English "if" → Chichewa "ngati" and "-ka-" – The Conditional Conjunction and the Conditional Marker
What does "if" mean in Chichewa?
English "if" does one job with one word: "If you want, I will go." Chichewa has two ways to do it:
- ngati is a separate word, put at the head of the clause: Ngati mufuna, ndidzapita, "If you want, I will go" - the marker -ka- sits inside the verb: Ukabwera, ndidzakondwa, "If you come, I will be glad"
Ngati, the conjunction. Ngati never changes: it has no prefix and no ending. It stands first in its clause, and the verb that follows is in the present, with or without -ku-: ngati mufuna ("if you want"), ngati mukudziwa ("if you know"), ngati tili ndi ndalama ("if we have money"). The negative is made on the verb in the usual way: ngati simukufuna ("if you do not want"). The Chichewa tenses article on Wikipedia has the sentence Ngati simukufuna kudikira mukhoza kumapita, "If you don't want to wait, you can be on your way." The online Chichewa dictionary Lughayangu lists ngati as a conditional conjunction, "if," with the example Ngati angabwele tipita, "If they will come we will go."
Ngati has other jobs. You have already met it in two of them. In Lesson 6 it follows a verb of asking and means "whether": Mayi anandifunsa ngati ndikufuna kupita ku phwando, "Mother asked me if I want to go to the party" (6.24). In Lesson 8 it means "like," "as": wosangalala ngati lero, "happy as today" (8.27). The sentence tells you which: when a clause with its own verb follows ngati, it is "if" or "whether."
-ka-, the marker. In Lessons 40 and 43 you met -ka- in the sense "when" for something still to come: ukamaliza, mukabwera, ndikapuma. The same marker also means "if." Wikipedia's article on Chichewa tenses lists it among the conditional-clause tenses, with ndikagula, "if I buy," and teaches that the main clause that goes with it is usually in the future with -dza- or in the plain present. The Chichewa Bible has it in a famous verse: Ndikakwera kunka kumwamba, muli komweko, "If I climb up to heaven, you are there" (Masalimo 139:8, Section F). Whether -ka- is "if" or "when" is settled by the sentence: Mukabwera mawa can be "when you come tomorrow" or "if you come tomorrow."
What does "if" mean in Chichewa? Put ngati at the head of the clause, before a verb in the present: Ngati mufuna. Or put -ka- inside the verb of a condition that looks ahead: Mvula ikagwa, "If it rains."
- Ngati is "if" and comes first: it never changes, and the verb after it is in the present: Ngati mufuna; Ngati tili ndi ndalama - Ngati + negative verb: Ngati simukufuna kudikira, mukhoza kumapita - -ka- is "if" inside the verb: Mvula ikagwa, tidzakhala kunyumba; Ndikakwera kunka kumwamba, muli komweko - Ngati also means "whether" and "like": Sindikudziwa ngati abambo adzabwera; wosangalala ngati lero - The main clause: normally -dza- (future) or the plain present: Ukabwera, ndidzakondwa; muli komweko
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ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/: two syllables, NGA-ti. The ng is one sound at the start of the word, as in English "finger" (not as in "singer"), and the a is the a of "father," the i the i of "machine."
-ka- /ka/: the k is unaspirated, as in English "skip," not "kip."
kunka /ˈku.ŋka/: KU-nka. The nk is one nasal-plus-k sound, like the nk of English "bank," and begins the second syllable.
Stress falls on the next-to-last syllable of the whole word:
- ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/: NGA-ti, "if" - ukabwera /u.ka.ˈbwe.ɾa/: u-ka-BWE-ra, "if you come" - ikagwa /i.ka.ˈɡwa/: i-ka-GWA, "if it falls" - simukufuna /si.mu.ku.ˈfu.na/: si-mu-ku-FU-na, "you do not want" - ndikakwera /ndi.ka.ˈkwe.ɾa/: ndi-ka-KWE-ra, "if I climb"
Tone. Wikipedia's article on Chichewa tenses writes Ngati with no tone mark in its examples, and marks tone on the verbs after it (símúkufúná). The standard spelling does not mark tone. This lesson writes the words without tone marks, as Malawian books and newspapers do.
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Example 44.11 is Masalimo 139:8 in the Chichewa Buku Lopatulika (BLP-2018, Bible Society of Malawi), first clause. Example 44.13 is the sentence given in Wikipedia's article on Chichewa tenses, written here without tone marks. Example 44.14 is the Lughayangu example, with the verb spelled bwere as in the rest of this course (Section E). Example 44.12 is the sentence of Lesson 36 (36.19). The others are constructed for teaching, from verified patterns.
