Chapter 17 - The Verb KUWA = to Be

The verb KUWA (= TO BE) is by far the most disconcerting verb in Swahili : it is a polymorphic verb that possesses no less than 3 different principal radicals : -WA-, -Ø- and -LI-.

First of all, it is advisable to distinguish clearly the two distinct uses of the verb "to be" in Swahili, which are often confused in English :

1. "To be" descriptive : this verb allots a statute or a quality to somebody or something : I am English, he is rich, dad is a teacher, I'm not sick, etc.

2. "To be" locative : this verb signifies the presence or the absence of somebody or something in a place : I am in Tanzania, he is at home, she is not there, Mafia is in the south, etc.

 1. "TO BE" DESCRIPTIVE : 

 A. PRESENT : 

There are two conjugations of the verb "to be" in the present tense : an old one, which is no longer used in the negative form, but still survives in the affirmative form in some set phrases, and a modern one which has the merit of simplicity, since it possesses only two forms : NI in the affirmative, and SI in the negative, for all persons and all nominal agreements.

EXAMPLES :

U mzima ?	How are you ?
Ni mzima	I'm well
Yu tayari ?	Is he / she ready ?
Wewe ni mwingereza ? / U mwingereza ?	Are you English ?
Mtoto wangu ni mgonjwa	My child is sick
Uhuru ni kazi	Freedom is work
Wao si wanafunzi	They are not pupils
Mnyama huyu si mkali	This animal is not dangerous

EXAMPLES :

Mimi mwingereza	I am English
U mzima ? - Mzima !	How are you ? - Fine !
Mtoto wangu mgonjwa	My child is sick
Chakula tayari !	Food is ready !
Sahani hizi safi	These plates are clean
Mnyama huyu mkubwa	This animal is big
Not to confuse with :
Mnyama mkubwa huyu	This big animal

 B. PAST : 

 C. FUTURE : 

 D. SUBJUNCTIVE / IMPERATIVE : 

EXAMPLES :

Fanya haraka uwe tayari mapema.	Hurry up to be ready early.
Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi.	Let justice be a shield and a guard.
Tuwe tayari kuilinda nchi yetu.	Let's be ready to defend our country.
Chemsha maji kabla ya kunywa, tusiwe mgonjwa.	Boil the water before drinking, so that we be not sick.
Usiwe na wasiwasi !	Don't be in doubt !

 E. OTHER TENSES : 

 2. "TO BE" LOCATIVE : 

When "To be" means "to be somewhere", a locative suffix is added to the conjugation of the verb KUWA.

There are three locative suffixes that correspond to three "areas" that can be delineated on the following pattern :

• What is "HERE" or "THERE", that is a precise, definite place. That translates in the suffix -PO (Class 16).

• What is "HERE ABOUT" or "OVER THERE", that is a more or less indefinite place. That translates in the suffix -KO (Class 17).

• What is "IN" or "INSIDE". That translates in the suffix -MO (Class 18).

Thus, as an example, Yupo means : he / she is here / there, Yuko = he / she is here about/ over there, and Yumo = he / she is in.

The negative conjugation is not more difficult : Hayupo means : he / she is not here / there, Hayuko = he / she is not here about/ over there Hayumo = he / she is not in / inside.

Let's now see the conjugation of the principal tenses of the locative verb KUWA :

 A. PRESENT : 

In the affirmative, the appropriate locative suffix is simply added to the "old" conjugation of the verb KUWA. In the negative, the negative pre-prefix is added in front of the subject. (SI replaces NI in the first person singular).

Taking again the above model, we just have to replace the suffix -PO by -KO or -MO to say : "I am here about", "I am inside", etc.

Just like the descriptive verb KUWA, the locative verb KUWA accepts the subject prefixes of all nominal classes :

EXAMPLES :

Mchezo uko mjini	The match takes place in town
Mizigo ipo barazani	The luggages are on the veranda
Mama hayupo ?	Mother / Madam is not here ?
Yuko sokoni	She is at the market
Yupo jikoni	She is in the kitchen
Watoto hawapo ?	The children are not here ?
Wamo chumbani	They are in the bedroom
Kisu kiko wapi ?	Where is the knife ?
Vijiko vidogo viko wapi ?	Where are the little spoons ?
Wageni wapo mjini	The guests are in town
Mayai yamo kikapuni	The eggs are in the basket

 B. PAST : 

Taking again the above model, we just have to replace the suffix -PO by -KO or -MO to say : "I was here about", "I was inside", etc.

 C. FUTURE : 

Taking again the above model, we just have to replace the suffix -PO by -KO or -MO to say : "I'll be here about", "I'll be inside", etc.

 E. OTHER TENSES : 

KUWA locative can be conjugated in the same way in all tenses, provided the suitable suffix -PO, -KO or -MO is added at the end of the verb.

PROVERB :

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :

1. They are students, they are day laborers, this tree is a mango tree, you are a teacher, it's an island, this basket is empty, this book is expensive, we are foreigners, this examination is difficult, this food is delicious, this animal is not dangerous, I am not English, Hamisi is not a pupil, this knife is not sharp, Arabic is not easy, this luggage is not heavy, these pupils are not bright, Fatuma is not nice, these are not good potatoes, they are not Tanzanian.

2. Where are the teachers ? Where is the cook ? Where are the women ? Where is the city ? Where are the toilets ? Where is the knife ? Where are the hippopotamuses ? Where is the car ? Where are the young people ? The old man is at the market, the knife is on the chair, mum is in the kitchen, the onions are in the basket, the luggage is at the door, the animals are in the bush, the robber is in the field, the chairs are on the veranda, the guests are not there, mother is not at home, the luggage is not on the chair, the eggs are not in the basket, he is not in the room, the blanket is on the bed, the car is not downtown.

EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :

1. U hali gani ? - Mzima.
2. M tayari ? - Sisi si tayari / Hatu tayari.
3. Chakula tayari ? - Tayari. Karibu chakula !
4. Mkurugenzi wetu ni mtanzania.
5. Huyo mtumishi ni mwongo.
6. Wageni wako wapi ?
7. Wapo Zanzibar. Wamefika asubuhi.
8. Bwana hayupo. Amekwenda safari.
9. Hamisi yuko wapi ?
10. Yuko dukani. Ananua mkate na maziwa.
11. Vibarua wako mjini ?
12. Hapana, wako shambani. Wanafanya matuta.
13. Mama hayupo ? - Nipo !
14. Vijiko na vyombo vimo jikoni.
15. Mlima wa Kilimanjaro haumo Kenya.
16. Umo Tanzania.