KISWAHILI FOR BEGINNERS: THE SWAHILI VERBS

In the infinitive, all Swahili verbs, as we have already said begin with ku (i.e. they add the prefix ku to the sterm) which correspond to the English word “to” in “to go to come etc…”Here are some of the commonest verbs:

Kusoma,to read ,study.                                     Kuona, to see.

Kuandika, to write.                                              Kulala, to sleep, to lie down

Kupika, to cook.                                                  Kuamka, to wake up, to get up

Kula, to eat.                                                         Kuenda, (kwenda), to go.

Kunywa, Kenya, drink.                                        Kuja, to come

Kuwa, to be.                                                          Kurudi, to come back

Kufika, to arrive.                                                   Kurudisha, to give back

Kuondoka, to depart.                                          Kurudia,to repeat.

Kujua, to know.                                                    Kufunga, to shut, close up

Kutaka, to want, wish.                                          Kufungua, to open

Kuelewa, to understand.                                     Kupenda, to like, to love,

Kuchoka, to be tired                                            kucheka, to laugh

Kuvaa, to put on a dress, wear.                          Kuchuma, to pick (flowers, etc)

Kufanya, to do.                                                      Kujifunza to learn, study

Swahili verbs have four tenses designated by what may be called ” tense markers,” namely:

Na, designates the present tense

Me, expresses the perfect tense

Li, designates the past tense

Ta, designates the future tense

Eg. Nakuja

Nimemaliza

Nilisema

Tutakuja

We will continue next time