44.1a Ngati if mufuna you-want
44.1b Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) mufuna /mu.ˈfu.na/ mu-fun-a: 2PL-want-FV (polite)
44.2a Ngati if simukufuna you-do-not-want
44.2b Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) simukufuna /si.mu.ku.ˈfu.na/ si-mu-ku-fun-a: NEG-2PL-PRES-want-FV (polite)
44.3a Ukabwera if-you-come ndidzakondwa I-will-be-glad
44.3b Ukabwera /u.ka.ˈbwe.ɾa/ u-ka-bwer-a: 2SG-COND-come-FV ndidzakondwa /ndi.dza.ˈko.ndwa/ ndi-dza-kondw-a: 1SG-FUT-be.glad-FV
44.4a Ngati if mukudziwa you-know mudzandiuza you-will-tell-me
44.4b Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) mukudziwa /mu.ku.ˈdzi.wa/ mu-ku-dziw-a: 2PL-PRES-know-FV (polite) mudzandiuza /mu.dza.ndi.ˈu.za/ mu-dza-ndi-uz-a: 2PL-FUT-1SG.OBJ-tell-FV (polite)
44.5a Mvula rain ikagwa if-it-falls tidzakhala we-will-stay kunyumba at-home
44.5b Mvula /ˈmvu.la/ rain.CL9 ikagwa /i.ka.ˈɡwa/ i-ka-gw-a: CL9-COND-fall-FV tidzakhala /ti.dza.ˈkʰa.la/ ti-dza-khal-a: 1PL-FUT-stay-FV kunyumba /ku.ˈɲu.mba/ ku-nyumba: LOC17-house
44.6a Ngati if mukufuna you-want kupita to-go ku to msika market ndidzapita I-will-go nanu with-you
44.6b Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) mukufuna /mu.ku.ˈfu.na/ mu-ku-fun-a: 2PL-PRES-want-FV (polite) kupita /ku.ˈpi.ta/ ku-pit-a: INF-go-FV ku /ku/ to.LOC17 msika /m̩.ˈsi.ka/ market.CL3 ndidzapita /ndi.dza.ˈpi.ta/ ndi-dza-pit-a: 1SG-FUT-go-FV nanu /ˈna.nu/ na-inu: with-you.PL (polite)
44.7a Ngati if mphunzitsi teacher akudwala he-is-ill ana children adzakhala they-will-stay kunyumba at-home
44.7b Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) mphunzitsi /mpʰu.ˈnzi.tsi/ teacher.CL1 akudwala /a.ku.ˈdwa.la/ a-ku-dwal-a: 3SG-PRES-be.ill-FV ana /ˈa.na/ child.CL2.PL adzakhala /a.dza.ˈkʰa.la/ a-dza-khal-a: 3PL-FUT-stay-FV kunyumba /ku.ˈɲu.mba/ ku-nyumba: LOC17-house
44.8a Ngati if tili we-are ndi with ndalama money tidzagula we-will-buy galimoto car
44.8b Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) tili /ˈti.li/ ti-li: 1PL-be ndi /ndi/ with ndalama /nda.ˈla.ma/ money.CL10 tidzagula /ti.dza.ˈɡu.la/ ti-dza-gul-a: 1PL-FUT-buy-FV galimoto /ga.li.ˈmo.to/ car.CL9
44.9a Ngati if abambo father ali he-is kunyumba at-home ndidzawaona I-will-see-him
44.9b Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) abambo /a.ˈba.mbo/ father.CL2 (honorific) ali /ˈa.li/ a-li: 3SG-be kunyumba /ku.ˈɲu.mba/ ku-nyumba: LOC17-house ndidzawaona /ndi.dza.wa.ˈo.na/ ndi-dza-wa-on-a: 1SG-FUT-3SG.OBJ-see-FV (honorific)
44.10a Sindikudziwa I-do-not-know ngati whether abambo father adzabwera he-will-come
44.10b Sindikudziwa /si.ndi.ku.ˈdzi.wa/ si-ndi-ku-dziw-a: NEG-1SG-PRES-know-FV ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if, whether abambo /a.ˈba.mbo/ father.CL2 (honorific) adzabwera /a.dza.ˈbwe.ɾa/ a-dza-bwer-a: 3SG-FUT-come-FV
44.11a Ndikakwera if-I-climb kunka to-go kumwamba to-heaven muli you-are komweko there
44.11b Ndikakwera /ndi.ka.ˈkwe.ɾa/ ndi-ka-kwer-a: 1SG-COND-climb-FV kunka /ˈku.ŋka/ ku-nk-a: INF-go-FV kumwamba /ku.ˈmwa.mba/ ku-mwamba: LOC17-heaven, sky muli /ˈmu.li/ mu-li: 2PL-be (polite) komweko /ko.ˈmwe.ko/ there, at that very place
44.12a Inde yes mungagulenso you-may-buy-also mapeyala pears ngati if mufuna you-want
44.12b Inde /ˈi.nde/ yes mungagulenso /mu.nga.gu.ˈle.nso/ mu-nga-gul-e-nso: 2PL-POT-buy-SBJV-again (polite) mapeyala /ma.pe.ˈja.la/ pear.CL6.PL ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) mufuna /mu.ˈfu.na/ mu-fun-a: 2PL-want-FV (polite)
44.13a Ngati if simukufuna you-do-not-want kudikira to-wait mukhoza you-can kumapita to-go-on-your-way
44.13b Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) simukufuna /si.mu.ku.ˈfu.na/ si-mu-ku-fun-a: NEG-2PL-PRES-want-FV (polite) kudikira /ku.di.ˈki.ɾa/ ku-dikir-a: INF-wait.for-FV mukhoza /mu.ˈkʰo.za/ you are able, you can (2PL, polite) kumapita /ku.ma.ˈpi.ta/ ku-ma-pit-a: INF-HAB-go-FV
44.14a Ngati if angabwere they-may-come tipita we-go
44.14b Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) angabwere /a.nga.ˈbwe.ɾe/ a-nga-bwer-e: 3PL-POT-come-SBJV (honorific, plural) tipita /ti.ˈpi.ta/ ti-pit-a: 1PL-go-FV (plain present, here with future sense)
44.15a Mukabwera if-you-come mawa tomorrow mudzandipeza you-will-find-me kunyumba at-home
44.15b Mukabwera /mu.ka.ˈbwe.ɾa/ mu-ka-bwer-a: 2PL-COND-come-FV (polite) mawa /ˈma.wa/ tomorrow mudzandipeza /mu.dza.ndi.ˈpe.za/ mu-dza-ndi-pez-a: 2PL-FUT-1SG.OBJ-find-FV (polite) kunyumba /ku.ˈɲu.mba/ ku-nyumba: LOC17-house
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44.1 Ngati mufuna. → "If you want."
