The body (mwili)

 

Sehemu za mwili (Parts of the body)

kichwa / vichwa	[head / heads]
jicho / macho	[eye / eyes]
pua / mapua	[nose / noses]
mdomo / midomo	[mouth / mouths]
kidevu / videvu	[chin / chins]
kidakatonge / vidakatonge	[Adam's apple / Adam's apples]
kifua / vifua	[chest / chests]
kwapa / kwapa	[armpit / armpits]
tumbo / matumbo	[stomach / stomachs]
kitovu / vitovu	[navel / navels]
mkono / mikono	[hand(arm) / hands(arms)]
nyonga / nyonga	[wrist / wrists]
kidole / vidole	[digit / digits (i.e. finger, toe)]
paja / mapaja	[thigh / thighs]
goti / magoti	[knee / knees]
muundi / miundi	[shin / shins]
kifundo cha mguu /vifundo vya mguu	[ankle / ankles]
unyayo / nyayo	[sole / soles (of the foot)]
kisigino / visigino	[heel / heels]
tako / matako; kalio / makalio	[butt / butts; bottom / bottoms]
kiuno / viuno	[waist / waists]
kisugudi / visugudi	[elbow / elbows]
mgongo / migongo	[back / backs]
bega / mabega	[shoulder / shoulders]
shingo / mashingo	[neck / necks]
ndewe / ndewe	[earlobe / earlobes]
sikio / masikio	[ear / ears]
kisogo / visogo	[back of head]
unywele / nywele	[a hair / hair]
utosi	[crown of the head / center part of the head]
uso / nyuso	[face / faces]
mboni ya jicho /mboni za macho	[eyeball / eyeballs]
kigubiko cha jicho /vigubiko vya macho	[eyelid / eyelids]
usi wa jicho /nyusi za macho	[eyebrow / eyebrows]
tundu la pua /matundu ya mapua	[nostril / nostrils]
jino / meno	[tooth / teeth]
ulimi / ndimi	[tongue / tongues]
shavu / mashavu	[cheek / cheeks]
ndevu / ndevu	[beard / beards]
koo / koo	[throat / throats]
titi / matiti	[breast / breasts]
vidole vya mkono	[fingers]
vidole vya mguu	[toes]
ukucha / kucha	[nail / nails]
ngozi / ngozi	[skin / skins]
Kiwiko /viwiko	[Elbow / Elbows]

Exercise 1

Translate to Kiswahili: Head

Mwili

Kichwa

Macho

Tumbo

Translate to Kiswahili: Stomach

Mguu

Mkono

Tumbo

Kichwa

Translate the following sentence:She is using her hand to write

Anatumia macho yake kuandika

Anatumia mguu wake kuandika

Anatumia mkono wake kuandika

Anatumia kichwa chale kuandika

Which part of the body do we use to walk?

Mkono

Mguu

Kichwa

Tumbo

Tafsiri: Amekata kucha zake

She cut her nails

She cut her fingers

She cut her hand

She cut her hair

Translate: Nywele zangu ni ndefu

My neck is long

My hair is long

My legs are long

My hands are long

Which word is used to mean a neck

Kichwa

Jicho

Shingo

Tumbo

Tunasikia kwa kutumia sehemu ipi ya mwili?

Macho

Masikio

Mate

Ulimi

Tunanusa kwa kutumia sehemu gani ya mwili?

Pua

Jicho

Kucha

Ulimi

Amevaa kofia _______________

Mguuni

Mkononi

Sikioni

Kichwani

Exercise 2 

Andika majina ya sehemu hizi za mwili katika Kiingereza. (Write the names of the following parts of the body in English)

1.       Kichwa

2.       Kucha

3.       Vidole

4.       Macho

5.       Kifua

6.       Mikono

7.       Nywele

8.       Mguu

9.       Goti

10.   paja

 

Exercise 3

Andika jina la sehemu ya mwili inayotumiwa kutenda kitendo kilichoelezwa. (Write the Swahili word used to name the parts used to do the described action.)

1.       A man hears with his_____.

2.       A man sees with his ________.

3.       A man hears with his ________.

4.       A man smells with his ________ and tastes with his ________.

5.       A man smiles with his ________ and bites with his ________.

6.       A man waves with his ________ and stands on his ________.

Exercise 4

Tafsiri kwa Kiingereza (Translate to English)

Ili kuepuka Korona usiguse uso wako. Usitumie mkono kumsalimia mwenzako. Usiguse pua lako. Kohoa kwa kiwiko chako. Na vilevile ukae umbali wa kilomita mbili na mwenzako.

Nationality and residency

When stating nationalities in Kiswahili,  we use the prefix M‐ is for singular and WA‐ for plural.

