There are two ways of expressing possessives;
1.
Combining
an appropriate possessive prefix with a possessive stem.
For
example; Jina langu ni Wambui [My
name is Wambui]
L-
is a possessive prefix.
-angu
is a possessive stem.
2.
Using the associative
suffix ‘-a’ [of]
For
example; kitabu cha mwalimu [Book of
the teacher]
Mtoto wa Ali [Child of Ali]
The prefixes have to agree with the noun class of the noun they are giving more information about.
These are the stems for
possessives:
-angu my,
mine -etu our, ours
-ako
your/yours(sing.) -enu your, yours (pl.)
-ake his/her,
his/hers -ao their,
theirs
Mifano
a)
Mgeni wangu [My
visitor]
b)
Watoto wetu [Our
children]
c)
Mama yako [Your
mother]
d)
Baba yenu [Your (pl) father]
e)
Kitabu
chake [His book]
f)
Nyumba zao [Their
houses]
g)
Kalamu ya
mwanafunzi [Pen of the student]
h)
Kidole cha
mkono [Finger of the hand]
i)
Majani ya mti [Leaves of the
tree]
j) Chumba cha wageni [Room of the guests]
Possessives and noun agreement summary
|
Noun Class |
|
-a (of) |
My/Our |
Your/Your (pl) |
His or Her/Their |
|
M-WA |
(sing.) |
wa |
wangu/wetu |
wako/ wenu |
wake/ wao |
|
(pl.) |
wa |
wangu/wetu |
wako/wenu |
wake/ wao |
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M-MI |
(sing.) |
wa |
wangu/wetu |
wako/wenu |
mti wake/mti wao |
|
(pl.) |
ya |
yangu/yetu |
yako/yenu |
miti yake/miti yao |
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JI-MA |
(sing.) |
la |
langu/letu |
lako/ lenu |
lake/ lao |
|
(pl.) |
ya |
yangu/yetu |
yako/yenu |
ma yake/ma yao |
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|
KI-VI (cha-vya) |
(sing.) |
cha |
changu/chetu |
chako/ chenu |
chake/ chao |
|
(pl.) |
vya |
vyangu/vyetu |
vyako/ vyenu |
vyake/ vyao |
|
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|
N |
(sing.) |
ya |
yangu/yetu |
yako/ yenu |
yake/ yao |
|
(pl.) |
za |
zangu/zetu |
zako/ zenu |
zake/ zao |
|
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|
U |
(sing.) |
wa |
wangu/wetu |
wako/ wenu |
wake/ wao |
|
(pl.) |
wa |
zangu/zetu |
zako/ zenu |
zake/ zao |
Translate the following to Kiswahili.
1.
Your phone.
2.
Her book.
3.
The teacher
said that the cup is hers.
4.
These keys
are theirs.
5.
Where is
our room?
6.
The shoes
are yours.
7.
That house
belongs to Juma.
8.
This is not
Juma’s book.
9.
The man is
looking for his wife.
10. Have you finished your food?
Exercise 2: Family
What is being said:
Huyu ni baba yangu
This is my father
That is my father
This is my mother
That is my uncle
What is being said:
Mama yetu anaitwa Halima
My father’s name is
Halima
Your mother’s name
is Halima
Our mother’s name
is Halima
My mother’s name is
Halima
What is being said:
Yule ni kaka yako
This is your
brother
That is my sister
That is your
brother
That is my cousin
How do you say
'grandfather' in Kiswahili?
Babu
Bibi
Dada
Mjomba
How do you say
'grandmother' in Kiswahili?
Babu
Bibi
Baba
Dada
How do you say ‘I
have one child’ in Kiswahili?
Sina Watoto
Hatuna Watoto
Nina mtoto mmoja
Ana mtoto mmoja
What is being said:
'My fiance’s name is Salim'
Mchumba wangu
anaitwa Salim
Mchumba wako
anaitwa Salim
Mgeni wangu anaitwa
Salim
Mgeni wangu ni
mrefu
How does a woman
say 'I am married' in Kiswahili?
Nimeoa
Nimeolewa
Sijaoa
Sijaolewa
How do you say
‘Cousin’ in Kiswahili?
Shangazi
Mjomba
Binamu
Mjukuu
Exercise 3: Possessives (Vimilikishi)
Translate: My room
chumba changu
chumba chake
chumba chako
chumba chetu
Translate: Your
shoe
Kiatu changu
kiatu chako
kiatu yako
Kiatu lako
Nguo hizi
ni_________________.
Zangu
Langu
Changu
Yetu
Pluralize: Chumba
hiki ni changu.
Chumba hiki ni
chetu.
Vyumba hivi ni
vyetu.
Chumba hiki ni
kyangu.
Vyumba hivi ni
vyake.
Rafiki_________atakuja
kesho.
Yangu
changu
wangu
Langu
Viatu ___________
vinapendeza sana.
chetu
letu
Vyetu
yetu
Nyumba _________ina
rangi ya kupendeza.
Yangu
Change
Chake
Lake
Uso ___________
unang’aa.
Lake
Wake
Chake
Yangu