44.2 Ngati simukufuna. → "If you do not want."
44.3 Ukabwera, ndidzakondwa. → "If you come, I will be glad."
44.4 Ngati mukudziwa, mudzandiuza. → "If you know, you will tell me."
44.5 Mvula ikagwa, tidzakhala kunyumba. → "If it rains, we will stay at home."
44.6 Ngati mukufuna kupita ku msika, ndidzapita nanu. → "If you want to go to the market, I will go with you."
44.7 Ngati mphunzitsi akudwala, ana adzakhala kunyumba. → "If the teacher is ill, the children will stay at home."
44.8 Ngati tili ndi ndalama, tidzagula galimoto. → "If we have money, we will buy a car."
44.9 Ngati abambo ali kunyumba, ndidzawaona. → "If Father is at home, I will see him."
44.10 Sindikudziwa ngati abambo adzabwera. → "I do not know whether Father will come."
44.11 Ndikakwera kunka kumwamba, muli komweko. → "If I climb up to heaven, you are there." (Masalimo 139:8)
44.12 Inde, mungagulenso mapeyala ngati mufuna. → "Yes, you can also buy pears if you want."
44.13 Ngati simukufuna kudikira, mukhoza kumapita. → "If you don't want to wait, you can be on your way."
44.14 Ngati angabwere, tipita. → "If they come, we will go."
44.15 Mukabwera mawa, mudzandipeza kunyumba. → "If you come tomorrow, you will find me at home."
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44.1 Ngati mufuna.
44.2 Ngati simukufuna.
44.3 Ukabwera, ndidzakondwa.
44.4 Ngati mukudziwa, mudzandiuza.
44.5 Mvula ikagwa, tidzakhala kunyumba.
44.6 Ngati mukufuna kupita ku msika, ndidzapita nanu.
44.7 Ngati mphunzitsi akudwala, ana adzakhala kunyumba.
44.8 Ngati tili ndi ndalama, tidzagula galimoto.
44.9 Ngati abambo ali kunyumba, ndidzawaona.
44.10 Sindikudziwa ngati abambo adzabwera.
44.11 Ndikakwera kunka kumwamba, muli komweko.
44.12 Inde, mungagulenso mapeyala ngati mufuna.
44.13 Ngati simukufuna kudikira, mukhoza kumapita.
44.14 Ngati angabwere, tipita.
44.15 Mukabwera mawa, mudzandipeza kunyumba.
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These are the grammar rules for ngati (if) in Chichewa:
1. Ngati comes first and never changes. It is a conjunction: no prefix, no ending, no agreement. It stands at the head of its clause, and the verb follows it:
- after the verb "want": Ngati mufuna (44.1), Ngati mukufuna kupita ku msika (44.6) - before a subject that is named: Ngati mphunzitsi akudwala (44.7), Ngati abambo ali kunyumba (44.9) - before a verb with ndi, "with": Ngati tili ndi ndalama (44.8)
The ngati clause may come first or second in the sentence: Ngati mufuna… (44.1), …ngati mufuna (44.12). In the conversation of the narrative both orders are used (44.20 and 44.22).
2. The verb after ngati is in the present. In the ngati sentences of this lesson and of Lessons 6 and 36 it is the plain present (mufuna, tili, ali) or the present with -ku- (mukudziwa, akudwala, simukufuna). The one other form is the potential -nga- of rule 6 (44.14). The English "if you will come" is not built with -dza- in any of these sentences. The negative is the usual si- at the front of the verb: Ngati simukufuna (44.2, 44.13).
3. The main clause. The clause that gives the result is normally in the future with -dza- (ndidzapita, tidzagula, tidzakhala) or in the plain present (tipita, 44.14; muli, 44.11). Wikipedia's article on Chichewa tenses teaches the same for the -ka- conditional: the main clause has -dza- or the simple present.
4. -ka-, "if" inside the verb. The marker -ka- stands between the subject prefix and the stem: ukabwera ("if you come," 44.3), ikagwa ("if it falls," 44.5), ndikakwera ("if I climb," 44.11), mukabwera ("if you come," 44.15). It is the same marker as the "when" of Lessons 40 and 43; Wikipedia's article lists it among the conditional tenses, with ndikagula, "if I buy." The sense, "if" or "when," follows from the sentence. A -ka- clause may stand alone, as in 44.5, or be preceded by a subject noun, as mvula in 44.5 and abambo in 44.24. The -ka- verb is not used together with ngati in any example of this lesson.