Mkenya-Wakenya [Kenyan person/s]

Mtanzania-Watanzania [Tanzanian person/s]

Mmarekani/ Mwamerika-Wamarekani/Waamerika [American person/s]

Mwiingereza-Waingereza  [English/British person/s]

Mmisri-Wamisri [Egyptian person/s]

Mwitalia/Mwitaliano-Waitalia [Italian person/s]

Mswidi-Waswidi [Swedish person/s]

Mswisi-Waswisi [Swiss person/s]

Mfaransa-Wafaransa [French person/s]

Mhispania-Wahispania [Spanish person/s]

Mrundi-Warundi [Burundian person/s]

Mrwanda-Warwanda [Rwandan person/s]

Mifano katika sentensi

Mimi ni Mwafrika.- I am African.

Mimi ni Mmarekani- I am American

Ninatoka Uingereza – I come from England

Wewe ni Mkenya- You are a Kenyan

Wale ni Wasomali- They are Somalis

Sisi ni Wahindi- We are Indians

Wao ni Wajerumani – They are Germans.

 

Mifano zaidi

1.       Unatoka wapi? – Where do you come from?

2.       Wakenya wanatoka Kenya. - Kenyans come from Kenya.

3.       Mvulana huyu ni Mjapani. - This boy is a Japanese.

4.       Anatoka wapi? - Where does he/she come from?

5.       Waganda wanatoka Uganda. – Ugandans come from Uganda.

6.       Madaktari wameenda Ulaya.- The doctors have gone to Europe.

7.       Warumi watasafiri kuenda Kanada – The Romans will travel to Canada.

When asking someone where they are born

1.       Mmezaliwa wapi? Where were you(plural)  born?

2.        Amezaliwa wapi? Where was she/he born?

3.       Wamezaliwa wapi? Where were they born?

4.       Umezaliwa wapi? Where were you born?

When answering, we say:

1.       Nilizaliwa India – I was born in India

2.       Amezaliwa Uholanzi- She/he was born in Holland.

3.       Mwanamke yule alizaliwa Chicago – That lady was born in Chicago.

4.       Walizaliwa Ujerumani – They were born in Germany.

 

When talking about where you or someone resides/ live in.

Ninaishi – I stay/I live/I reside

Ninaishi Mombasa

Mifano zaidi

1.    Monica alisafiri kuenda Tanzania Jumamosi, anakaa Zanzibari.

[Monica travelled to Tanzania on Saturday, she stays in Zanzibar.]

Mzee yule anaishi Nairobi.

That man resides in Nairobi.

Anaishi karibu na ikulu ya rais.

He lives next to the statehouse.

Mimi ninaishi katika kaunti ya Kitui nchini Kenya.

I live in Kitui county in Kenya.

Mazoezi (Exercise)

1.    Mtanzania           Tanzania

2.       Mkongo               ________

3.       ________           Ulaya

4.       Msomali               ________

5.       Mbelgiji                ________

6.       Mmarekani         ________

Translate the following into Swahili

1.       I come from England.

2.       I live in Congo.

3.       My mother is Kenyan.

4.       I was born in Tanzania.

5.       I come from Europe.

 

 How would you say the following in English?

1.       Nilizaliwa Nakuru.

2.       Alizaliwa wapi?

3.       Wanatoka Ujerumani.

4.       Mimi ni Msomalia.

5.       Baba yangu ni Mkongo, anaishi Ufaransa.

6.       Mwanafunzi yule anasoma nchini Uganda.

7.       Anaishi karibu na dada yake.

Andika maelezo mafupi kuhusu unakotoka, ulikozaliwa, unakosomea na unakoishi.

(Write a brief description about where you come from, where you were born, where you went to school and where you stay.)

 

 

 

 

Verb ‘to have’

 In Swahili, there is no actual verb for ‘to have’. We therefore say ‘to be with’ which is: ‘kuwa na’

When we use kuwa na in the present tense, the verb kuwa na is substituted by -na.

In other tenses, it takes the structure of -kuwa na.

Just like all other verbs, the verb ‘to have’ is used in the following structure in a simple sentence:

Subject prefix + Tense marker + Verb

	Present tense	Past tense	Present perfect tense	Future tense
Mimi	Nina [I have]	Nilikuwa na	Nimekuwa na	Nitakuwa  na
Wewe	Una [You have]	Ulikuwa na	Umekuwa na	Utakuwa  na
Yeye	Ana [he/she has]	Alikuwa  na	Amekuwa  na	Atakuwa  na
Sisi	Tuna [We have]	Tulikuwa na	Tumekuwa  na	Tutakuwa  na
Nyinyi	Mna [You [pl]  have]	Mlikuwa na	Mmekuwa  na	Mtakuwa  na
Wao	Wana [They have]	Walikuwa na	Wamekuwa  na	Watakuwa  na
KI-VI	Kiti kina [the chair has]	kilikuwa na	kimekuwa na	kitakuwa na
	Viti vina [the chairs have]	vilikuwa na	vimekuwa na	vitakuwa na
JI-MA	Jino lina [the tooth has]	lilikuwa na	limekuwa na	litakuwa na
	Meno yana [the teeth have]	yalikuwa na	yamekuwa na	yatakuwa na
M-MI	Mti una [the tree has]	uli-	ume-	uta-
	Miti ina [the trees have]	ili-	ime-	ita-
N	Nyumba ina [the house has]	ili-	ime-	ita-
	Nyumba zina [the houses have]	zili-	zime-	zita-
U	Ukuta una [the wall has]	uli-	ume-	uta-
	Kuta zina [the walls have]	zili-	zime-	zita-

