Chapter 40 - The Reciprocal Form

This form represents a reciprocal or mutual action, and sometimes a collective action.

In English reciprocity is marked by expressions such as "each other" or "one another" after the verb.

We obtain the same in Swahili by replacing the final vowel -A of the verb with the suffix : -ANA.

 1. SOME VERBS IN THE RECIPROCAL FORM : 

Ku-acha	to leave	-> Ku-achana	to leave each other
Ku-ambia	to tell	-> Ku-ambiana	to tell each other
Ku-amkia	to greet	-> Ku-amkiana	to greet each other
Ku-andama	to accompany	-> Ku-andamana	to follow in order
Ku-andika	to write	-> Ku-andikiana	to write each other
Ku-faa	to fit	-> Ku-fanana	to look the same
Ku-fuata	to follow	-> Ku-fuatana	to follow each other
Ku-gomba	to quarrel	-> Ku-gombana	to quarrel with one another
Ku-jua	to know	-> Ku-juana	to know each other
Ku-kosa	to miss	-> Ku-kosana	to quarrel
Ku-kuta	to meet	-> Ku-kutana	to meet one another
Ku-ngoja	to wait	-> Ku-ngojana	to wait for one another
Ku-oa	to marry someone	-> Ku-oana	to get married (together)
Ku-pata	to get	-> Ku-patana	to agree
Ku-penda	to love	-> Ku-pendana	to love each other
Ku-piga	to fight, to hit	-> Ku-pigana	to fight each other
Ku-saidia	to help	-> Ku-saidiana	to help each other
Ku-shinda	to overcome	-> Ku-shindana	to compete
Ku-sukuma	to push	-> Ku-sukumana	to push each other
Ku-ua	to kill	-> Ku-uana	to kill one another

Verbs of Arabic origin must first take the prepositional form to accommodate the suffix -ANA :

Ku-jibu	to answer	-> Ku-jibiana	to answer each other
Ku-rudi	to come back	-> Ku-rudiana	to return to each other
Ku-samehe	to forgive	-> Ku-sameheana	to forgive each other
Ku-shiriki	to share	-> Ku-shirikiana	to cooperate

 2. A FEW EXAMPLES : 

After a reciprocal verb, "with" is translated by NA :

Fuatana na ndugu yako.	Accompany your brother.
Sipatani na mtu huyo.	I don't get along with that person.
Nilijuana naye zamani sana.	I knew him / her a long time ago.
Njiani nilikutana na watu wawili.	I met with two people on my way.

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :

1. Tell them to wait for each other.
2. Prevent these children from fighting.
3. See you tomorrow.
4. These animals are following each other into the forest.
5. We shall wait for each other at five in the evening.
6. These people don't like each other.
7. We shall compete with you in this game.
8. They want to get along.
9. We must prevent these people from killing each other.
10. I met him on the way.
11. We saw each other in town.
12. We left each other at one o'clock.

EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :

1. Nilionana naye jana.
2. Watoto wanapigana uani.
3. Tumeambiana habari zote.
4. Wamepatana nasi.
5. Simba watatu walifuatana porini.
6. Wanachama wanakutana chamani.
7. Sisi na wenzetu tunashirikiana.
8. Hatukuweza kukubaliana hata kidogo.
9. Mwizi alipigana na mwenyewe wa duka.
10. Siku zafuatana.
11. Sijuani nao vyema.
12. Hapana kugombana wala kusukumana.