5. Which "if"? The examples of this lesson show the two as near neighbours:
- ngati with a present verb, for a condition that is stated as it is now: Ngati mufuna (44.1), Ngati tili ndi ndalama (44.8) - -ka-, for a condition that looks ahead: Mvula ikagwa (44.5), Mukabwera mawa (44.15)
Do not take this as a hard line. 44.6, Ngati mukufuna kupita ku msika, ndidzapita nanu, looks ahead and has ngati. The sources used for this lesson give both words, and the lesson does not claim a rule about how a Malawian speaker chooses between them in every sentence.
6. -nga-, "may." The potential marker -nga- ("may, can") appears in 44.12 (mungagulenso, "you can also buy") and in the Lughayangu sentence, 44.14 (angabwere, "they may come"). With ngati it gives "if they come," where the coming is possible, not certain. The verb ends in -e: -bwer-e, -gul-e.
7. Ngati, "whether." After a verb of asking or knowing, ngati introduces a yes-or-no question inside the sentence: Sindikudziwa ngati abambo adzabwera (44.10); Lesson 6, Mayi anandifunsa ngati ndikufuna kupita ku phwando (6.24). A question with a question word is joined by kuti instead, and the question word stays last: Sindikudziwa kuti abambo adzabwera liti (Lesson 43, 43.10).
8. Ngati, "like, as." In Lesson 8, ngati stands before a noun or an adverb of time: wosangalala ngati lero, "happy as today" (8.27). No verb follows. When a verb follows, the word is "if."
9. The helpers of this lesson. Kuti before a question is Lesson 42; liti is Lesson 43; mphunzitsi, abambo, kunyumba and adzakhala are known from Lesson 43. Mukhoza, "you can" (44.13), is taken from Wikipedia's sentence and glossed as "you are able."
Common Mistakes
- Putting ngati at the end, as English can. ✗ Mufuna ngati, ndidzapita. ✓ Ngati mufuna, ndidzapita. The word begins its clause. - Using the future after ngati. ✗ Ngati mudzafuna… ✓ Ngati mufuna… The condition is in the present (rule 2). - Leaving out the negative on the verb. ✗ Ngati mukufuna kudikira for "if you don't want to wait." ✓ Ngati simukufuna kudikira. The si- is part of the verb. - Wrong agreement before -ka-. ✗ Mvula ukagwa ✓ Mvula ikagwa. Mvula is class 9, so i-. - Taking ngati for "whether" and "like" in the wrong place. Ngati before a bare noun (ngati lero) is "like"; before a clause it is "if." Do not translate it as "like" in Ngati mufuna. - Confusing ngati and kuti. Ngati is "if, whether"; kuti is "that" and introduces a question with a question word (rule 7).
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A small word in constant use. Ngati turns up in the first lessons of this course: in the market conversation of Lesson 36 it offers more goods, mungagulenso mapeyala ngati mufuna (44.12). The plural mu- of the verb (mufuna, mukufuna) is the polite "you"; the singular u- is the plain "you," as the mother uses it to her child in 44.23 (ukufuna).
Conditions in prayer. The psalm is the clearest example of a Chichewa conditional with literary weight. In Masalimo 139:8 the speaker imagines going up to heaven, or lying down in the place of the dead, and in each case finds God there (Section F). The English reader meets "if I ascend"; the Chichewa reader meets ndikakwera, with -ka- inside the verb and the polite muli in the main clause.
Varieties. This lesson follows the standard Chichewa of Malawi. The Lughayangu example is spelled Ngati angabwele tipita, with l in bwele; this course and the Chichewa Bible write the verb bwera (and bwere in the potential, as in 44.14), because r and l are one sound in Chichewa (see the notes at the end) and the standard spelling is bwera. The Lughayangu page is by one contributor, and this lesson used it only for the shape ngati + potential verb. Whether the Nyanja of Zambia uses ngati and -ka- in just the same ways was not checked for this lesson.
The verb kunka. The Bible text of Section F uses the verb kunka, "to go," a shorter word than kupita, the verb of this course. This lesson uses kupita in its own sentences.
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Source: Masalimo (Psalm) 139:8 in the Chichewa Buku Lopatulika (BLP-2018, Bible Society of Malawi). Text checked on bible.com (BLP-2018, Masalimo 139). The whole verse is given, in its two halves.
F-A: Interlinear Text
F-A.1a Ndikakwera if-I-climb kunka to-go kumwamba to-heaven muli you-are komweko there
F-A.1b Ndikakwera /ndi.ka.ˈkwe.ɾa/ ndi-ka-kwer-a: 1SG-COND-climb-FV kunka /ˈku.ŋka/ ku-nk-a: INF-go-FV kumwamba /ku.ˈmwa.mba/ ku-mwamba: LOC17-heaven, sky muli /ˈmu.li/ mu-li: 2PL-be (polite) komweko /ko.ˈmwe.ko/ there, at that very place
F-A.2a Kapena or ndikadziyalira if-I-spread-for-myself ku at Gehena Gehenna taonani behold muli you-are komweko there
F-A.2b Kapena /ka.ˈpe.na/ or ndikadziyalira /ndi.ka.dzi.ja.ˈli.ɾa/ ndi-ka-dzi-yal-ir-a: 1SG-COND-REFL-spread-APPL-FV ku /ku/ at.LOC17 Gehena /ge.ˈhe.na/ Gehenna (the place of the dead) taonani /ta.o.ˈna.ni/ behold (polite plural command, from kuona "to see") muli /ˈmu.li/ mu-li: 2PL-be (polite) komweko /ko.ˈmwe.ko/ there, at that very place
F-B: Original Text with Translation
F-B.1 Ndikakwera kunka kumwamba, muli komweko; (Masalimo 139:8, BLP-2018) → "If I climb up to heaven, you are there;"
F-B.2 kapena ndikadziyalira ku Gehena, taonani, muli komweko. (Masalimo 139:8, BLP-2018) → "or if I spread out for myself in Gehenna, behold, you are there."
