← Ulendo wa Ziyankhulo: Kuyenda-yenda mu Chingerezi
"Do" is one of the most frequent verbs in English, and it has two lives. As a main verb it means to carry out an action or a task: "I do my work", "She does the washing", "What are you doing?" Chichewa uses kuchita for this:
- kuchita (to do) — ndimachita (I do), ndikuchita (I am doing), ndinachita (I did), ndachita (I have done), ndidzachita (I will do)
English also uses "do" as a helper. Here "do" has no meaning of its own. It makes questions ("Do you speak English?"), negatives ("I do not know"), strong statements ("I do want to help") and short answers ("Yes, I do"). Chichewa has no word for this helper, because it does the same work in other ways:
- a question begins with kodi: Kodi mumalankhula Chingelezi? - a negative is made inside the verb with si-, sa-, usa-, musa-: Sindikudziwa (I do not know) - strong "do" is shown by the ending -di: ndikufunadi (I do want) - a short answer is inde (yes) or ayi (no), often with the verb: Inde, ndikufuna.
Many English phrases with "do" use a more exact verb in Chichewa:
- do the washing = kuchapa zovala - do the dishes = kutsuka mbale - do the shopping = kugula zinthu - do your work = kuchita ntchito yako
English has five forms of this verb: do, does, did, done, doing.
What does "do" mean in Chichewa? As a main verb, kuchita (to do, to carry out); for housework and shopping, a more exact verb (kuchapa, kutsuka, kugula); as a helper in questions and negatives, there is no Chichewa word, only kodi at the start of a question and si- inside a negative verb.
Key Takeaways:
- Main verb: "I do my work" = Ndimachita ntchito yanga. After "he, she, it" use "does": "She does the washing." - Questions: Do/Does/Did + subject + base verb: "Do you speak English?", "Does she cook nsima?", "Did you do the shopping?" - Negatives: do not / does not / did not + base verb: "I do not know", "He does not work", "They did not come." The verb after "do" never takes -s, -ed or -ing. - Commands: "Do not go", "Do not do that." Chichewa: Usapite, Musachite. - Short answers repeat "do": "Do you want help?" "Yes, I do." / "No, I don't."
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do — strong form /duː/ (alone or stressed: "What do you do?" /ˈwɒt də ju ˈduː/); weak form /də/ before a consonant (Do they? /də ðeɪ/) and /du/ before a vowel (Do I? /du aɪ/) does — strong /dʌz/; weak /dəz/ did — /dɪd/ done — /dʌn/ (it rhymes with "sun", not with "bone") doing — /ˈduːɪŋ/ don't — /dəʊnt/ (American /doʊnt/); doesn't — /ˈdʌznt/; didn't — /ˈdɪdnt/
The first sound, /d/, is the same as Chichewa d in kudikira (to wait for): the tongue touches the ridge behind the top teeth.
"Do" /duː/ is like Chichewa du said long: /duː/, not "du-o". "Does" /dʌz/ and "done" /dʌn/ have the short vowel /ʌ/, which is like a Chichewa a said short and relaxed. Do not say "dozi" for "does" or "done" like "doni". "Does" is not "dose" /dəʊs/.
Chichewa words end in a vowel, so learners often add one: "didi" for "did", "dozi" for "does". Stop at the consonant: /dɪd/, /dʌz/.
In normal speech "do" is weak and short: "Do you want help?" /də ju ˈwɒnt ˈhelp/. In fast speech "do you" becomes /dʒə/. At the end of a sentence "do" is strong: "What do you do?" ends in /duː/. In short answers, "do" is strong too: "Yes, I do" /jes aɪ ˈduː/.
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15.1 I (ndi-) do -ma-chita my work ntchito yanga
15.2 What chiyani do (no word) you (mu-) do -ma-chita
15.3 Do kodi you (mu-) speak -ma-lankhula English Chingelezi
15.4 I (ndi-) do not (si-) know -ku-dziwa (Sindikudziwa)
15.5 He (a-) does not (sa-) work -ma-gwira ntchito ntchito (Samagwira ntchito)
15.6 Does kodi she (a-) cook -ma-phika nsima nsima
15.7 They (iwo) did not (sa-) come -na-bwere yesterday dzulo (Iwo sanabwere dzulo)
15.8 She (a-) did the washing -na-chapa zovala yesterday dzulo
15.9 We (ti-) do the dishes -ma-tsuka mbale after pambuyo pa dinner chakudya cha madzulo
15.10 What chiyani are you (u-) doing -ku-chita now tsopano
15.11 Do not (usa-) go -pite to ku the market msika today lero (Usapite)
15.12 Do not (musa-) do -chite that zimenezo (Musachite)
15.13 He (wa-) has done -chita his work ntchito yake so choncho he (a-) is going -ku-pita home kunyumba
15.14 Who ndani did (a-) -na-chita this izi
15.15 I (ndi-) do want -ku-funa-di to help you (ku-ku-) -thandiza but koma I (ndi-) do not have (ndi-li-be) time nthawi (Ndikufunadi kukuthandiza)
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15.1 I do my work. Ndimachita ntchito yanga.
