A). Present: The present tense uses –NA
This tense is used to show an action that is in progress at the present moment or an action that takes place on a daily basis.1. Mimi ninasoma Kiswahili. [I am studying/reading Kiswahili.]
2. Sisi tunasoma Kiswahili. [We are studying/reading Kiswahili.]
B). Present Perfect: The present perfect tense uses –ME
This tense is used to show an action that took place in the past, and the resulting state of that action still exists or a simple present action which is complete.
1. Mimi nimesoma Kiswahili. [I have read/studied Kiswahili.]
2. Sisi tumesoma Kiswahili. [We have read/studied Kiswahili.]
C). Past: The past tense uses -LI
The simple past tense is used to show an action that took place in the past.
1. Mimi nilisoma Kiswahili. [I read/studied Kiswahili.]
2. Sisi tulisoma Kiswahili. [We read/ studied Kiswahili.]
D). Future: The future tense uses -TA
The future tense is used to show an action that will take place in the future.
1. Mimi nitasoma Kiswahili. [I will read/study Kiswahili.]
2. Sisi tutasoma Kiswahili. [We will read/study Kiswahili.]
E). Habitual: The habitual tense uses HU-
This tense expresses an idea that happens on a regular basis.1. Mimi huoga kila asubuhi.
[I shower every morning.]
2. Mimi hupiga mswaki kila asubuhi.
[I brush my teeth every morning.]
3. Mimi hula kiamsha kinywa.
[I eat breakfast.]
4. Mimi huenda darasani saa tatu asubuhi.
[I go to class at 9am.]
5. Mimi hula chakula cha mchana saa sita mchana.
[I eat lunch at noon.]
NEGATIONS
I: Mimi ni/si
You: Wewe
u/hau
He/she: yeye
a/ha
We: sisi
tu/hatu
You(plural): nyinyi
m/ham
They: Wao
wa/hawa
When negating in the present
tense
1. The ending
of the verb changes from –a to –i
2. We do not use the tense infix –na-
Ni-na-soma si-somi
u-na-soma hu-somi
a-na-soma ha-somi
tu-na-soma hatu-somi
m-na-soma ham-somi
wa-na-soma hawa-somi
When negating in the present
perfect tense, the tense infix (me)
changes to ja
a-me-soma ha-ja-soma
a-me-jua ha-ja-jua
When negating in the future
tense, the tense infix (ta) does not
change
a-ta-soma ha-ta-soma
a-ta-jua ha-ta-jua
When negating in the past
tense, we replace –li- with ku
a-li-soma ha-ku-soma
a-li-jua ha-ku-jua
Exercise: Please translate the following to Swahili and negate the sentences.
For example:
She is reading: Yeye anasoma.
Yeye hasomi.
1. I am sitting
2. We are eating
3. They are laughing
4. You are playing
5. You are dancing
6. I drove
7. You understood
8. She wrote
9. We knew
10. You'all learnt
11. They saw
12. I will cook
13. You will sleep
14. She will drink
15. We will work
16. You’all will get tired
17. They will listen
18. I have clapped
19. You have answered
20. She has called-
21. We have sang
22. You’all have waved
23. They have fallen
24. I have written
25. I have spoken
26. I have read
27. I understood
28. I have braided my hair
29. He has seen
30. She has played
31. She has cooked
32. She has given
33. He has eaten
34. You are standing
35. You've had a visitor
36. We have driven
37. We have fallen
38. You'all have smiled-
39. You'all have worked
40. They have played
41. They have run
42. I am listening
43. We are talking
44. You all are looking
45. I am waiting
46. I am seeing
47. He is driving
48. She is sitting
49. They are laughing
50. We are learning
51. They are playing
52. You'all are listening
53. They are playing music-
54. We are talking