F-C: Original Text Only
Ndikakwera kunka kumwamba, muli komweko;
kapena ndikadziyalira ku Gehena, taonani, muli komweko.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
- Ndikakwera, ndikadziyalira. Two verbs with the -ka- conditional, one in each half of the verse. The main clause of each is the plain present, muli ("you are"), exactly the pattern Wikipedia's article gives for the -ka- conditional (Section D, rule 3). The repeated muli komweko is the point of the psalm: the answer is the same in the height and in the depth. - Kunka. The infinitive of -nka, "go": ku-nk-a. The gloss "to go" is taken from the sense of the verse and from the course's kupita; this lesson's own sentences use kupita. - Ndikadziyalira. The stem is -yal-, "spread," with the reflexive dzi- ("for / on myself") and the applicative -ir-. The sources used for this lesson give no dictionary entry for kudziyalira, so the gloss "if I spread out for myself" is built from the parts and from the sense of the verse (to make one's bed). - Kapena. "Or," as in Lesson 31. The second half is a second condition, set beside the first. - Gehena. The name written in this Bible text for the place of the dead; the English text of the verse in other versions has "Sheol" or "the grave." - Taonani. The polite plural command "look, behold," from the verb kuona, "to see" (the verb of 44.9). The sources used for this lesson do not break the word into parts, and neither does this lesson. It stands in the middle of the clause as a call to attention. - Muli komweko. Mu-li is the polite plural "you are," here used to address God; komweko is "there, at that very place," closing each half of the verse in the same word.
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A constructed conversation between Chimwemwe and her mother on the morning of a market day. Nothing is certain (the weather, the money, Father's return), so nearly every sentence has an "if": ngati with a present verb, and -ka- for what lies ahead.
Part A: Interlinear Text
44.16a Chimwemwe Chimwemwe anafunsa she-asked Amayi mother mukufuna you-want kupita to-go ku to msika market lero today
44.16b Chimwemwe /tʃi.ˈmwe.mwe/ Chimwemwe (name: "joy") anafunsa /a.na.ˈfu.nsa/ a-na-funs-a: 3SG-PAST-ask-FV Amayi /a.ˈma.ji/ mother.CL2 (honorific, vocative) mukufuna /mu.ku.ˈfu.na/ mu-ku-fun-a: 2PL-PRES-want-FV (polite) kupita /ku.ˈpi.ta/ ku-pit-a: INF-go-FV ku /ku/ to.LOC17 msika /m̩.ˈsi.ka/ market.CL3 lero /ˈle.ɾo/ today
44.17a Amayi mother anayankha she-answered Inde yes koma but ngati if mvula rain igwa it-falls tidzakhala we-will-stay kunyumba at-home
44.17b Amayi /a.ˈma.ji/ mother.CL2 (honorific) anayankha /a.na.ˈja.ŋkʰa/ a-na-yankh-a: 3SG-PAST-answer-FV Inde /ˈi.nde/ yes koma /ˈko.ma/ but ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) mvula /ˈmvu.la/ rain.CL9 igwa /ˈi.ɡwa/ i-gw-a: CL9-fall-FV (plain present) tidzakhala /ti.dza.ˈkʰa.la/ ti-dza-khal-a: 1PL-FUT-stay-FV kunyumba /ku.ˈɲu.mba/ ku-nyumba: LOC17-house
44.18a Chimwemwe Chimwemwe anati she-said Tikapita if-we-go tidzagula we-will-buy chiyani what
44.18b Chimwemwe /tʃi.ˈmwe.mwe/ Chimwemwe (name: "joy") anati /a.ˈna.ti/ a-na-ti: 3SG-PAST-say Tikapita /ti.ka.ˈpi.ta/ ti-ka-pit-a: 1PL-COND-go-FV tidzagula /ti.dza.ˈɡu.la/ ti-dza-gul-a: 1PL-FUT-buy-FV chiyani /tʃi.ˈja.ni/ what
44.19a Amayi mother anati she-said Tidzagula we-will-buy tomato tomatoes ndi and mapeyala pears
