Swahili verb II

The Tense in Swahili verb

The tense marker in swahili comes after the subject prefix as shown in the table below

Table I.The Tense-marker

Positive Form	Negative Form
Past Tense -li- e.g. Nilifika (I arrived) Ulifika (You arrived) Alifika (S/he arrived)	Past Tense -ku- e.g. sikufika (I did not arrive) hukufika (You did not arrive) hakufika (S/he did not arrive)
Present Perfect -me- Nimefika (I have arrived) Umefika (You have arrived) Amefika (S/he has arrived)	Present Perfect -ja- sijafika (I have not arrived) hujafika (You havenot arrived) hajafika (S/he has not arrived)
Habitual Hu- Mimi hufika (I arrive) Wewe hufika (You arrive) Yeye Hufika (S/he arrives)	Habitual Ø Mimi sifiki (I don’t arrive) Wewe hufiki (You dont arrive) Yeye hafiki (S/he doesn’t arrive)
Future Tense -ta- Nitafika Utafika (You will arrive) Atafika (S/he will arrive)	Future Tense -ta- Sitafika hutafika (You will arrive) hatafika (S/he will arrive)

N/B: The tense markers are the same for the plural forms. Note also that I have used the free morphemes before the habitual tense marker. This is just to help you understand that the marker comes as a prefix in a verb and therefore it does not specify a particular person or obejct that does the action.

Pretty simple, isn't it? Now try this:

Exercise

1. Fill in the blanks below
   

1. …..cheka tena (I laughed again)

2. ……..samehe (They did not forgive us)

3. Si…pika ( I will not cook)

4. Kitabu ….potea (The book has been lost)

5. U….tembea (You are walking)

2. Provide the negative forms for:

1. Lilinichosha (It fatigued me)

2. Wanaondoka (They are leaving)

3. Naimba ( I sing)

4. Yeye hucheza (He plays)

5. Utanibeba ( You will carry me)

3. Write the following in plural

1. Ninatafuta (I am searching)

2. Wananichukia (They hate me)

3. Usicheze na mimi (Don’t play with me)

4. Kilianguka(It fell)

5. Wewe hunifurahisha (You please me)

4. Use the correct pronoun form in brackets  in to construct sentences using the following words

e.g.

Laugh (mimi)-                     Mimi ninacheka (I am sleeping)

Sleep (nao)-                           Analala nao (S/he is sleeping with them)

• Imba (nasi)

• Soma (wewe)

• Eat (nami)

• Cry (yeye)

• Come (naye)

Hint: Study Swahili verb I to do this exercise well. Use the English-Swahili Dictionary to get the transaltion of the vocabulary in (4) above.

Kila la heri (All the Best)

Referrences

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.
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.