15.2 What do you do? Mumachita chiyani?
15.3 Do you speak English? Kodi mumalankhula Chingelezi?
15.4 I do not know. Sindikudziwa.
15.5 He does not work. Samagwira ntchito.
15.6 Does she cook nsima? Kodi amaphika nsima?
15.7 They did not come yesterday. Iwo sanabwere dzulo.
15.8 She did the washing yesterday. Anachapa zovala dzulo.
15.9 We do the dishes after dinner. Timatsuka mbale pambuyo pa chakudya cha madzulo.
15.10 What are you doing now? Ukuchita chiyani tsopano?
15.11 Do not go to the market today. Usapite ku msika lero.
15.12 Do not do that. Musachite zimenezo.
15.13 He has done his work, so he is going home. Wachita ntchito yake, choncho akupita kunyumba.
15.14 Who did this? Ndani anachita izi?
15.15 I do want to help you, but I do not have time. Ndikufunadi kukuthandiza, koma ndilibe nthawi.
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15.1 I do my work.
15.2 What do you do?
15.3 Do you speak English?
15.4 I do not know.
15.5 He does not work.
15.6 Does she cook nsima?
15.7 They did not come yesterday.
15.8 She did the washing yesterday.
15.9 We do the dishes after dinner.
15.10 What are you doing now?
15.11 Do not go to the market today.
15.12 Do not do that.
15.13 He has done his work, so he is going home.
15.14 Who did this?
15.15 I do want to help you, but I do not have time.
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These are the grammar rules for "do" in English:
1. "Do" as a main verb. It means to carry out an action or a task: "I do my work" (15.1), "She did the washing yesterday" (15.8), "Who did this?" (15.14). The five forms:
- present: I do, you do, he/she/it does, we do, they do - past: did (the same for every person) - with "have, has, had": done — "He has done his work" (15.13) - with "be": doing — "What are you doing now?" (15.10)
Chichewa shows the person and the time inside one verb: ndimachita (I do), ndinachita (I did), ndachita (I have done), ndikuchita (I am doing), ndidzachita (I will do). English changes the verb only a little, and the subject word (I, you, he, we, they) is always needed. Only "he, she, it" takes "does" in the present.
For housework and errands English uses "do" with the noun, where Chichewa uses a more exact verb:
- do the washing — kuchapa zovala (15.8) - do the dishes — kutsuka mbale (15.9) - do the shopping — kugula zinthu (15.24) - do your work — kuchita ntchito yako (15.1)
"Do" is for actions and work: "do the washing", "do your work". For something you build or produce English uses "make": "make nsima", "make a mistake". Chichewa kupanga means "to make".
2. Questions with "do". For a yes-or-no question put Do, Does or Did first, then the subject, then the base verb: "Do you speak English?" (15.3), "Does she cook nsima?" (15.6), "Did you do the shopping yesterday?" (15.24). Chichewa puts kodi first and keeps the tense in the verb: Kodi mumalankhula Chingelezi? The verb after Do, Does or Did is always the base form: "Does she cook", not "Does she cooks"; "Did you do", not "Did you did".
With a question word, "do" stays after it: "What do you do?" (15.2). The first "do" is the helper; the last "do" is the main verb. When "be" is already in the sentence, "do" is not used: "What are you doing?" (15.10), not "What do you doing?" When the question word is the subject, there is no helper: "Who did this?" (15.14), not "Who did do this?"
3. Negatives with "do". Put "not" after do, does or did, then the base verb: "I do not know" (15.4), "He does not work" (15.5), "They did not come yesterday" (15.7). Chichewa puts the negative inside the verb: sindikudziwa, samagwira, sanabwere. In the short forms do not = don't, does not = doesn't, did not = didn't. Use full forms in careful writing and short forms in speech.