44.19b Amayi /a.ˈma.ji/ mother.CL2 (honorific) anati /a.ˈna.ti/ a-na-ti: 3SG-PAST-say Tidzagula /ti.dza.ˈɡu.la/ ti-dza-gul-a: 1PL-FUT-buy-FV tomato /to.ˈma.to/ tomato.CL10 ndi /ndi/ and, with mapeyala /ma.pe.ˈja.la/ pear.CL6.PL
44.20a Chimwemwe Chimwemwe anafunsa she-asked Kodi Q tidzagulanso we-will-buy-also buku book ngati if tili we-are ndi with ndalama money
44.20b Chimwemwe /tʃi.ˈmwe.mwe/ Chimwemwe (name: "joy") anafunsa /a.na.ˈfu.nsa/ a-na-funs-a: 3SG-PAST-ask-FV Kodi /ˈko.di/ question particle tidzagulanso /ti.dza.gu.ˈla.nso/ ti-dza-gul-a-nso: 1PL-FUT-buy-FV-again buku /ˈbu.ku/ book.CL5 ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) tili /ˈti.li/ ti-li: 1PL-be ndi /ndi/ with ndalama /nda.ˈla.ma/ money.CL10
44.21a Amayi mother anayankha she-answered Inde yes tidzagula we-will-buy ngati if tili we-are ndi with ndalama money
44.21b Amayi /a.ˈma.ji/ mother.CL2 (honorific) anayankha /a.na.ˈja.ŋkʰa/ a-na-yankh-a: 3SG-PAST-answer-FV Inde /ˈi.nde/ yes tidzagula /ti.dza.ˈɡu.la/ ti-dza-gul-a: 1PL-FUT-buy-FV ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) tili /ˈti.li/ ti-li: 1PL-be ndi /ndi/ with ndalama /nda.ˈla.ma/ money.CL10
44.22a Chimwemwe Chimwemwe anati she-said Ngati if tili we-are ndi with nsima nsima ndikufuna I-want kudya to-eat
44.22b Chimwemwe /tʃi.ˈmwe.mwe/ Chimwemwe (name: "joy") anati /a.ˈna.ti/ a-na-ti: 3SG-PAST-say Ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) tili /ˈti.li/ ti-li: 1PL-be ndi /ndi/ with nsima /ˈnsi.ma/ maize porridge.CL9 ndikufuna /ndi.ku.ˈfu.na/ ndi-ku-fun-a: 1SG-PRES-want-FV kudya /ˈku.dja/ ku-dy-a: INF-eat-FV
44.23a Amayi mother anati she-said Ndaphika I-have-cooked nsima nsima ndipo and ngati if ukufuna you-want udzadya you-will-eat
44.23b Amayi /a.ˈma.ji/ mother.CL2 (honorific) anati /a.ˈna.ti/ a-na-ti: 3SG-PAST-say Ndaphika /nda.ˈpʰi.ka/ nd(i)-a-phik-a: 1SG-PERF-cook-FV nsima /ˈnsi.ma/ maize porridge.CL9 ndipo /ˈndi.po/ and (then) ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) ukufuna /u.ku.ˈfu.na/ u-ku-fun-a: 2SG-PRES-want-FV udzadya /u.ˈdza.dja/ u-dza-dy-a: 2SG-FUT-eat-FV
44.24a Chimwemwe Chimwemwe anafunsa she-asked Abambo father akabwera if-he-comes adzapita will-he-go nafe with-us
44.24b Chimwemwe /tʃi.ˈmwe.mwe/ Chimwemwe (name: "joy") anafunsa /a.na.ˈfu.nsa/ a-na-funs-a: 3SG-PAST-ask-FV Abambo /a.ˈba.mbo/ father.CL2 (honorific) akabwera /a.ka.ˈbwe.ɾa/ a-ka-bwer-a: 3SG-COND-come-FV (honorific) adzapita /a.dza.ˈpi.ta/ a-dza-pit-a: 3SG-FUT-go-FV (honorific) nafe /ˈna.fe/ na-ife: with-us
44.25a Amayi mother anayankha she-answered Sindikudziwa I-do-not-know ngati whether abambo father adzabwera he-will-come
44.25b Amayi /a.ˈma.ji/ mother.CL2 (honorific) anayankha /a.na.ˈja.ŋkʰa/ a-na-yankh-a: 3SG-PAST-answer-FV Sindikudziwa /si.ndi.ku.ˈdzi.wa/ si-ndi-ku-dziw-a: NEG-1SG-PRES-know-FV ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if, whether abambo /a.ˈba.mbo/ father.CL2 (honorific) adzabwera /a.dza.ˈbwe.ɾa/ a-dza-bwer-a: 3SG-FUT-come-FV
44.26a Chimwemwe Chimwemwe anati she-said Abambo father akabwera if-he-comes ndidzakondwa I-will-be-glad
44.26b Chimwemwe /tʃi.ˈmwe.mwe/ Chimwemwe (name: "joy") anati /a.ˈna.ti/ a-na-ti: 3SG-PAST-say Abambo /a.ˈba.mbo/ father.CL2 (honorific) akabwera /a.ka.ˈbwe.ɾa/ a-ka-bwer-a: 3SG-COND-come-FV (honorific) ndidzakondwa /ndi.dza.ˈko.ndwa/ ndi-dza-kondw-a: 1SG-FUT-be.glad-FV
44.27a Amayi mother anati she-said Mvula rain ikagwa if-it-falls tidzadikira we-will-wait-for abambo father kunyumba at-home
