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What does “they” mean in Chewa? In Chewa (also called Chichewa or Nyanja), “they” translates to iwo when referring to people as an emphatic or freestanding pronoun. However, Chewa is a pro-drop language where pronouns are usually incorporated into the verb through subject concord markers. The marker a- is used for human subjects (both singular “he/she” AND plural “they”), while zi- marks plural agreement for non-human noun classes.
This lesson explores how Chewa expresses the concept of “they” through its sophisticated noun class agreement system. Unlike English, which uses one word “they” for all third-person plurals, Chewa distinguishes between humans and different classes of things, each requiring specific agreement markers on verbs, adjectives, and other modifiers.
Key Takeaways: -
Iwo [ee-woh] is the emphatic/freestanding pronoun meaning “they” for people -
Subject prefix a- marks both “he/she” AND “they” for human subjects in most tenses -
Subject prefix zi- marks “they” for things (Classes 7/8 and 9/10) -
Chewa usually omits the freestanding pronoun since the verb shows agreement -
Context distinguishes singular from plural when using a- prefix
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iwo [ee-woh] - the freestanding pronoun “they” (people); stress on first syllable
a- [ah] - subject prefix for 3rd person human subjects (he/she/they)
zi- [zee] - subject prefix for plural things (Classes 8 and 10)
-ku- [koo] - present continuous tense marker
-ma- [mah] - habitual tense marker
-na- [nah] - past tense marker
Note: Chewa has five vowels (a, e, i, o, u) pronounced clearly without diphthongization. Stress typically falls on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable.
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24.1a Iwo akupita kumsika 24.1b Iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -pita (pee-tah) go ku- (koo) to -msika (m-see-kah) market
24.2a Ana akusewera panja 24.2b Ana (ah-nah) children a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -sewera (seh-weh-rah) play pa- (pah) at -nja (n-jah) outside
24.3a Zinthu zikugwa pansi 24.3b Zinthu (zeen-too) things zi- (zee) CL8-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -gwa (gwah) fall pa- (pah) on -nsi (n-see) ground
24.4a Iwo amakonda chakudya 24.4b Iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ma- (mah) HAB -konda (kon-dah) love cha- (chah) of -kudya (koo-dyah) eating
24.5a Anthu akubwera kuno 24.5b Anthu (ahn-too) people a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -bwera (bweh-rah) come ku- (koo) LOC -no (noh) here
24.6a Mbuzi zikudya udzu 24.6b Mbuzi (m-boo-zee) goats zi- (zee) CL10-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -dya (dyah) eat udzu (oo-dzoo) grass
24.7a Iwo akuphunzira Chichewa 24.7b Iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -phunzira (poon-zee-rah) learn Chichewa (chee-cheh-wah) Chichewa
24.8a Ana anabwera dzulo 24.8b Ana (ah-nah) children a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -na- (nah) PAST -bwera (bweh-rah) come dzulo (dzoo-loh) yesterday
24.9a Nyumba zikuoneka bwino 24.9b Nyumba (nyoom-bah) houses zi- (zee) CL10-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -oneka (oh-neh-kah) appear bwino (bwee-noh) well
24.10a Iwo amathandiza alimi 24.10b Iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ma- (mah) HAB -thandiza (tan-dee-zah) help a- (ah) CL2 -limi (lee-mee) farmers
24.11a Alendo akufika tsopano 24.11b Alendo (ah-len-doh) visitors a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -fika (fee-kah) arrive tsopano (tsoh-pah-noh) now
24.12a Zipangizo zikugwira ntchito 24.12b Zipangizo (zee-pah-ngee-zoh) tools zi- (zee) CL8-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -gwira (gwee-rah) hold ntchito (n-chee-toh) work
24.13a Iwo sanabwere lero 24.13b Iwo (ee-woh) they sa- (sah) NEG-3PL -na- (nah) PAST -bwere (bweh-reh) come lero (leh-roh) today
24.14a Amayi akuphika nsima 24.14b Amayi (ah-mah-yee) mothers a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -phika (pee-kah) cook nsima (n-see-mah) nsima
24.15a Iwo ndi anzanga 24.15b Iwo (ee-woh) they ndi (n-dee) are a- (ah) CL2 -nzanga (n-zah-ngah) friends-my
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24.1 Iwo akupita kumsika → “They are going to the market”
24.2 Ana akusewera panja → “The children are playing outside”
24.3 Zinthu zikugwa pansi → “The things are falling down”
24.4 Iwo amakonda chakudya → “They love food”
24.5 Anthu akubwera kuno → “People are coming here”
24.6 Mbuzi zikudya udzu → “The goats are eating grass”
24.7 Iwo akuphunzira Chichewa → “They are learning Chichewa”
