Requests and orders

a)      Requests

In Kiswahili, there are two ways of making a request;

         i.            We can add polite words such as “tafadhali [please]” to a command and soften our tone of voice to make it a request.

Naomba msaada	I’d like some assistance
Tafadhali nipe kinywaji	Please give me a drink
Tafadhali niletee chakula	Please bring me some food
Samahani, naomba unisaidie na kitabu chako	Excuse me, may I please borrow your book

 

       ii.            We could use personal pronoun prefixes and the suffix "e" to replace the final vowel “a” in a verb. (We do not change the verb ending if it ends with a different vowel sound.)

 

Verb	Request
Andika [write]	Uandike [Would you (singular) write] Muandike [Would you (plural) write] Aandike [Would he/she write] Waandike [Would they (plural) write]
Samehe [forgive]	Usamehe [Would you (singular) forgive] Msamehe Would you (plural) forgive] Asamehe [Would he/she forgive] Wasamehe [Would they (plural) forgive]

 

 

b)      Commands

Kiswahili uses verbs for commands.

To one person	To two or more people
Pika! [cook]	Pikeni!
Fikiri! [think]	Fikirini!
Andika! [write]	Andikeni
Jaribu! [try]	Jaribuni!
Imba! [sing]	Imbeni!

 

Please note that the suffix "e" replaces the final vowel "a" in the verb when issuing a command to more than one person.

 

Mifano Zaidi [More Examples]

1.       Naomba ukirudishe chakula jikoni, nimeshiba sana.

    Please return the food to the kitchen I am very full.

2.       Tafadhali funga mlango huo.

    Please close that door.

3.       Utaweza kunioshea kikombe hiki?

    Can you kindly wash this cup for me?

4.       Samahani, unaweza kunionyesha pahali ambapo choo kipo?

    Excuse me, will you mind showing me where the toilet is?

5.       Mhudumu, naomba niletee ugali na sukuma wiki.

    Waiter, please bring me stiff cornmeal porridge and kales.

6.       Tafadhali nipe maji ya kunywa, ninahisi kiu.

    Please give me some drinking water, I am thirsty.

7.       Nimeshiba, asante kwa chakula.

    I am very full, thank you for the food.

8.       Naomba uchukue chenji/baki yako.

    Please take your change.

9.       Tafadhali niletee glasi ya maji.

    Kindly bring me a glass of water.

 

Exercise 1

Answer the questions below

1.   Tunapoenda hotelini tunamwuliza mhudumu atuletee chakula. Tunapaswa kutumia maneno yapi? (When we go to a hotel we ask the waiter to bring us food. Which words should we use?)

2.   Wanjiru anahisi njaa sana, atamweleza vipi mhudumu amletee chakula? (Wanjiru is very hungry, how will she place an order?)

3.  Mtu anaposhiba atamwelezaje mpishi au mhudumu? (When someone is full, what do they tell the chef or the waiter?)

 

 

Exercise 2 

1. Translate to Kiswahili: Command

a) Amri

b) Onyo

c) Ombi

d) Tafadhali

 

2. Tafsiri neno hili : Samahani.

a) Please

b) Come

c) Msaada

d) Ombi

 

3. How would you request someone to open a door for you?

a) Naomba unifungulie mlango huu.

b) Nifungulie mlango huu.

c) Fungua mlango huu.

d) Nisaidie mlangoni.

 

4. Translate the following into Kiswahili. ‘Please clean that room’.

a) Pole, nisafishie chumba hicho

b) Tafadhali safisha chumba hicho.

c) Nisaidie, nisafishie chumba.

d) Asante, osha chumba chicho.

 

5. What would say to a person who served you food after you've eaten?

a) Sijui

b) Nahisi njaa sana.

c) Ondoa vyombo hizi, nimeshiba.

d) Asante sana kwa chakula, nimeshukuru.