44.27b Amayi /a.ˈma.ji/ mother.CL2 (honorific) anati /a.ˈna.ti/ a-na-ti: 3SG-PAST-say Mvula /ˈmvu.la/ rain.CL9 ikagwa /i.ka.ˈɡwa/ i-ka-gw-a: CL9-COND-fall-FV tidzadikira /ti.dza.di.ˈki.ɾa/ ti-dza-dikir-a: 1PL-FUT-wait.for-FV abambo /a.ˈba.mbo/ father.CL2 (honorific) kunyumba /ku.ˈɲu.mba/ ku-nyumba: LOC17-house
44.28a Chimwemwe Chimwemwe anafunsa she-asked Ndikapita if-I-go nanu with-you ndidzaona will-I-see anzanga my-friends
44.28b Chimwemwe /tʃi.ˈmwe.mwe/ Chimwemwe (name: "joy") anafunsa /a.na.ˈfu.nsa/ a-na-funs-a: 3SG-PAST-ask-FV Ndikapita /ndi.ka.ˈpi.ta/ ndi-ka-pit-a: 1SG-COND-go-FV nanu /ˈna.nu/ na-inu: with-you.PL (polite) ndidzaona /ndi.dza.ˈo.na/ ndi-dza-on-a: 1SG-FUT-see-FV anzanga /a.ˈnza.ŋɡa/ a-nzanga: friend.CL2.PL-my
44.29a Amayi mother anayankha she-answered Inde yes ngati if anzako your-friends ali they-are ku at msika market udzawaona you-will-see-them
44.29b Amayi /a.ˈma.ji/ mother.CL2 (honorific) anayankha /a.na.ˈja.ŋkʰa/ a-na-yankh-a: 3SG-PAST-answer-FV Inde /ˈi.nde/ yes ngati /ˈŋɡa.ti/ if (conj) anzako /a.ˈnza.ko/ a-nzako: friend.CL2.PL-your.SG ali /ˈa.li/ a-li: 3PL-be ku /ku/ at.LOC17 msika /m̩.ˈsi.ka/ market.CL3 udzawaona /u.dza.wa.ˈo.na/ u-dza-wa-on-a: 2SG-FUT-3PL.OBJ-see-FV
44.30a Chimwemwe Chimwemwe anaseka she-laughed ndipo and anati she-said Tikapita if-we-go lero today ndidzakondwa I-will-be-glad
44.30b Chimwemwe /tʃi.ˈmwe.mwe/ Chimwemwe (name: "joy") anaseka /a.na.ˈse.ka/ a-na-sek-a: 3SG-PAST-laugh-FV ndipo /ˈndi.po/ and (then) anati /a.ˈna.ti/ a-na-ti: 3SG-PAST-say Tikapita /ti.ka.ˈpi.ta/ ti-ka-pit-a: 1PL-COND-go-FV lero /ˈle.ɾo/ today ndidzakondwa /ndi.dza.ˈko.ndwa/ ndi-dza-kondw-a: 1SG-FUT-be.glad-FV
Part B: Natural Sentences
44.16 Chimwemwe anafunsa, Amayi, mukufuna kupita ku msika lero? → "Chimwemwe asked, 'Mother, do you want to go to the market today?'"
44.17 Amayi anayankha, Inde, koma ngati mvula igwa, tidzakhala kunyumba. → "Mother answered, 'Yes, but if it rains, we will stay at home.'"
44.18 Chimwemwe anati, Tikapita, tidzagula chiyani? → "Chimwemwe said, 'If we go, what will we buy?'"
44.19 Amayi anati, Tidzagula tomato ndi mapeyala. → "Mother said, 'We will buy tomatoes and pears.'"
44.20 Chimwemwe anafunsa, Kodi tidzagulanso buku ngati tili ndi ndalama? → "Chimwemwe asked, 'Will we also buy a book if we have money?'"
44.21 Amayi anayankha, Inde, tidzagula ngati tili ndi ndalama. → "Mother answered, 'Yes, we will buy one if we have money.'"
44.22 Chimwemwe anati, Ngati tili ndi nsima, ndikufuna kudya. → "Chimwemwe said, 'If we have nsima, I want to eat.'"
44.23 Amayi anati, Ndaphika nsima, ndipo ngati ukufuna, udzadya. → "Mother said, 'I have cooked nsima, and if you want, you will eat.'"
44.24 Chimwemwe anafunsa, Abambo akabwera, adzapita nafe? → "Chimwemwe asked, 'If Father comes, will he go with us?'"
44.25 Amayi anayankha, Sindikudziwa ngati abambo adzabwera. → "Mother answered, 'I do not know whether Father will come.'"
44.26 Chimwemwe anati, Abambo akabwera, ndidzakondwa. → "Chimwemwe said, 'If Father comes, I will be glad.'"
44.27 Amayi anati, Mvula ikagwa, tidzadikira abambo kunyumba. → "Mother said, 'If it rains, we will wait for Father at home.'"
44.28 Chimwemwe anafunsa, Ndikapita nanu, ndidzaona anzanga? → "Chimwemwe asked, 'If I go with you, will I see my friends?'"
44.29 Amayi anayankha, Inde, ngati anzako ali ku msika, udzawaona. → "Mother answered, 'Yes, if your friends are at the market, you will see them.'"
44.30 Chimwemwe anaseka, ndipo anati, Tikapita lero, ndidzakondwa. → "Chimwemwe laughed and said, 'If we go today, I will be glad.'"
