CONDITIONAL –NGE-
The -nge- tense is used to show a hypothesis in the
present tense. It is used in verbs to express a condition that can still be
realized.
-nge- expressions have two parts; the
condition and the consequence.
|
ningekula
ningeshiba |
if I were to eat,
I’d be full |
|
ungekaa ungemwona |
if you were to
stay, you'd see him/her |
|
angelia
ningemchukua |
if he/she were to
cry, I'd take him/her |
|
tungekimbia
tungewafikia |
if we were to
run, we would reach them |
|
mngelala
mngepumzika |
if you all were
to sleep, you'd rest |
|
wangepika,
tungekula |
if they were to
cook, we would eat |
Note: Monosyllabic verbs maintain their infinitive ‘ku-
|
ungekuja |
if you were to
come |
|
angekula |
if he were to eat |
|
ningekunywa |
if I were to
drink |
CONDITIONAL–NGALI-
The -ngali- tense is used to show a hypothesis in the
past tense. It is used in verbs to express a condition that can no longer be
realized.
-ngali- expressions
have two parts; the event or act is no longer possible, and the result is too late to
come true.
Monosyllabic verbs maintain their infinitive ‘ku-‘.
|
ningalikaa
ningalikula |
if I had stayed, I
would have eaten |
|
ungalijaribu
ungaliweza |
if you had tried,
you would have managed |
|
ningalikujua
ningalikuuliza |
if I had known
you, I would have asked you |
Mixtures
It is possible to mix up the two tenses.
1. Ungalisoma kwa bidi, ugekuwa unajua Kiswahili sasa.
If you had studied with effort, you would know Kiswahili by now.
2. Ningekuwa mzazi, ningalikufundisha kulisha mtoto.
If I were a parent, I would have taught you how to feed the baby.
NEGATIONS
When negating the conditional tenses, -si- negative tense is added. Therefore;
-nge- becomes –singe-
–ngali- becomes –singali-
|
ningekula |
nisingekula |
|
ungekaa |
usingekaa |
|
angelia |
asingelia |
|
ningalikaa |
nisingalikaa |
|
angalijaribu |
asingalijaribu |
|
mngalisoma |
msingalisoma |
Exercise 1
Translate: If I were to stay
Nitakaa
Nimekaa
Ningalikaa
Ningekaa
Translate: If they were to leave
Ningeondoka
Wangeondoka
Tungeondoka
Wangaliondoka
Translate: If I were to leave now, I'd arrive early
Ningeondoka sasa, ningefika mapema
Ningaliondoka sasa, ningalifika mapema
Ninaondoka sasa, nitafika mapema
Ningeondoka sasa, ungefika mapema
Translate: If I had stayed
Ningekaa
Ningalikaa
Nilikaa
Ungalikaa
Translate: If the tree had fallen
Mtu angalianguka
Mti ungalianguka
Mti ungeanguka
Mti ulianguka
Translate: If the car had arrived early
Gari lingalifika mapema
Gari lilifika mapema
Gari ningalifika mapema
Gari ingalifika mapema
Translate: If the house had burnt down
Nyumba ingechomeka
Nyumba ingalichomeka
Nyumba ilichomeka
Nyumba angalichomeka
Exercise 2
a.
If I were to stay, I would cook for you.
b.
If you were to come today, we would visit my
friend.
c.
If I were to study Kiswahili, I would go to East
Africa.
d.
If I had tried, I would have finished the race.
e.
If you had come yesterday, we would have gone to watch
a movie.
f.
If he had fallen, he would have hurt his head.
g.
If I were a doctor, I would have treated you.
h.
If I had not been happy, I would not have smiled
at you.
i.
If we were not to buy a house, we would have gone
on holiday.
j.
If he had not slept, I would have gone with you.