KISWAHILI FOR BEGINNERS: ADVERBS OF TIME

Juzi,day before yesterday.                                                                             Mwaka jana,last year

Jana,yesterday.                                                                                              Mwaka uliopita,last year

Leo,to day.                                                                                                    Mwezi uliopita,last month

Kesho,tomorrow.                                                                                         Wiki iliyopita,last week

Kesho kutwa,day after tomorrow.                                                                Mwaka ujao,next year

Juzi na jana,day before yesterday.  And yesterday.                                     Mwezi ujao,next month

.                                                                                                               Wiki ijayo,next week

Juzi juzi,a few days ago

ON THE USE  OF JE.

The word je is used to introduce a question and has no special meaning. As no change occurs in the structure of the sentence when asking questions in Swahili, je,is a useful device for calling attention to the question being asked, compare the following two sentences, one is a question, the other is not;

a) Mgeni amefika leo,The guest arrived today.

b) je,Mgeni amefika leo?Did the guest arrive to day?

When je is attached to the end of the verb it means “who””what”

E,g,unasemaje?how,what,do you say?

Unapikaje?how do you cook?

Unafanyaje?how do you do it?etc

Exercise

Translate into swahili

1.The children went to school yesterday.

2,Tatu was ill yesterday and was at home

3,When will you go to see Tatu at home?

4.where were you yesterday

5.Which man is brave and kind?