Learn Swahili - Part Three: Meeting People

Course Part Three: (M-WA NOUN CLASS)
PRACTICE SWAHILI MEETING PEOPLE AND ANIMALS


Grammatical themes:

THE M-WA NOUN CLASS:

In sentences with M-WA nouns the often used sound-units in singular are -a- and -m- (-a- as the a-sound in ´car´), and in plural -wa- (the a-sound as the german word for yes, ´ja´).

Examples: Person = Mtu
Persons = Watu
The person has been singing =
Mtu a-me-imba
(person he-has been-sing)
People have been happy =
Watu wa-me-furahi
(people they-have been-happy)
The lion has been resting =
Simba a-me-pumzika
(lion he-has been-resting)
The lions have been sleeping =
Simba wa-me-lala
(lions they-have been-sleeping)



PAST PRESENT TENSE and GREETINGS

The past present tense article is -me-. Example: I have been laughing = Mimi ni-me-cheka
(I I-have been-laugh)

In negation the past present tense article becomes –ja-.
Example: I have not been laughing = Mimi si-ja-cheka
(I I have not been laughing)

The most common greetings in swahili start with the word ´habari´ (news), and often are followed by ´za´ (of), so that you ask the ´news of´ different things ´habari za …?´, after which you are supposed to reply ´salama´ (peaceful) or ´nzuri´ (fine).

Hello = habari? Answer: salama (peaceful) or
(news?) nzuri (fine)

Good morning = habari za asubuhi? Answer: salama (peaceful) or
(news of morning?) nzuri (fine)
Good afternoon = habari za mchana?
(news of afternoon?) Answer: salama (peaceful) or
nzuri (fine)
Good evening = habari za jioni?
(news of evening?) Answer: salama (peaceful) or
nzuri (fine)


Course Part Three, exercises

After practicing on the above mentioned grammatical features, go to stand in greeting position and make short dialogues with the sentences while repeating them:

Good morning my friend = Habari za asubuhi rafiki yangu?
(news of morning friend my)

Answer: Salama (peaceful)

Have you been sleeping peaceful? = Je, u-me-lala salama?
(je = sound used before asking a question,
you-have been-sleep peaceful)



Yes, I have been sleeping peaceful = Ndio, ni-me-lala salama.
(yes, I-have been-sleep peaceful)

Good evening = Habari za jioni?
(news of evening?)


Answer: Nzuri (fine)

How is work? Habari za kazi?
(news of work?)

Not bad Sio mbaya
(not bad)

Have you been working today? Je, u-me-fanya kazi leo?
(je = sound used before asking a question,
you-have been-do work today)