After "did not" the verb is not in the past: "They did not come", not "They did not came". The past is shown once, in "did". Chichewa changes the last letter in the past negative (sanabwere); English does not.
4. "Do not" in commands. "Do not go to the market today" (15.11), "Do not do that" (15.12). Chichewa has two forms, usa- for one person you know well (Usapite) and musa- for many people or for a person you respect (Musachite). English has one form, "Do not…", for everyone. Politeness is shown with "please": "Please do not do that."
5. Strong "do". Before a positive verb, a stressed "do" says "really" or "it is true": "I do want to help you" (15.15), "I do like Saturdays" (15.29). Chichewa adds -di to the verb: ndikufunadi, ndimakondadi. Do not use strong "do" in every sentence; it is for stress only.
6. Short answers. English answers a "do" question by repeating "do": "Do you want help?" — "Yes, I do." / "No, I don't." "Did you do the shopping?" — "No, I did not." (15.25). Chichewa answers with inde or ayi and the verb: Inde, ndikufuna. English does not repeat the main verb in a short answer; "Yes, I want" sounds wrong.
7. When not to use "do". Do not use the helper "do" with "be" or with can, will, must, should: "Is she a teacher?" not "Does she be a teacher?"; "Can you help me?" not "Do you can help me?"; "I am not hungry" not "I do not hungry".
Common Mistakes:
- "Do you speaks English?" Correct: Do you speak English? After do, does, did the verb has no -s. - "She not cook nsima." Correct: She does not cook nsima. Chichewa puts the negative in the verb; English needs "does not". - "He do not work." Correct: He does not work. With he, she, it use "does". - "They did not came yesterday." Correct: They did not come yesterday. After "did" use the base form. - "What you do?" Correct: What do you do? A question needs "do" before the subject. - "Do you can help me?" Correct: Can you help me? No "do" with "can". - "I done my work." / "I have did my work." Correct: I did my work. / I have done my work. "Did" is the simple past; "done" goes after have, has, had. - "Yes, I want." (as a short answer to "Do you want help?") Correct: Yes, I do.
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"Do" is among the twenty most frequent words of English. It is in almost every question and every negative sentence, so you will hear it many times a day.
"What do you do?" In English this often means "What is your job?" The answer is a job: "I am a teacher." Chichewa asks Mumagwira ntchito yanji? (What work do you do?). The same words can also ask about an action: "What are you doing?" = Ukuchita chiyani?
"How do you do?" This is a formal greeting, used when two people meet for the first time. It is not a real question about health, and the answer is the same words: "How do you do?" In everyday speech English uses "How are you?", the same as Muli bwanji?, and the answer is "I am fine, thank you" = Ndili bwino, zikomo.
Work and praise. "Well done!" is what English says when someone has finished a task or done something good. Chichewa says Mwachita bwino! (you have done well). The word kuchita is in both.
Doing for others. You met the ending -ira in Lesson 14: kuchita (to do) — kuchitira (to do to, to do for). In the Chichewa Bible kuchitira is in the words of Jesus: Pakuti ndakupatsani inu chitsanzo, kuti, monga Ine ndakuchitirani inu, inunso muchite (Yohane 13:15). English says "do" twice: "do as I have done to you."
Common expressions with "do":
- Do not worry — Musadandaule (worry: kudandaule) - do your best — try as hard as you can - do the cooking, do the washing, do the shopping — jobs in the home - to-do list — a list of jobs that must be done - Do's and don'ts — the things you should do and the things you should not do
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John 13:15, from Jesus's words to his disciples after he has washed their feet. English: King James Version (1611). Chichewa: Buku Lopatulika, Yohane 13:15 (BLP-2018 edition).
"For pakuti I have given ndakupatsani you inu an example chitsanzo, that kuti, ye inunso should do muchite as monga I Ine have done ndakuchitirani to you inu" - John 13:15 (KJV)
"For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." "Pakuti ndakupatsani inu chitsanzo, kuti, monga Ine ndakuchitirani inu, inunso muchite." (Yohane 13:15, Buku Lopatulika)
In the verses before this one, Jesus takes a bowl and washes the feet of his disciples, a task for the lowest servant of a house. Then he says: I have done this to you; now you do it. The verse is about "do" as action. The example is not something Jesus said; it is something he did, and the disciples must do the same. The word "do" is used twice, "should do" and "have done", so the reader hears the same verb pass from Jesus to the disciples. The Chichewa does the same with chitsanzo (example) and the pair ndakuchitirani… muchite, from kuchita and kuchitira. In Lesson 14 the ending -ira meant "for": here ndakuchitirani is "I have done to you, I have done for you".