 

 

Mifano katika Sentensi

Nina riwaya nzuri.	[I have a good novel.]
Baba alikuwa na pesa.	[My father had money.]
Nchi yao ina dhahabu nyingi.	[Their country has a lot of gold.]
Darasa langu lina viti vitatu.	[My class has three chairs.]
Jamaa yetu ina wavulana wengi.	[Our family has many boys.]
Kiti kitakuwa na miguu minne.	[The chair will have four legs.]
Mti ule una matunda mengi.	[That tree has many fruits]
Nyumba ina madirisha matatu.	[The house has three windows.]
Gari lilikuwa na abiria.	[The car had passengers.]

 

Exercise 1: Use the appropriate descriptive word meaning 'to have' to fill in the blank spaces.

Gari hili ________magurudumu manne.	[This car has four tyres.]
Nyumba hii ______vyumba vinne.	[This house will have four rooms.]
Mtoto huyu _______miaka kumi.	[This child is ten years old.]
Jirani wale ________mbwa wakubwa sana.	[Those neighbors had very big dogs.]
Nchi yetu ________wananchi wema.	[Our country has good citizens.]
Nyumbani kwetu ________ng’ombe watano.	[Our home had five cows.]
Dada yangu __________simu nzuri sana.	[My sister will have a very nice phone.]

 

 

Kukanusha [negations]

 

Mtu [person]	Verb
Mimi	Sina [I don’t have]
Wewe	Hauna [You don’t have]
Yeye	Hana [he/she doesn’t have]
Sisi	Hatuna [we don’t have]
Nyinyi	Hamna [You all don’t have]
Wao	Hawana [they don’t have]

 

 

Mifano katika sentensi

Malaika hana kitabu.	[Malaika doesn’t have a book.]
Shule haina basi.	[The school doesn’t have a bus.]
Marina hana rafiki.	[Marina doesn’t have a friend.]
Mnunuzi hana pesa za kutosha.	[The buyer does not have enough money.]
Babu hana ng’ombe wengi.	[My grandfather doesn’t have many cows.]

 

 

Exercise 2: Negate the following sentences

Baba yangu ana gari nzuri.	[My father has a nice car.]
Mbuga hii ina wanyama wengi.	[This park has many animals.]
Mtoto ana furaha nyingi.	[The baby is very happy.]
Nyumba hii ina televisheni lakini haina viti.	[This house has a television but doesn’t have chairs.]
Vyumba vyote vina vitanda viwili.	[All rooms have two beds.]

Exercise 3

1. Translate into Kiswahili 'I have a car'

a. Mimi nina gari

b. wewe una gari

c. Sisi tuna gari

d. Wao wana gari

2. Translate into Kiswahili 'You (singular) have a book'

a. Nyinyi mna kitabu

b. Wewe una kitabu

c. Yeye ana kitabu

d.Wewe hauna kitabu

3. Translate into Kiswahili 'He has a baby'

a. Yeye nina mtoto

b. Yeye tuna mtoto

c. Yeye wana mtoto

d. Yeye ana mtoto

4. What is being said: Sisi tuna kalamu

a. We have a pen

b. He has a pen

c. They have a pen

d. We don't have a pen

5. What is being said: Nyinyi mna watoto

a. You have a baby

b. You have babies

c. They have a baby

d. They have babies

6. Translate to Kiswahili: 'I don't have a cup'

a. Mimi nina kikombe

b. Mimi sina kikombe

c. Mimi ni kikombe

d. Mimi si kikombe

7. What is being said: Wewe hauna kijiko

a. You (singular) have a spoon

b. You (plural) have a spoon

c. You (singular) don't have a spoon

d. You (plural) don't have a spoon

8. Translate to Kiswahili: 'She doesn't have a plate'

a. Yeye ana sahani

b. Yeye ni sahani

c. Yeye si sahani

d. Yeye hana sahani

9. Translate to Kiswahili: 'We don't have a book'

a. Sisi ni kitabu

b. Sisi hatuna kitabu

c. Sisi si kitabu

d. Sisi tuna kitabu

10. Translate to Kiswahili 'You (plural) don't have children'

a. Nyinyi hamna watoto

b. Nyinyi si watoto

c. Nyinyi ni watoto

d. Nyinyi mna watoto