Part C: Target Language Only
44.16 Chimwemwe anafunsa, Amayi, mukufuna kupita ku msika lero?
44.17 Amayi anayankha, Inde, koma ngati mvula igwa, tidzakhala kunyumba.
44.18 Chimwemwe anati, Tikapita, tidzagula chiyani?
44.19 Amayi anati, Tidzagula tomato ndi mapeyala.
44.20 Chimwemwe anafunsa, Kodi tidzagulanso buku ngati tili ndi ndalama?
44.21 Amayi anayankha, Inde, tidzagula ngati tili ndi ndalama.
44.22 Chimwemwe anati, Ngati tili ndi nsima, ndikufuna kudya.
44.23 Amayi anati, Ndaphika nsima, ndipo ngati ukufuna, udzadya.
44.24 Chimwemwe anafunsa, Abambo akabwera, adzapita nafe?
44.25 Amayi anayankha, Sindikudziwa ngati abambo adzabwera.
44.26 Chimwemwe anati, Abambo akabwera, ndidzakondwa.
44.27 Amayi anati, Mvula ikagwa, tidzadikira abambo kunyumba.
44.28 Chimwemwe anafunsa, Ndikapita nanu, ndidzaona anzanga?
44.29 Amayi anayankha, Inde, ngati anzako ali ku msika, udzawaona.
44.30 Chimwemwe anaseka, ndipo anati, Tikapita lero, ndidzakondwa.
Part D: Grammar Notes on the Narrative
- Ngati with the present. Ngati mvula igwa (44.17), ngati tili ndi ndalama (44.20, 44.21), ngati tili ndi nsima (44.22), ngati ukufuna (44.23), ngati anzako ali ku msika (44.29): the verb after ngati is always in the present. - -ka- for what lies ahead. Tikapita (44.18, 44.30), abambo akabwera (44.24, 44.26), mvula ikagwa (44.27), ndikapita (44.28). Each is followed by a verb in the future with -dza-. - The two kinds side by side. The same situation, rain, is put both ways: 44.17 has ngati mvula igwa and 44.27 has mvula ikagwa. The sources used for this lesson do not show a difference of meaning between them. - Ngati, "whether." 44.25, Sindikudziwa ngati abambo adzabwera: a yes-or-no question inside the sentence (Section D, rule 7). - Ngati at the end of the sentence. 44.20 and 44.21 have the ngati clause second: …ngati tili ndi ndalama. - Ndaphika. The perfect -a- with ndi- gives nda-: "I have cooked," as Ndabwera in Lesson 43 (43.28). - Ndipo. "And (then)," joining two clauses (44.23, 44.30), as in Lesson 43. - Nanu, nafe. Na- "with" joins the pronoun in one word: na-inu → nanu ("with you," 44.6, 44.28), na-ife → nafe ("with us," 44.24). - Udzawaona. Wa- is the class 2 object marker, here "them" (44.29) and, in 44.9, the honorific "him": ndidzawaona. - Earlier lessons. Chiyani is Lesson 42; abambo, amayi, anaseka and tidzakhala recur from Lesson 43; kodi is the question particle of Lesson 43 (F-A.2).
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Vowels. Five pure vowels: a /a/ (father), e /e/ (bed), i /i/ (machine), o /o/ (Spanish no), u /u/ (rule). Two vowels side by side are two syllables: ndidzaona /ndi.dza.ˈo.na/, udzawaona /u.dza.wa.ˈo.na/, taonani /ta.o.ˈna.ni/, mudzandiuza /mu.dza.ndi.ˈu.za/.
Stress. On the next-to-last syllable of the whole word: NGA-ti, u-ka-BWE-ra, i-ka-GWA, ndi-ka-KWE-ra, ti-ka-PI-ta.
Consonant spellings in this lesson:
- ng = /ŋɡ/, one sound: ngati, anzanga, angabwere, mungagulenso - nk = /ŋk/: kunka - nd, mb, nz, ns at the start of a syllable begin it together: ndalama /nda.ˈla.ma/, kumwamba /ku.ˈmwa.mba/, anzako /a.ˈnza.ko/, nsima /ˈnsi.ma/ - mp, nkh begin a syllable together too: mphunzitsi /mpʰu.ˈnzi.tsi/, anayankha /a.na.ˈja.ŋkʰa/ - ph, kh = aspirated /pʰ kʰ/: ndaphika, tidzakhala, mukhoza - ch = /tʃ/: Chimwemwe, chiyani - dz = /dz/, one sound: ndidzakondwa, tidzagula, mudzandiuza - ts = /ts/, one sound: mphunzitsi - ny = /ɲ/: kunyumba /ku.ˈɲu.mba/ - r and l are one sound, written r after i and e and l elsewhere: bwera, kwera, dikira have r; mapeyala, ndalama, kudwala have l; ndikadziyalira has both - m before a consonant at the start of a word is its own syllable: msika /m̩.ˈsi.ka/
Orthography. The verb is written as one word with its prefixes and its marker: ndikakwera, mudzandiuza, simukufuna. Ngati is a separate word, always written apart from the verb after it: ngati mufuna, not ngatimufuna. Ku before a place name or a noun is written apart (ku msika, ku Gehena), but kunyumba is one word. The potential -nga- stays inside the verb: angabwere, mungagulenso. The name Gehena is capitalised. Tone is not written in standard spelling.
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