24.8 Ana anabwera dzulo → “The children came yesterday”
24.9 Nyumba zikuoneka bwino → “The houses look good”
24.10 Iwo amathandiza alimi → “They help the farmers”
24.11 Alendo akufika tsopano → “The visitors are arriving now”
24.12 Zipangizo zikugwira ntchito → “The tools are working”
24.13 Iwo sanabwere lero → “They did not come today”
24.14 Amayi akuphika nsima → “The mothers are cooking nsima”
24.15 Iwo ndi anzanga → “They are my friends”
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24.1 Iwo akupita kumsika
24.2 Ana akusewera panja
24.3 Zinthu zikugwa pansi
24.4 Iwo amakonda chakudya
24.5 Anthu akubwera kuno
24.6 Mbuzi zikudya udzu
24.7 Iwo akuphunzira Chichewa
24.8 Ana anabwera dzulo
24.9 Nyumba zikuoneka bwino
24.10 Iwo amathandiza alimi
24.11 Alendo akufika tsopano
24.12 Zipangizo zikugwira ntchito
24.13 Iwo sanabwere lero
24.14 Amayi akuphika nsima
24.15 Iwo ndi anzanga
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These are the grammar rules for “they” in Chewa:
The Freestanding Pronoun: Iwo
The word iwo is the emphatic or freestanding pronoun meaning “they” when referring to people (human noun class). It corresponds to the singular iye (he/she). In standard Chewa, this pronoun is optional because the verb contains all necessary person information through subject markers.
Subject Concord Markers: The Heart of “They”
Unlike English, Chewa expresses “they” primarily through subject prefixes attached to verbs:
For human subjects (Class 1/2): The prefix a- marks third person. Critically, in standard modern Chichewa, a- serves for BOTH singular (he/she) and plural (they). Context determines number, except in the Perfect tense where singular uses w- (e.g., “wabwera” = he/she has come vs. “abwera” = they have come).
For things in Class 7/8 (chi-/zi-): The prefix zi- marks plural “they” (e.g., “zinthu zikugwa” = things are falling)
For things in Class 9/10 (various prefixes): The prefix zi- also marks plural “they” (e.g., “mbuzi zikudya” = goats are eating)
Verb Structure with Subject Markers
A typical Chewa verb follows this pattern: SUBJECT MARKER + TENSE MARKER + VERB STEM + FINAL VOWEL
Examples with “they”: -
a-ku-pita = they are going (a- subject + ku- progressive + pita go) -
a-ma-konda = they love/habitually like (a- subject + ma- habitual + konda love) -
a-na-bwera = they came (a- subject + na- past + bwera come) -
zi-ku-gwa = they (things) are falling (zi- subject + ku- progressive + gwa fall)
Negation with “They”
To negate third person plural (human), the prefix sa- replaces a-: -
sanabwere = they did not come (sa- negative 3rd person + na- past + bwere come)
Common Mistakes for English Speakers: -
Overusing iwo when the verb already indicates the subject -
Forgetting that a- means both he/she AND they (relying on context) -
Using a- for non-human plurals instead of zi- -
Not recognizing that noun class determines which “they” marker to use
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Frequency in Modern Usage
The pronoun iwo itself is relatively infrequent in everyday speech because Chewa, like most Bantu languages, is strongly pro-drop. Speakers typically omit freestanding pronouns, relying on the rich verb morphology to indicate who is performing the action. When iwo does appear, it usually serves for emphasis, contrast, or clarification.
The Noun Class System and “They”
Chewa’s expression of “they” reflects its broader noun class system, a characteristic feature of Bantu languages. This system categorizes all nouns into classes, each requiring specific agreement markers on verbs, adjectives, and other modifiers. Understanding which “they” to use depends on identifying the noun class of the subject:
Class 1/2 (people): mu-/a- prefixes on nouns → a- on verbs Class 7/8 (things): chi-/zi- prefixes → zi- on verbs for plural Class 9/10 (animals, some objects): i-/zi- or zero prefix → zi- on verbs for plural Class 5/6 (mass nouns, some objects): li-/ma- → a- on verbs for class 6 plural
Regional Variation
In Town Nyanja (spoken in Lusaka, Zambia), the prefix ba- is sometimes preserved for third person plural human subjects, distinguishing “they” from “he/she.” However, standard Chichewa as spoken in Malawi uses a- for both, with the Perfect tense being the main exception.
Collective Thinking in Language
The Chewa language reflects cultural values of community and collective action. The word anthu (people) is frequently used where English might use “they” in general statements. Proverbs and traditional wisdom often employ iwo or collective subjects to convey universal truths, emphasizing that individuals exist within a community context.
