Verb Conjugations Summary (Mnyambuliko wa vitenzi)

RECIPROCAL FORM OF THE VERB

Reciprocal verbs convey the meaning of “doing something to, with or against each other; reciprocating actions on each other.

This category of verbs ends with the suffix -na.

 

Direct Reciprocal Form

oa [marry]	oana [marry each other]
Kopa [borrow]	Kopa [borrow from each other]
Tafuata [search]	Tafuata [search for each other]
Penda [like/love]	Penda [like/love each other]
Salimia [greet]	Salimia [greet each other]

Reciprocal with Prepositional

Nunua [buy]	Nunulia [buy for]	Nunuliana [buy for each other
Piga [beat]	Pigia [beat for]	Pigiana [beat for each other]
Soma [read]	Somea [read for]	Someana [read for each other]
Andika [write]	Andikia [write to/for]	Andika [write to/for each other]

 

 

Exercise 1

Select a reciprocal verb

Fanyiana

Sukuma

Sema

Ona

Wachezaji wali________ waliposhindwa 

Laumu

Laamu

Lauma

Laumiana

Ina_______ kuwa watu hupenda ufisadi

Inasema

Inaseeka

Inasemeka

Inasemekana

Maadui _____________

Walipiga

Walipigania

Walipigila

Walipigana

Select a sentence that does not have reciprocal verb

Wapishi walilishiana watoto

Watoto walirushiana matusi

Watalii hushauriana kuhusu mengi

Juma alichukua kitabu cha Hadija

Translate: Wavulana walisomeana kitabu

The boys read the book on behalf of each other

The books read the books for each other

Books were read for each other

Books were read but not by the boys

Select a sentence that contains reciprocal verb

Wapenzi walifichuliana siri

Baba alifika mapema

Kesho Tutaenda shuleni

Madereva huendesha magari

Translate: The boys passed the ball to each other

Wavulana walipiga mpira

Wavulana walipigiana mpira

Wavulana waliacha kumpiga mpira

Mpira ulipigwa na mvulana mmoja

Exercise 2: Translate the following to Kiswahili

a.     The kids are fighting each other.

b.    They love each other very much.

c.     We will read for each other.

d.    We’ve known each other since last year.

e.     They met and ran towards each other.

f.       We like writing to each other.

g.     During holidays, people buy each other gifts.

h.    We met and greeted each other.

PREPOSITIONAL FORM OF THE VERB

A preposition is a word or group of terms used to show direction, location, or time or that introduces an object. Some Swahili verbs can be made into prepositional forms.

They convey the meaning of doing something to, for, or on behalf of someone.

 

Verbs with a, i or u, end with -ia

Lala [sleep]	Lalia [sleep on]
Rudi [return]	Rudia [return to/for]
Jibu [answer]	Jibia [answer to/for]

 

 

Verbs where the 2nd last syllable contains e or o end with -ea

Soma [study]	Somea [read for]
Kopa [borrow]	Kopea [borrow/lend for]
Sema [say/speak]	Semea [say/speak for]
Enda [go]	Endea [go for]

 

 

Verbs with double vowels end with -lia or -lea

Nunua [buy]	Nunulia [buy for]
Pokea [receive]	Pokelea [receive for]
Jua [know]	Julia [know for]
Lia [cry]	Lilia [cry for]

 

Exercise 1

Select a prepositional verb in the following list.

Panga

Cheza

Imba

Lalia

Majeruhi wali______kwenye eneo la ajali.

Okoa

Okota

Okolewa

Okoka

Select a sentence which does not contain a prepositional verb

Mwalimu aliwaandikia wanafunzi maswali

Mgeni aliwachezea wenyeji

Gari lilifika kwa haraka

Mtoto alililia chakula

Mama ali___________ watoto wake pipi

Nunua

Nunuka

Nunuka

Nunulia

Si vizuri kuwa______ wanawake heshima

Vunja

Vunjia

Vunjizi

Vunjufu

Translate: We passed by his place

Tulipita kwake

Tulipitia kwake

Walipitia kwake

Tulimpita kwake

Select a prepositional verb in the following list

Sameha

Salimu

Saliti

Safiria

Tuliwa____ simu polisi tulipovamiwa na majambazi

Pigia

Pigizi

Pigilia

Pigika

Translate: He cut the tree on behalf of the owner

Alimkatia mmiliki mti

Mti ulikatika na mtu

Mti ulikataa na mmiliki

Mti haukukata na mtu

Exercise 2: Translate the following to Kiswahili

a.     Grandpa is cooking for us.

b.    He worked for us.

c.     The teacher is reading for the students.

d.    I will not answer for you.

e.     He bought her a car.

f.       I will not cry for you.

g.     He will speak on our behalf.

h.    She paid for his debt.

CAUSATIVE VERBS

Causative verbs express the meaning of “to make something happen” or “to cause an action to take place”.

