 | Chapter 48 - Hypothesis |
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Just like in English, it is possible to express 3 different hypothetic levels in Swahili :
What is POTENTIAL, or Present Real Hypothesis.
What is ASSUMPTIVE, or Past Real Hypothesis.
What is SPECULATIVE, or Past Irreal Hypothesis.
1. PRESENT REAL HYPOTHESIS :
We speak here of a fact that has not yet taken place, and imagine what will happen if something else is to happen.
We use the -KI- tense to express the condition "if...". The second verb which expresses the consequence is in the Future or the Imperative. (See : Chapter 46 - The -KI- Tense.)
EXAMPLES :
| Wakinywa pombe ile, watalewa. | If they drink that local beer, they will get drunk. |
| Ukimwona Hamisi, mwambie aje hapa. | If you see Hamisi, tell him to come here. |
| Kama ukienda Zanzibar, utaona jumba la Sultani. | If you go to Zanzibar, you'll see the Sultan's palace. |
| Barua isipopelekwa leo, itachelewa. | If the letter is not sent today, it will arrive late. |
2. PAST REAL HYPOTHESIS :
We speak here of a fact that has not taken place, but whose probable degree of realization is very low.
We use the Present Conditional to formulate this type of assumption. The second verb must be conjugated in the same tense. (Voir : Chapter 47 - The Present Conditional.)
MODEL :
| Ningekwenda sasa, ningemwona. |
| If I went now, I would see him. |
| (If I would go now, I would see him.) |
EXAMPLES :
| Ningejaribu sana, ningeweza kusema kiswahili. | If I really tried, I could speak Swahili. |
| Ungekuja leo, ningekupikia keki. | If you came today, I would cook yopu a cake. |
| Ungesoma gazeti ile, ungejua habari zote. | If you read that newspaper, you'd know all the news. |
| Mvua ingenyesha leo, ningepanda mbegu zangu. | If it rained today, I would plant my seeds. |
| Nisingekuwa mzee sasa, ningeweza kupanda mlima wa Kilimanjaro. | If I wasn't an old man now, I could climb Mount Kilimanjaro. |
| Wangepumzika, wasingechoka. | If they rsted, they wouldn't be tired. |
3. PAST IRREAL HYPOTHESIS :
We make here an intellectual speculation, a comeback on an action that has already taken place, and for which we imagine another unfolding. The degree of realization of that speculation is nil.
We use the Past Conditional to formulate this type of hypothesis. The second verb is in the same tense. (See : Chapter 47 - The Past Conditional.)
MODEL :
| Ningalijaribu sana, ningalifaulu. |
| If I had tried hard, I would have succeeded. |
| (If I would have tried hard, I would have succeeded.) |
EXAMPLES :
| Ningalikujua, ningaliweza kukuuliza. | If I had known you, I could have asked you. |
| Ungalikuja jana, ningalikupikia keki. | If you had come yesterday, I would have cooked you a cake. |
| Mtoto angalianguka mtini, angalikufa. | If the child had fallen from the tree, he would have died. |
| Mvua isingalinyesha jana, nisingaliweza kupanda mbegu zangu. | If it had not rained yesterday, I couldn't have planted my seeds. |
| Wangalipumzika, wasingalichoka. | If they had rested, they wouldn't be tired. |
4. MIXING TENSES :
It is quite possible to combine two tenses to formulate hypothesis, so that an assumption formulated in the Present Conditional can be followed by its realization in the Past Conditional, and conversely.
EXAMPLES :
| Ningekuwa mzee sasa, ningaliweza kukuambia jambo lile. | If I was an old man now, I could have told you about it. |
| Ungalisoma gazeti hili, ungejua habari zote sasa. | If you had read this newspaper, you would know all the news now. |
| Ungalimwambia habari, asingekwenda safari. | If you had told him the news, he would not have gone on his journey. |
| Isingekuwa mwezi wa Desemba, ungaliweza kwenda Uingereza. | If we weren't in December, you could have gone to England. |
PROVERB :
Usipoziba ufa, utajenga ukuta
NOW, LEARN THE SONG : MALAIKA :
Malaika, nakupenda Malaika.
Malaika, nakupenda Malaika.
Nami nifanyeje, kijana mwenzio,
Nashindwa na mali sina, we,
Ningekuhoa Malaika.
VOCABULARY
| Ubaguzi | segregation | Ukoo | a clan |
| Ubavu (mbavu) | a side | Ukucha (kucha) | a claw |
| Ubovu | rot | Umande | dew |
| Udongo ulaya | cement | Upinde | an arc |
| Ufuko | the sea shore | Usaha | pus |
| Uhai | life | Wavu (nyavu) | a net |
EXERCISES
EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :
If I read, if you climbed, if we had eaten, if they had tried, if I had the key, if the luggage had come, if the mail was brought, if you had come, if it rained, if you spoke Swahili, if I had come yesterday, if I had a motorbike.
If the tree had not fallen, if the house was not here, if you weren't a teacher, if she wasn't sick, if the doctor had not come, if it was not dangerous, the old man wouldn't have died, he wouldn't have had an accident, if I didn't go to Moshi, we wouldn't have found a hotel, if we hadn't come late.
EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :
- Kama ungejua kusoma, ningekununulia kitabu.
- Ungepata mshahara, ungepata chakula.
- Ungalipata kazi, ungalipata mshahara.
- Angepanda mihindi, angeweza kupata mavuno mazuri.
- Tungalilima mwaka huu, tungalipata mavuno.
- Tukipata samaki, hatutanunua nyama.
- Kama nchi hii ingepata mvua, watu wengi wangejenga hapa.
- Ungevaa koti la mvua, usingesikia baridi.
- Ningekuwa wewe, nisingevaa nguo ile.
- Ungalimwambia shida zako, bwana angaliweza kukusaidia.
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