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The following is adapted from traditional Chewa wisdom about community and collective responsibility:
F-A: Interlinear Text
Iwo (ee-woh) they omwe (oh-mweh) who-REL amakhalira (ah-mah-kah-lee-rah) live-HAB limodzi (lee-moh-dzee) together, amathandizana (ah-mah-tan-dee-zah-nah) help-each-other. Iwo (ee-woh) they samakhala (sah-mah-kah-lah) NEG-HAB-be okha (oh-kah) alone. Iwo (ee-woh) they amagawana (ah-mah-gah-wah-nah) share chimwemwe (chee-mwem-weh) happiness ndi (n-dee) and chisoni (chee-soh-nee) sadness. Zimenezi (zee-meh-neh-zee) these-things ndizo (n-dee-zoh) are-them moyo (moh-yoh) life wathu (wah-too) our.
F-B: Natural Text with Translation
Iwo omwe amakhalira limodzi, amathandizana. Iwo samakhala okha. Iwo amagawana chimwemwe ndi chisoni. Zimenezi ndizo moyo wathu.
“Those who live together help one another. They do not stay alone. They share happiness and sadness. These things are our life.”
— Traditional Chewa wisdom, oral tradition
F-C: Original Chewa Text
Iwo omwe amakhalira limodzi, amathandizana. Iwo samakhala okha. Iwo amagawana chimwemwe ndi chisoni. Zimenezi ndizo moyo wathu.
F-D: Grammar Commentary
This passage demonstrates several uses of “they” in Chewa:
Iwo omwe - “they who/those who” - iwo combined with the relative marker omwe creates a relative clause construction identifying a specific group
amathandizana - “they help each other” - note the reciprocal suffix -an- added to the verb stem thandiza (help), creating mutual action among “they”
samakhala - “they don’t stay/live” - the negative prefix sa- replaces a- in negation; -ma- indicates habitual aspect
amagawana - “they share with each other” - another reciprocal construction
Zimenezi ndizo - “these things are them/that” - here zi- appears as the subject marker for zimenezi (these things, Class 8), showing how “they” changes based on noun class
The passage illustrates the Chewa philosophy of ubuntu (umunthu) - that human existence is inherently communal, reflected grammatically in the frequent use of reciprocal verb forms and collective subjects.
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Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
24.16a Kodi iwo afika kale? 24.16b Kodi (koh-dee) Q iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -fika (fee-kah) arrive kale (kah-leh) already
24.17a Inde, iwo ali pano 24.17b Inde (een-deh) yes iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -li (lee) be pano (pah-noh) here
24.18a Alendo akudya chakudya 24.18b Alendo (ah-len-doh) visitors a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -dya (dyah) eat cha- (chah) of -kudya (koo-dyah) eating
24.19a Iwo akufuna madzi 24.19b Iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -funa (foo-nah) want madzi (mah-dzee) water
24.20a Ndizipatseko tsopano 24.20b Ndi- (n-dee) I-will -zi- (zee) them-CL8 -patse (pah-tseh) give -ko (koh) there tsopano (tsoh-pah-noh) now
24.21a Iwo adzakhala masiku angapo 24.21b Iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -dza- (dzah) FUT -khala (kah-lah) stay masiku (mah-see-koo) days a- (ah) of -ngapo (ngah-poh) several
24.22a Ana awo akusewera bwino 24.22b Ana (ah-nah) children a- (ah) of -wo (woh) them a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -sewera (seh-weh-rah) play bwino (bwee-noh) well
24.23a Zovala zawo ndi zokongola 24.23b Zovala (zoh-vah-lah) clothes za- (zah) of -wo (woh) them ndi (n-dee) are zo- (zoh) CL10 -kongola (kohn-goh-lah) beautiful
24.24a Iwo anabweretsa mphatso 24.24b Iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -na- (nah) PAST -bweretsa (bweh-reh-tsah) bring mphatso (m-pah-tsoh) gifts
24.25a Mphatso zake ndi zabwino 24.25b Mphatso (m-pah-tsoh) gifts za- (zah) of -ke (keh) their ndi (n-dee) are za- (zah) CL10 -bwino (bwee-noh) good
24.26a Iwo akuthokoza kwambiri 24.26b Iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -thokoza (toh-koh-zah) thank kwambiri (kwam-bee-ree) very-much
24.27a Anthu akusangalala 24.27b Anthu (ahn-too) people a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -ku- (koo) PROG -sangalala (sah-ngah-lah-lah) be-happy
24.28a Iwo adzabweranso mtsogolo 24.28b Iwo (ee-woh) they a- (ah) 3PL-SUBJ -dza- (dzah) FUT -bwera (bweh-rah) come -nso (n-soh) again mtsogolo (m-tsoh-goh-loh) future
24.29a Mawu awo ndi abwino 24.29b Mawu (mah-woo) words a- (ah) of -wo (woh) them ndi (n-dee) are a- (ah) CL6 -bwino (bwee-noh) good
24.30a Iwo ndi abale athu 24.30b Iwo (ee-woh) they ndi (n-dee) are a- (ah) CL2 -bale (bah-leh) relatives a- (ah) of -thu (too) us