 

Verbs ending with a, i or u, use -isha

La [eat]	Lisha [to be fed/to cause to eat]
Rudi [go back]	Rudisha [to cause to return]
Abudu [worship]	Abudisha [to cause to worship]
Fanya [do]	Fanyisha [to cause to do]

 

 

Verbs where the 2nd last syllable contains o or e, use -esha/-eza

Soma [study]	Somesha [cause to study/teach]
Kopa [borrow]	Kopesha [cause to borrow/lend]
Sema [say/speak]	Semesha [to cause to say/speak]
Enda [go]	Endesha [cause to go/drive]
Penda [like/love]	Pendeza [to cause to like/love]
Toka [come out]	Tokeza [to cause to come out]

 

Verbs roots ending with k use -sha

Kumbuka [remember]	Kumbusha [remind]
Chemka [boil]	Chemsha [to cause to boil]
Ruka [jump]	Rusha [make jump/throw]

 

 

Exceptions that use -za

Lala [sleep]	Laza [cause to sleep]
Uma [hurt]	Umiza [to cause to hurt]

 

Causatives from adjectives and nouns use -isha or -esha

Maana [meaning]	Kumaanisha [to mean]
Safi [clean]	Kusafisha [to clean]
Sababu [reason/cause]	Kusababisha [to cause]
Rahisi [simple/easy]	Kurahisisha [to make easy]

 

 

Exercise 1

Select the causative verb

Linda

Lisha

Lingana

Lipa

Translate: He suddenly ended the meeting

Alikatika mkutano kwa ghafla

Mkutano ulikatika kwa ghafla

Alikatiza mkutano kwa ghafla

Alikataa mkutano kwa ghafla

Select the statement that does not contain a causative verb

Yaya alimlaza mtoto kitandani

Polisi walimfukuza mwizi

Bidhaa zote zimenunuliwa

Alinionyenya jinsi ya kupika wali

Mwamu aliwa__________ wageni

karibu

karibia

Karibisha

Karibiana

Tafsiri: Mwendawazimu aliwaogopesha wanafunzi

The madman frightened the children

Children were frightened by the man person

The children and mad person were frightened

Children frightened the mad man.

Pombe nyingi ina________________

Lewa

Lewesha

Leweka

Kulewa

Tafsiri: The parent made the child sit

Mtoto alimkalisha mzazi

Mzazi alikaa na mtoto

Mtoto alikaza mzazi

Mzazi alimkalisha mtoto

Select the statement that does not contain a causative verb

Mama alisali asubuhi na jioni

Mama alimwamsha mtoto

Mwalimu anasomesha wanafunzi

Mlishe mtoto ili anenepe

Exercise 2:Translate the following to Kiswahili

a.     Drivers are told to drive carefully.

b.    I lent him some money.

c.     Work makes a person tired.

d.    The mother is feeding the baby.

e.     He taught her how to drive a car.

f.       He lost the money.

g.     The doctor cured the patient.

h.    They were educated by the government.

i.       He has been told to clean his room.

I am going to put the baby to sleep.

STATIVE VERBS

Stative verbs express the condition of a subject or the potential of entering that condition.

Unlike passive verbs, stative verbs do not indicate who performed the action.

1.      Active: Mtu alijenga nyumba [a person built the house]

Passive: Nyumba ilijengwa na mtu [a house was built by a person]

Stative: Nyumba imejengeka [the house has been built]

 

2.      Active: Baba atapika mayai [dad will cook eggs]

Passive: Mayai yatapikwa na baba [the eggs will be cooked by dad]

Stative: Mayai yamepikika [the eggs are cooked]

 

3.     Active: Gari limeangusha mti [the car has hit a tree]

Passive: Mti umeangushwa na gari [the tree has been hit by the car]

Stative: Mti umeanguka [the tree has fallen]

 

Verbs with a, i or u, use -ika

Panda [climb/plant]	Pandika [climbable/plantable]
Vunja [beak]	Vunjika [be/can be broken]
Fikiri [think]	Fikirika [be/can be thinkable]
Hitaji [need]	Hitajika [be/can be needed]
Jaribu [try]	Jaribika [be/can be tried]
Haribu [destroy]	Haribika [be/can be destroyed]

 

Verbs where 2^nd last syllable contains e or o use -eka

Penda [love/like]	Pendeka [lovable/likeable]
Soma [read]	Someka [legible]

 

Verbs that use infixes

Verbs ending with -aa use infix -lik-

Verbs ending with -ua or -ia use infix -k- or -lik-

Verbs ending with -ea or -0a use infix -lek-

Kaa [stay]	Kalika [habitable]
Fungua [open]	Funguka [openable]
Sikia [hear]	Sikika [audible]
Lea [raise]	Leleka [raisable]
Ondoa [remove]	Ondoleka [removable]

 

Exceptions that use -kana

Ona [see]	Onekana [to be visible]
Pata [get]	Patikana [to be available]
Jua [know]	Julikana [to be known]
Weza [be able	Wezekana [to be possible]

Zoezi 1 [Exercise 1]

Which of the following is a stative verb

Kula

Lika

Lima

Linda

Translate: Shamba letu linalimika

Our farm was cultivated

We cultivated our farm

Our farm can be cultivated

Our farm cannot be cultivated

Select the sentence that contains a stative verb

Msichana alioa alipoteseka kwao

Msichana alioleka alipoteseka kwao

Msichana hajaoa na kuteseka

Msichana atao mume na kuteseka

Tafsiri: The handwriting could not be read

Mwandiko hausomi

Mwandiko haukusomeka

Mwandiko ulisoma

Mwandiko hujasoma

Select the stative verb

Semeka

Zima

koma

Palilia

Alishindwa ku____ alichofunza mhubiri

Kumbukumbu

Kumbuli

Kumbuza

Kumbuka

Select the sentence that contains a stative verb

Chakula cha mama kinalika vizuri

Chakula kinakula vizuri

Mama anakula chakula vizuri

Chakula ni kizuri

Translate: The things he did are unspeakable

Mambo aliyoyafanya hayasemeki

Hakusema mambo ambayo alisema

Alisema mambo aliyoyafanya

Mambo aliyoyafanyayanasemeka

Zoezi 2: Translate the following to Kiswahili

a.     The chair is broken

b.    This wall is climbable

c.     The girl is lovable

d.    His book is readable

e.     That house is habitable

f.       The door is open

g.     Your mistake is forgivable

h.    The question is answerable