzibar.
- Jaribu kusema kiswahili !
- Mimi ni mwingereza. Sijui kiswahili sana.
| Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents |
|---|