Adverbs are descriptive words used to qualify
(mostly) verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
1.
Time (when something happens)
|
Siku hizi [lately/these
days] |
Siku hizi ninachoka sana [I
get tired so much lately] |
|
Wiki ijayo [next week] |
Tutaonana wiki ijayo [We’ll
see each other next week] |
|
Hivi karibuni [soon] |
Wageni watafika hivi karibuni [The
guests will arrive soon] |
|
Usiku huu [tonight] |
Nitakuona usiku huu [I
will see you tonight] |
|
Sasa [now] |
Sasa unaenda wapi [Where
are you going now?] |
|
Baadaye [later] |
Tuonane baadaye [Let’s
see each other later] |
|
Jana usiku [last night] |
Jana usiku sikulala [I
did not sleep last night] |
|
Leo asubuhi [this morning] |
Amefika leo asubuhi [He/she
arrived this morning] |
|
Tayari [already] |
Umemaliza tayari? [Are you done already?] |
|
Zamani [long ago] |
Nilimwona zamani sana [I
saw him/her a long time ago] |
2.
Place (where something happens)
|
Mahali popote [anywhere] |
Siendi mahali popote leo [I’m
not going anywhere today] |
|
Kila mahali [everywhere] |
Tutatembelea kila mahali [We
will visit everywhere] |
|
Hapa [here] |
Niko hapa [I’m
here] |
|
Hapo [there] |
Ondoka hapo [Get
out of there] |
|
Pale [over there, remote] |
Pale kuna duka [There
is a shop over there] |
|
Mbali [far] |
Usiende mbali [Don’t
go far] |
|
Karibu [near] |
Keti karibu na mimi [Sit
near me] |
3.
Manner (how something happens)
|
Vibaya [badly] |
Alianguka vibaya [He
fell badly] |
|
Vizuri [nicely, well] |
Jibu vizuri [Answer
properly] |
|
Vigumu [difficult, toughly] |
Ni vigumu kusahau [It’s
difficult to forget] |
|
Kidogo [slightly, a little] |
Nitakula chakula kidogo [I’ll
eat a little food] |
|
Kwa haraka [quickly] |
Tembea kwa haraka [Walk
quickly] |
|
Kwa kawaida [usually] |
Kwa kawaida, anaongea kwa haraka
[Usually, he speaks fast] |
|
Kwa kifupi [briefly] |
Eleza kwa kifupi [Briefly
explain] |
|
Kwa kweli [truthfully] |
Kwa kweli, sijamwona [Truthfully,
I have not seen him/her] |
|
Kwa sauti [loudly] |
Ita kwa sauti [Call
out loudly] |
|
Kwa bahati [fortunately] |
Kwa bahati, hajaumia [Fortunately,
he/she is not hurt] |
|
Kwa ghafla [suddenly] |
Siba alikufa ghafla [The
lion died suddenly] |
4.
Frequency (how often something occurs)
|
Mara chache [rarely] |
Chui huonekana mara chache [The
leopard is rarely seen] |
|
Mara kwa mara [sometimes] |
Wanatembea mara kwa mara [They
walk from time to time] |
|
Kamwe [never] |
Sitasahau kamwe! [I
will never forget!] |
|
Mara moja [once; immediately] |
Njoo hapa mara moja [Come
here immediately] |
|
Mara ya mwisho [last time] |
Ninakwambia mara ya mwisho [I’m
telling you for the last time] |
|
Mara nyingi [many times] |
Jogoo anawika mara nyingi [The rooster crows many times] |
5.
Degree (to show the
intensity of something)
|
Kabisa [completely] |
Nimemaliza kabisa [I
have finished completely] |
|
Sana [very; a lot] |
Nina kiu sana [I’m
very thirsty] |
|
Kiasi [a bit] |
Nina njaa kiasi [I’m a little hungry] |
Exercise 1: Translate
into Kiswahili
a)
The week ended very badly.
b)
The examination was a little difficult.
c)
He cleaned this room well.
d)
Fortunately, the lion did not attack us.
e)
The rooster crows so loudly every morning.
f)
May I speak with you briefly?
g)
He fell and was hurt a little.
h)
They were completely shocked.
i)
The coffee was very hot.
j)
This is the last time I give you a chance.
k)
He travelled for the first time by air.
l)
Please, come here.
m)
The thieves appeared suddenly.
Exercise 2
Translate the adverb in brackets into Kiswahili: Mama yule anatembea _____________ (slowly)
Kwa haraka
Siku hizi
Polepole
sana
Wanafunzi wazuri wanaandika______________ (well)
Wazuri
Vizuri
Vibaya
Haraka
Wageni walisafiri _____________(by car)
gari
na gari
Kwa gari
garini
Safari itaanza ________________ (the day after tomorrow)
Kesho
jana
siku
Kesho kutwa
Amina alifika darasani _________________(early)
asubuhi
jioni
Mapema
Alifika
Jua huchomoza _____________(in the east)
magharibi
Asubuhi
Mashariki
jioni
Wale huswali ______________ kwa siku. (five times)
mara tano
ya tano
tano
saa tano
Basi limeondoka __________________ (already)
hivi sasa
tayari
baadaye
sawa sawa
Meza hazijaoshwa ____________ (not yet)
bado
leo
tayari
sawa
Mgeni ataenda shuleni ___________ (next year)
Mwaka ujao
mwaka uliopita
mwaka huu
mwaka jana
Tulitembea ___________ (quickly)
polepole
sana
haraka
bado
Maria alinitembelea ________________ (again)
bado
tena
juzi
sana