 | Chapter 19 - Adverbs |
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REMINDER : An adverb is an invariable word that says how an action proceeds (quickly, slowly, etc... ), with which frequency (often, sometimes, never, etc... ). It expresses possibility or certainty (maybe, certainly, etc... ), or qualifies an adjective (very large, quite small, etc... )
In Swahili, the adverb is placed after the verb, except in some particular cases.
1. COMMON ADVERBS :
| Badala | instead of | Mno | too much |
| Bure | in vain | Pamoja | together |
| Ghafla | suddenly | Ovyo | anyhow |
| Hakika | sure | Pengine | maybe |
| Halisi | exactly | Pia | also, too |
| Haraka | quickly | Sana | very |
| Hasa | especially | Taratibu | regularly |
| Kabisa | completely | Tena | again |
| Kadhalika | in the same way | Tu | only |
| Kamwe | never, at all | Upesi | quickly |
| Kweli | true | Upya | again |
| Labda | perhaps | Zaidi | more |
| COMPARISON | MANNER | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiaskari | like a soldier | Hivi | in this way |
| Kidogo | a little | Hivyo | in that way |
| Kinyama | like an animal | Vibaya | badly |
| Kipumbavu | like an idiot | Vigumu | difficult |
| Kishamba | like a peasant | Vingine | in another way |
| Kishenzi | like a savage | Vinginevyo | in any other way |
| Kitoto | like a child | Vivyo | in the same way |
| Kizungu | like a white | Vizuri | well |
2. COMPOUND ADVERBS :
Hata kidogo not at all Mbali mbali differently Moja moja one by one Peke yake alone Pole pole slowly Ovyo ovyo badly Sawa sawa similarly Vile vile equally Vivi hivi so so Vivyo hivyo exactly the same
| Kwa bahati | fortunately | Kwa kusudi | voluntarily |
| Kwa ghafla | suddenly | Kwa kutwa | daily |
| Kwa haraka | hastily, in haste | Kwa kweli | really |
| Kwa hiyo | thus, so | Kwa sababu hii | then, therefore |
| Kwa kawaida | usually | Kwa sauti | loudly |
| Kwa kifupi | in short | Kwa siri | secretly |
3. A FEW EXAMPLES :
Fanya haraka ! Hurry up ! Wamechoka kabisa. They are really tired. Usijibu ovyo ! Don't answer badly ! Jibu vizuri ! Answer correctly ! Ngoja kidogo ! Wait a little ! Nenda pole pole ! Go slowly ! Njoo haraka ! Come quickly ! Nimechelewa kidogo. I am a little late. Mtoto anatumia kisu vibaya. The child uses his knife wrongly. Sema kwa sauti ! Speak aloud ! Ninataka mkate mmoja tu. I want one bread only. Kusema kiswahili si vigumu. Speaking Swahili is not difficult. Yeye si mpishi, hata kidogo. He is not a cook, not at all.
VOCABULARY
| Chandarua (vy-) | a mosquito net | Kifuniko (vi-) | a cover, a lid |
| Chura (vy-) | a frog | Kikoi (vi-) | a loin cloth |
| Kibaba (vi-) | a mesure | Kipimo (vi-) | a mesure |
| Kinu (vi-) | a mortar | Kitana (vi-) | a comb |
| Kibuyu (vi-) | a calabash, a gourd | Kiwanda (vi-) | a workshop |
| Kifo (vi-) | death | Kizibo (vi-) | a cork |
EXERCISES
EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :
Suddenly, together, maybe, only, more, too much, above all, truly, quickly, in vain, again, very, not at all, alone, one by one, fortunately, voluntarily, in short, then, this way.
He speaks like an idiot, he leaves suddenly, we work daily, they hit like savages, this luggage is very heavy, this one is too heavy, the rhinoceros is coming again, hurry up ! The master is maybe coming back today, the little child is eating slowly, this pupil studies regularly, I have one child only, I am completely tired, the guests are a little late, here are the news in brief.
EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :
Pole pole, vile vile, mbali mbali, sawa sawa, hivyo, vivyo, pengine, labda, hakika, kamwe, kwa kweli, bure, ovyo, pamoja, peke yake, hasa, kizungu, kinyama, kidogo, kwa kawaida.
EXERCISE 3 : Translate into English :
- Je, chakula tayari ? - Bado kidogo, bwana.
- Usiseme upesi, sema pole pole tu.
- Hasemi kitu, hata kidogo.
- Kwa bahati mzuri, nimeona kifaru mmoja porini.
- Kwa kawaida, mpishi wetu anachelewa kazini.
- Fagia chumba hiki, na kile vile vile.
- Usinfunge mlango ghafula, tafadhali.
- Mtoto ametupa jiwe lile kwa kusudi.
- Watoto wanasimama kiaskari.
- Gari lile ni ghali mno.
- Kwa kweli, chandarua hiki kinafaa kabisa.
- Nimepotea kitana changu tena.
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