 | Chapter 32 - Simple Past Tense |
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The Simple Past in Swahili marks a clear rupture between the present moment and the past. Like in English, it is often accompanied by precise marks of time such as : date, day, month, year, dated event, etc.. This tense is naturally translated by the Simple Past in English.
1. SIMPLE PAST - AFFIRMATIVE FORM :
The tense marker of the Simple Past affirmative is the infix -LI- which is placed between the affirmative subject prefix and the verbal root.
MODEL : KUFANYA = to make, to do
| NI-LI-FANYA | -> nilifanya | I made |
| U-LI-FANYA | -> ulifanya | you made |
| A-LI-FANYA | -> alifanya | he / she made |
| TU-LI-FANYA | -> tulifanya | we made |
| M-LI-FANYA | -> mlifanya | you made |
| WA-LI-FANYA | -> walifanya | they made |
CASE OF THE MONOSYLLABIC VERBS :
Monosyllabic verbs retain the KU of the infinitive in the Simple Past affirmative.
MODEL : KULA = to eat
| NI-LI-KULA | -> nilikula | I ate |
| U-LI-KULA | -> ulikula | you ate |
| A-LI-KULA | -> alikula | he / she ate |
| TU-LI-KULA | -> tulikula | we ate |
| M-LI-KULA | -> mlikula | you ate |
| WA-LI-KULA | -> walikula | they ate |
2. THE SIMPLE PAST - NEGATIVE FORM :
The tense marker of the Simple Past negative is the infix -KU- which is placed between the negative subject prefix and the verbal root.
MODEL : KUFANYA = to make, to do
| SI-KU-FANYA | -> sikufanya | I didn't make |
| HU-KU-FANYA | -> hukufanya | you didn't make |
| HA-KU-FANYA | -> hakufanya | he / she didn't make |
| HATU-KU-FANYA | -> hatukufanya | we didn't make |
| HAM-KU-FANYA | -> hamkufanya | you didn't make |
| HAWA-KU-FANYA | -> hawakufanya | they didn't make |
CASE OF THE MONOSYLLABIC VERBS :
Monosyllabic verbs drop the KU of the infinitive in the Simple Past negative.
MODEL : KULA = to eat
| SI-KU-LA | -> sikula | I didn't eat |
| HU-KU-LA | -> hukula | you didn't eat |
| HA-KU-LA | -> hakula | he / she didn't eat |
| HATU-KU-LA | -> hatukula | we didn't eat |
| HAM-KU-LA | -> hamkula | you didn't eat |
| HAWA-KU-LA | -> hawakula | they didn't eat |
3. SOME EXAMPLES :
| Ulikuwa wapi ? | Where were you ? |
| Nilikuwa likizo. | I was on holiday. |
| Walikwenda Mombasa mwaka jana. | They went to Mombasa last year. |
| Mkulima alilima shamba lake mwezi uliopita. | The farmer cultivated his field last month. |
| Mpishi hakupata mshahara wake. | The cook didn't get his wages. |
| Sikufaulu mtihani wangu. | I didn't pass my examination. |
| Mtoto mgonjwa hakuweza kula. | The sick child couldn't eat. |
VOCABULARY
| Ku-chuma | to pick | Ku-ongeza | to increase |
| Ku-fyeka | to cut grass | Ku-panga | to plan |
| Ku-inua | to raise, to lift | Ku-poa | to cool |
| Ku-jaza | to fill | Ku-sitawi | to thrive, to develop |
| Ku-kauka | to dry | Ku-tembea | to walk, to go for a walk |
| Ku-ng'oa | to uproot | Ku-tunza | to care |
EXERCISES
EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :
I made, I wrote, I started, I hunted, I got accustomed, you planned, you wiped, you rested, he killed, he left, she arrived, she took, he refused, we raised, we helped them, we spoke, we sacrificed, you looked at, you filled, you cut the grass, you went for a walk, they cultivated, they hunted, they finished, they ate.
He didn't make, you didn't make, he didn't eat, she did not leave, we didn't understand, we didn't ask, I didn't read, I didn't agree, I didn't rest, you couldn't, you didn't listen (plur), they didn't play, they didn't start, you didn't help (plur), they didn't come, you didn't wash your face, they didn't agree, they didn't speak, it was not sufficient, it did not hurt.
EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :
Niliacha, nilitafuta, niliua, aliniuliza, alikataa, aliniona, uliniita, ulishika, alizoea, tulipokea, tulichinja, tulizungumza, walitembea, walijificha, alijiuma.
Sikuweza, sikununua, sikusikia, hukunipa, hukusema, hukupata, hakufika, hakunawa, hatukukubali, hatukupumzika, hatukulala, hamkuzoea, haikutosha, hawakujaza, hawakufyeka.
EXERCISE 3 : Translate into English :
- Tulikwenda Mikumi wiki iliyopita.
- Tuliona wanyama wengi pale.
- Lakini hatukuona kifaru wala kiboko.
- Je, ulipata kuona kikundi cha simba ?
- Ndiyo, niliona simba dume mmoja na simba jike wanne.
- Je, mtoto alikula chakula chake asubuhi ?
- La, hakula kitu, ila ni mkate mdogo tu.
- Umeshakwenda kisiwani mwa Zanzibar ?
- Ndiyo, nilisafiri kule mwaka jana.
- Nilitembea sehemu nyingi mjini, kama markiti na forodhani.
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