 | Chapter 18 - The Verb KUWA NA = to Have |
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For want of a genuine verb "to have" in Swahili, we use the expression KUWA NA, which litteraly means "to be with".
In the absence of a verb radical, the particle "NA" is directly coupled to the subject prefix : this is the case in the Present Definite. It will remain separated from the verb in the other tenses and forms, including the infinitive.
1. CONJUGATION OF THE VERB "KUWA NA" :
A. PRESENT :
In the affirmative form, the affirmative subject prefixes are directly followed by the particle "NA", in the absence of any verb radical. (We speak of a Ø radical).
The same applies to the negative form, where the negative subject prefixes are directly followed by the particle "NA".
| CLASS | AFFIRMATIVE | Translation | NEGATIVE | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 2 Cl 1 Mtu 3 1 2 Cl 2 Watu 3 |
NINA UNA ANA TUNA MNA WANA |
I have you have he / she has we have you have they have |
SINA HUNA HANA HATUNA HAMNA HAWANA |
I haven't you haven't he / she hasn't we haven't you haven't they haven't |
| Cl 3 Mti Cl 4 Miti |
UNA INA |
it has they have |
HAUNA HAINA |
it hasn't they haven't |
| Cl 5 Gari Cl 6 Magari |
LINA YANA |
it has they have |
HALINA HAYANA |
it hasn't they haven't |
| Cl 7 Kiti Cl 8 Viti |
KINA VINA |
it has they have |
HAKINA HAVINA |
it hasn't they haven't |
| Cl 9 Nguo Cl 10 Nguo |
INA ZINA |
it has they have |
HAINA HAZINA |
it hasn't they haven't |
| Cl 11 Uso Cl 10 Nyuso |
UNA ZINA |
it has they have |
HAUNA HAZINA |
it hasn't they haven't |
EXAMPLES :
| Nina vitabu vingi | I have many books |
| Mtoto huyu ana uso mzuri | This child has a pretty face |
| Watumishi wana mishahara midogo | The servants have small wages |
| Mti ule una matawi mengi | That tree has many branches |
| Kilima hiki kina miti mirefu | This hill has tall trees |
| Sina nguo nyingi | I haven't many clothes |
| Hatuna chakula kingine | We haven't much food |
| Hamisi hana viatu | Hamisi has no shoes |
B. PAST :
| AFFIRMATIVE | Translation | NEGATIVE | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NILIKUWA NA | I had | SIKUWA NA | I didn't have |
| ULIKUWA NA | you had | HUKUWA NA | you didn't have |
| ALIKUWA NA | he / she had | HAKUWA NA | he / she didn't have |
| TULIKUWA NA | we had | HATUKUWA NA | we didn't have |
| MLIKUWA NA | you had | HAMKUWA NA | you didn't have |
| WALIKUWA NA | they had | HAWAKUWA NA | they didn't have |
C. FUTURE :
| AFFIRMATIVE | Translation | NEGATIVE | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NITAKUWA NA | I will have | SITAKUWA NA | I won't have |
| UTAKUWA NA | you will have | HUTAKUWA NA | you won't have |
| ATAKUWA NA | he / she will have | HATAKUWA NA | he / she won't have |
| TUTAKUWA NA | we will have | HATUTAKUWA NA | we won't have |
| MTAKUWA NA | you will have | HAMTAKUWA NA | you won't have |
| WATAKUWA NA | they will have | HAWATAKUWA NA | they won't have |
E. OTHER TENSES :
| PAST PERFECT : | Nimekuwa na Amekuwa na | = I have had = he / she has had |
| PAST PERFECT NEGATIVE : | Sijawa na Hajawa na | = I haven't had yet = he / she hasn't had yet |
| SUBJUNCTIVE : | Niwe na awe na | = that I have = that he / she have |
| -KI- TENSE : | Nikiwa na Akiwa na | = if I have = if he / she has |
| PRESENT CONDITIONAL : | Ningekuwa na Angekuwa na | = I would have = he / she would have |
| PAST CONDITIONAL : | Ningalikuwa na Angalikuwa na | = I would have had = he / she would have had |
2. TO TRANSLATE "THERE IS", "THERE ISN'T" :
Unlike in English, we use in Swahili the verb "to have" (KUWA NA) to translate the concept of "THERE IS". The ordinary nominal subject prefixes are simply replaced by a series of three locative subject prefixes. The distinction between singular and plural (there is / there are) is not marked in Swahili :
PA- (class 16) for a definite place KU- (class 17) for an indefinite place M- (class 18) for an interior place
| AFFIRMATIVE | Translation | NEGATIVE | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PANA | There is here / there | HAPANA | There isn't here / there |
| KUNA | There is over here / there | HAKUNA | There isn't over there |
| MNA | There is inside | HAMNA | There isn't inside |
EXAMPLES :
| Kuna vitabu vingi | There are many books (here) |
| Kuna maziwa ? - Hakuna bado | There is milk ? - There isn't yet |
| Unasema kiswahili ? - Hapana | Do you speak Swahili ? - No |
| Pana wanyama wakali porini | There are savage animals in the bush |
| Kuna Coca-Cola ? - Hamna | There is Coca-Cola ? - There isn't |
| Hakuna matata ! / Hakuna matatizo ! | There is no problem ! |
| Hamna shida ! / Hamna tabu ! | There is no problem ! |
VOCABULARY
| Mbuni (mi-) | a coffee tree | Mpango (mi-) | a plan, a project |
| Mkataba (mi-) | a contract | Mpunga (mi-) | rice (paddy) |
| Mkia (mi-) | a tail | Msikiti (mi-) | a mosque |
| Mkutano (mi-) | a meeting | Mstari (mi-) | a line |
| Mnara (mi-) | a minaret | Msumari (mi-) | a bail |
| Mpaka (mi-) | a border, a limit | Mtihani (mi-) | an examination, an exam |
EXERCISES
EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :
You have, she has, they have, we have, I have, you have (plur), he has, you haven't, he hasn't, they haven't, we haven't, I haven't, you haven't (plur), there is (here), there isn't (here), there is (inside), there isn't (inside), there is (over there), there isn't (over there).
Have you a book ? The child has a big head, this young man has a knife, there is a book, we have many animals, the woman has many children, these children have a good teacher, do you have pawpaws ? Juma has clean shoes, I have a new cup, this village has many villagers, this animal has many insects, you have dirty hands, this mountain has many trees, this bed has a clan shit, we don't have children, do you have eggs ? The driver has no car, the car has no driver, the farmer has a large field.
EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :
- Mzungu ana mizigo mizito.
- Sina (jambo) la kusema.
- Mkate upo ? - Hamna.
- Miembe ile ina maembe mengi.
- Mtoto maskini huyu hana chahula kila siku.
- Mna wenyeji wengi Nairobi.
- Gari lile lina matatizo mengi.
- Wanachama wana mkutano leo.
- Kitanda hiki hakina shuka.
- Tuna mtihani wa kiswahili leo.
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