Subjunctives

Subjunctives are verbs used to express suggestions, wishes, uncertainty and possibility. It is a verb form that shows things that could or should happen.

You form a subjunctive by changing the final -a into -e in a verb.

 

Mifano

Anasoma [She or he is reading]

Asome [She or he should read]

 

Anakula [She or he is eating]  

Ale [She or he should eat]

 

Tutakuja [We will come]

Tuje [We should come]

 

Ninafikiri [I think]  

Nifikiri [I should think]

 

Atakuja [She or he will come.]

Aje [She or he should come]

 

Nala [I am eating]

Nile [I should eat]

 

Analala [She or he is sleeping.]

Alale [He or she should sleep]

 

 When to use Subjunctives

1.      Giving indirect commands (for ‘you’ to do to someone else)

               Mpatie chakula [Give him food]

               Mwitishe kitabu [Ask him for the book]

2.      Making suggestions

               Ulale [You should sleep]

               Apumzike [He should rest]

3.      Second part of two commands

               Chukua kalamu uandike [Take a pen and write]

               Fungua kitabu usome [Open the book and read]

               

The words used with subjunctive words include;

Lazima [It’s a must] 

Afadhali [It is better that]

Tafadhali [please]

Ni bora [It is better]

Ili [so that]

                         

Mifano katika sentensi

1.      Ni bora ulale. [It is better that you sleep.]

2.     Afadhali tusome. [We should read.]

3.     Ni lazima uende shuleni. [You must go to school.]

4.    Ni bora twende nyumbani. [We should go home.]

5.     Alikuja ili nimsaidie. [He/she came so that I could help her/him.] 

 

 Negating Subjunctives

 When negating subjunctives, we insert the infix ‘si’ between the subject prefix and verb.

 

Uende [you should go]

Usiende [you should not go]

 

Acheke [he shold laugh]

Asicheke [he should not laugh]

 

Mlale [you should sleep]

Msilale [you should not sleep]

 

Tutembee [Let us walk]

Tusitembee [we should not walk]

 

Exercises

A. Write the subjunctive verbs of the following words.

1. Analala

2. Anaandika

3. Unakuja

4. Anasoma

5. Unajibu

6. Asiende

7. Asikuje

8. Atakula 

 

Translate the following sentences into Kiswahili.

1. Take a pen and write.

2. Write, and do not ask me questions.

3. Close the door, and do not go out.

4. Do not ask him questions.

5. Enter so that we may talk.

6. Don’t let anyone open this door.

7. I ask you to be patient.

8. I would like you to sing.

9. I will sit down so I can have some rest.