We proceed with our topic The Impersonal and the reciprocal forms of verbs
Useful Expressions
Kuna nini? What is the matter?
Hamna kitu, There is nothing
Hapakuwa na mtu, There was nobody
Pana mtu mbele, There is somebody in front
Nani yuko nyuma? Who is behind?
Hamna taabu, No problem, don’t mind
Nipe kitabu nisome, Give a book to read.
Nipe maji ninywe, Give me some water to drink.
Mpe mtoto ndizi ale. Give the child banana to eat.
THE RECIPROCAl FORMS OF THE VERBS.
Mutual actions are expressed in Swahili by adding na to the end of the verb.e.g.kupenda, to love, like “,kupendana,” to like each other, “if the verb ends in e add ana;e.g.kusamehe,”to forgive “;kusameheana”to forgive each other.”
If the verb ends in I add ana e.g. kurudi,”to return “;kurudiana” to return to one another “(i.e to be reconciled.)
If a verb ends in u change the u into I and ana, e.g.
Kujibu, to answer, Kujibizana, to answer to each other.
Kusifu, to praise, Kusifiana, to praise one another
Here are some of the commonest verbs and their reciprocals;
Ona, see. Onana, meet, see each other
Kosa, do wrong, miss kosana, disagree, quarrel
Jua, sun. Kujuana, know each other
Pata, get. Patana, agree, be friendly