 | Chapter 51 - The Independent Relative Pronoun |
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1. THE RELATIVE PRONOUN "AMBA-" :
The relative pronouns "who", "which", "that", are most often present in Swahili as infixes or suffixes attached to the verb.
The relative infixes or suffixes must agree in class with the noun subject or object to which they refer.
However, there also exists an independant relative pronoun that can be used with all verbs in all tenses. This relative pronoun is AMBA- which can be translated in English by "who", "which", "that", or "whose", according to the situation.
AMBA- ends with the suffix -O of reference corresponding to the class of the noun with which it agrees. The relative AMBA- is placed between that noun and the verb that requires a relative.
| GENDER / Classes | SINGULAR | PLURAL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-/WA- (Cl 1/2) | AMBA- | -YE | AMBA- | -O |
| M-/MI- (Cl 3/4) | AMBA- | -O | AMBA- | -YO |
| JI-/MA- (Cl 5/6) | AMBA- | -LO | AMBA- | -YO |
| KI-/VI- (Cl 7/8) | AMBA- | -CHO | AMBA- | -VYO |
| N- (Cl 9/10) | AMBA- | -YO | AMBA- | -ZO |
| U- (Cl 11, 14 / 10) | AMBA- | -O | AMBA- | -ZO |
| KU- (Cl 15) | AMBA- | -KO | ||
| Locative Classes | AMBA- | -PO -KO -MO | ||
EXAMPLES :
Mtu ambaye amekuja The person who has come Watu ambao wamekuja The people that have come Mti ambao ulianguka The tree that fell Magari ambayo yanafika The cars which arrive Kiti ambacho kimevunjika The chair which is broken Nguo ambayo imepasuka The garment which is torn Mahali ambako hakuna watu A place where there is nobody
2. USE OF THE INDEPENDANT RELATIVE PRONOUN :
The independant relative pronoun AMBA- is often used to clarify a phrase, in sentences where the relative infix attached to the verb would make it difficult to understand the message. Since one of its roles is to improve comprehension, it is increasingly used in modern Swahili, no doubt influenced by the use of the English relative pronouns.
EXAMPLES :
| Huyu ni mtoto ambaye kesho hatakuja shule. | Here is the child who will not come to school tomorrow. |
| Neno alilosema ambalo hatutalisahau. | The word which he said which we will not forget. |
| Naliliomba jembe dogo ambalo mwalimu halitumii anapolima shamba lake. | I asked for the small hoe that the teacher doesn't use when he cultivates his farm. |
| Huyu ni yule mgonjwa ambaye mwanangu alikupa habari zake jana. | Here is the patient about whom my son spoke to you yesterday. |
| Hiki ni kitabu ambacho ndani yake niliona picha yako. | This is the book inside which I saw your photo. |
VOCABULARY
| Nakala | a copy | Nyundo | a hammer |
| Nasibu | chance, a lottery | Pete | a ring |
| Ngao | a shield | Posho | a ration |
| Ngazi | a ladder | Ripoti | a report |
| Njaa | famine, hunger | Risasi | a bullet |
| Nta | wax | Silaha | a weapon |
EXERCISES
EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :
- Those that came.
- The river that we saw.
- The book which I read.
- The one who was late.
- The food that we ate.
- Those who don't know.
- The mountain which I climbed.
- The person who is my cook.
- The eggs which I bought.
- The child who broke the window.
EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :
- Mzee ambaye alikufa.
- Mti ambao ulianguka.
- Wageni ambao walifika jana.
- Watoto ambao wanafundishwa na mwalimu yule.
- Yule ambaye anaitwa Hamisi.
- Dawa ambayo uliila.
- Wale ambao watakwenda Moshi wataona mlima wa Kilimanjaro.
- Gari ambalo nimelinunua ni safi kabisa.
- Mizigo ambayo ilifika jana ni yangu.
- Viazi ulaya ambavyo ulivinunua sokoni ni mbovu.
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