Part B: Natural Sentences
24.16 Kodi iwo afika kale? → “Have they arrived already?”
24.17 Inde, iwo ali pano → “Yes, they are here”
24.18 Alendo akudya chakudya → “The visitors are eating food”
24.19 Iwo akufuna madzi → “They want water”
24.20 Ndizipatseko tsopano → “I will give it to them now”
24.21 Iwo adzakhala masiku angapo → “They will stay for several days”
24.22 Ana awo akusewera bwino → “Their children are playing well”
24.23 Zovala zawo ndi zokongola → “Their clothes are beautiful”
24.24 Iwo anabweretsa mphatso → “They brought gifts”
24.25 Mphatso zake ndi zabwino → “Their gifts are good”
24.26 Iwo akuthokoza kwambiri → “They are thanking very much”
24.27 Anthu akusangalala → “The people are happy”
24.28 Iwo adzabweranso mtsogolo → “They will come again in the future”
24.29 Mawu awo ndi abwino → “Their words are good”
24.30 Iwo ndi abale athu → “They are our relatives”
Part C: Chewa Text Only
24.16 Kodi iwo afika kale?
24.17 Inde, iwo ali pano
24.18 Alendo akudya chakudya
24.19 Iwo akufuna madzi
24.20 Ndizipatseko tsopano
24.21 Iwo adzakhala masiku angapo
24.22 Ana awo akusewera bwino
24.23 Zovala zawo ndi zokongola
24.24 Iwo anabweretsa mphatso
24.25 Mphatso zake ndi zabwino
24.26 Iwo akuthokoza kwambiri
24.27 Anthu akusangalala
24.28 Iwo adzabweranso mtsogolo
24.29 Mawu awo ndi abwino
24.30 Iwo ndi abale athu
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
This dialogue section illustrates several important patterns for “they” in Chewa:
Possessive Forms with “They”: -
awo (their, for human possessors referring to human possessions): “Ana awo” = their children -
zawo (their, for Class 10 possessions): “Zovala zawo” = their clothes -
zake (his/her/its/their): used generically or for non-human antecedents
Future Tense with “They”: -
adzakhala = they will stay (a- + dza- future + khala stay) -
adzabweranso = they will come again (a- + dza- future + bwera come + nso again)
Agreement Patterns in Adjectives: -
zabwino (good, Class 10) agrees with mphatso (gifts, Class 10) -
zokongola (beautiful, Class 10) agrees with zovala (clothes, Class 10) -
abwino (good, Class 2/6) agrees with mawu (words, Class 6)
Object Marking: In sentence 24.20, Ndizipatseko, the object marker -zi- (them, Class 8/10) is incorporated into the verb, referring to “water” which is implied from the previous sentence.
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Vowel Sounds: Chewa has five pure vowels, each pronounced clearly: -
a as in “father” (ah) -
e as in “bed” (eh) -
i as in “see” (ee) -
o as in “go” (oh) -
u as in “too” (oo)
Consonant Combinations: -
mb, nd, ng, nj, nz are prenasalized consonants, common in Bantu languages -
ph, th, ch are aspirated stops (not fricatives as in English) -
bw, dw, gw, kw, mw, pw, sw, tw are labializied consonants
Stress Pattern: Stress typically falls on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable: -
a-ku-PI-ta (they are going) -
a-ma-KON-da (they love) -
chi-CHE-wa (Chichewa language)
Tonal Nature: Chewa is a tonal language, though tones are not typically marked in standard orthography. Tone can distinguish meaning between otherwise identical words, but learners can initially focus on the segmental sounds while developing sensitivity to tonal patterns through listening practice.
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The Latinum Institute has been creating innovative language learning materials since 2006, focusing on the powerful interlinear glossing method that accelerates comprehension. Our Chewa course follows the same proven methodology used in our classical language programs, adapted for this important Bantu language spoken by over 12 million people across Malawi, Eastern Zambia, and parts of Mozambique.
Each lesson in this autodidact course builds on the construed text approach, where every word is glossed individually to make the grammar transparent. This method, sometimes called “interlinear translation,” has been used successfully for centuries in classical language education and proves equally effective for modern language acquisition.
Our frequency-based vocabulary progression ensures you learn the most commonly used words first—the words that make up approximately 80% of everyday communication. By mastering these high-frequency items, you quickly gain the ability to understand and participate in real conversations.
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