These are words that describe a noun. In Swahili, adjectives always
come after a noun. However, in cases where the sentence consists of
copular verbs such as ni, yu, the
adjective comes after the verb. In
this case the adjective serves the purpose of completing the sentence
since the copular verb does not express a specific action, Misingi
ya Sarufi ya Kiswahili,(2004,pp164).There
are various types of adjectives as discussed below
a). Qualifiers
These are adjectives that describe
the quality of a noun. Quality is exhibited in terms of
behavior/trait, colour and size. The term for adjective qualifiers in
Swahili is Vivumishi vya sifa. There are two categories of such
adjectives:
I Those that take with them the
Subject prefixes
In this category, the adjective
stem takes a particular subject prefix of the concerned noun class.
Most of these are the words from bantu origin. The table below shows
the various classes and the respective class prefixes that are used
before the adjectival stems.
Class
|
Subject Prefix
|
Adjective Stem
|
Sentence (Singular)
|
Sentence (Plural)
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A- WA
|
m-
|
wa-
|
-zuri
-refu
-eusi
|
Mtoto mzuri analia
(A good Child
is crying)
Maria ni mrefu
( Maria
is tall)
Paka
mweusi alifika
(The
black
cat arrived)
|
Watoto wazuri wanalia
( Good children are crying)
Akina Maria ni warefu
(Maria are tall)
Paka weusi walifika
(The black cats arrived)
|
KI- VI
|
ki-/ch-
|
vi-/vy-
|
-kali
-kubwa
-ekundu
|
Kisu kikali kiliuzwa
( A sharp
knife was sold)
Kijiti
kikubwa kitang'aa
(The big
stick
will shine)
Chungu
chekundu kipo
(A red
pot is available)
|
Visu vikali viliuzwa
(Sharp
knives were sold)
Vijiti vikubwa
vitang'aa
(The big
sticks will shine)
Vyungu
vyekundu vipo
(Red pots
are available)
|
LI- YA
|
ΙΈ-/
j-
|
m-/ma
|
-tamu
-eupe
|
Tunda tamu
lililiwa
(Asweet
fruit was
eaten)
Gari
jeupe
lilipotea
(A
white car
got
lost)
|
Matunda matamu yaliliwa
(Sweet fruits
were eaten)
Magari meupe
yalipotea
( White
cars
got lost)
|
U- YA
|
m-
|
m-/ma
|
-baya
-kuu
|
Uji mbaya umeisha
(Bad porrige is over)
Ugonjwa mkuu huenea
(Aserious disease spreads)
|
Uji mbaya umeachwa
(Bad porridge is over)
Magonjwa makuu huenea
(Serious diseases spread)
|
I-ZI
|
n-/
/ny-
|
n-/
ny-
|
-ovu-
-refu
-eusi
|
Simu mbovu ni hii
(A bad phone is this)
Nyumba ndefu inavuja
(A tall house is leaking)
Nyumba nyeusi yavuja
(A black house leaks)
|
Simu mbovu zinazima
(Bad phones are these)
Nyumba ndefu zinavuja
(Tall houses are leaking)
Nyumba nyeusi zavuja
(Black houses leak)
|
U-I
|
m-/mw-
|
mi-/my-
|
-gumu
-epesi
|
Mti mgumu ulikatwa
( A hard tree was cut)
Mguu mwepesi huuma
(The Light leg aches)
|
Miti migumu imekatwa
( Hard trees were cut)
Mguu myepesi huuma
(Light legs are aching)
|
U-ZI
|
m-/mw
|
n-/nd-/ny
|
Singular forms are similar as in singualar for
U-I while Plural are similar as plural forms for I-zi
|
||
KU
|
ku-/
kw
|
ku-
/kw
|
-ema
-zuri
|
Kuimba kwema hulipa
(Good singing pays)
Kula kuzuri kunafaa
(Good eating benefits)
|
Kuimba kwema hulipa
(Good singing pays)
Kusoma kuzuri kunafaa
(Good eating benefits)
|
PA/KU/MU
|
pa-/ku-/mu-
|
pa-/ku-/mu-
|
-baya
|
Mahali pabaya toka
Mahali kubaya toka
(Leave the wrong place)
|
Mahali pabaya tokeni
Mahali kubaya tokeni
(Leave the wrong place)
|
II. Those that exist as free
morphemes
This category includes borrowed
words from the arabic language. When used, they do not take the
subject prefixes. Examples of such words are;
safi (clean)
Hatari (dangerous)
nadhifu (neat)
hodari (sharp)
Example in a sentence would be:
Kazi nadhifu itasahihishwa (Neat
work will be marked)
Pombe ni hatari (Alcohol is
dangerous)
Comprehensive, isn't it? Just
dedicate some good time and soon you will get it.
Exercise
Fill the following blanks with the correct prefixes before the
adjectives
- Mbwa ….....kali ameniuma
- Kitabu.......embamba kimeraruka
- Sahani ….zuri imenunuliwa
- Chungwa....bovu limeonekana
- Maji …..safi yameisha
Hint: To discover the noun class look at the prefixes in the
verbal stems
Referrences
Gathumbi, A. et al (2004). New Integrated English: Students Book 2.Jomo Kenyatta Foundation,Nairobi: Kenya
Habwe J. and Karanja P. (2004) Misingi ya sarufi ya Kiswahili. Phoenix Publishers: Nairobi, Kenya.
Mgullu, R. S. (2008). Mtalaa Wa Isimu: Fonetiki, Fonolojia na Mofolojia ya Kiswahili. Longhorn Publishers: Nairobi Kenya.Habwe J. and Karanja P. (2004) Misingi ya sarufi ya Kiswahili. Phoenix Publishers: Nairobi, Kenya.
Mohammed, A. M. (2001). Modern Swahili Grammar. The Jomo Kenyatta Foundation: Nairobi, Kenya.
Mbaabu, J. (1985). Sarufi Ya Kiswahili. Kenya Publishing and Book Marketing Co. Ltd: Nairobi, Kenya
Njanje N. and Njogu K. (2006) Kiswahili kwa Vyuo vya Ualimu. The Jomo Kenyatta Foundation: Nairobi, Kenya.
Njogu, K. et al (2006). Sarufi ya Kiswahili: Uchanganuzi na Matumizi. Jomo Kenyatta Foundation. Nairobi: Kenya
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