- "Ye" is old English for "you" when speaking to many people. Today we say: "that you should do as I have done to you." - "Should do" — "do" is the main verb here, after "should". No helper "do" is needed: "ye should do", not "ye should to do". - "I have done" — "done" after "have": the present perfect. Chichewa ndakuchitirani has the same sense: nda- is "I have", -ku- is "you", -ni is the plural "you". English says "done" and keeps "to you" as a separate phrase. - "As" joins the two halves: "do as I have done" = monga Ine ndakuchitirani. Chichewa puts monga first and the "you also" (inunso) with the verb muchite. - "For" at the start is the old meaning "because" (see Lesson 14). Today we say "because": Pakuti.
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15.16 On Saturday Loweruka Chikondi Chikondi does not (sa-) work -ma-gwira ntchito (Samagwira ntchito)
15.17 In the morning m'mawa she (a-) does the washing -ma-chapa zovala
15.18 Then kenako she (a-) does the dishes -ma-tsuka mbale
15.19 Her friend mnzake Temwani Temwani asks (a-)-ku-funsa what chiyani are you (u-) doing -ku-chita
15.20 She (a-) answers -ku-yankha I (ndi-) am doing the washing -ku-chapa zovala
15.21 Temwani Temwani do kodi you (u-) want -ku-funa help thandizo
15.22 Yes inde I (ndi-) do -ku-funa please chonde do the dishes tsuka mbale
15.23 Temwani Temwani is doing the dishes (a-)-ku-tsuka mbale and ndipo Chikondi Chikondi is doing the washing (a-)-ku-chapa zovala
15.24 Chikondi Chikondi did kodi you (u-) do the shopping -na-gula zinthu yesterday dzulo
15.25 No ayi I (ndi-) did not (si-) do (buy) -na-gule I (ndi-) did not have (ndi-na-li-be) money ndalama (Sindinagule. Ndinalibe ndalama)
15.26 Do not (u-sa-) worry -dandaule I (ndi-) will do the shopping -dza-gula zinthu tomorrow mawa
15.27 Thank you zikomo what chiyani will we (ti-) do -dza-chita after pambuyo that pake
15.28 We (ti-) will not (si-) do -dza-chita anything chilichonse it is ndi Saturday Loweruka (Sitidzachita chilichonse)
15.29 Good chabwino I (ndi-) do like -ma-konda-di Saturdays Loweruka
15.30 Me too inenso do chita what zomwe you (u-) want -ku-funa today lero
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15.16 On Saturday Chikondi does not work. Loweruka Chikondi samagwira ntchito.
15.17 In the morning she does the washing. M'mawa amachapa zovala.
15.18 Then she does the dishes. Kenako amatsuka mbale.
15.19 Her friend Temwani asks, "What are you doing?" Mnzake Temwani akufunsa, "Ukuchita chiyani?"
15.20 She answers, "I am doing the washing." Akuyankha, "Ndikuchapa zovala."
15.21 Temwani: "Do you want help?" Temwani: "Kodi ukufuna thandizo?"
15.22 Chikondi: "Yes, I do! Please do the dishes." Chikondi: "Inde, ndikufuna! Chonde, tsuka mbale."
15.23 Temwani is doing the dishes, and Chikondi is doing the washing. Temwani akutsuka mbale, ndipo Chikondi akuchapa zovala.
15.24 Chikondi: "Did you do the shopping yesterday?" Chikondi: "Kodi unagula zinthu dzulo?"
15.25 Temwani: "No, I did not. I did not have money." Temwani: "Ayi, sindinagule. Ndinalibe ndalama."
15.26 Chikondi: "Do not worry. I will do the shopping tomorrow." Chikondi: "Usadandaule. Ndidzagula zinthu mawa."
15.27 Temwani: "Thank you. What will we do after that?" Temwani: "Zikomo. Tidzachita chiyani pambuyo pake?"
15.28 Chikondi: "We will not do anything! It is Saturday." Chikondi: "Sitidzachita chilichonse! Ndi Loweruka."
15.29 Temwani: "Good. I do like Saturdays." Temwani: "Chabwino. Ndimakondadi Loweruka."
15.30 Chikondi: "Me too. Do what you want today!" Chikondi: "Inenso. Chita zomwe ukufuna lero!"
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15.16 On Saturday Chikondi does not work.
15.17 In the morning she does the washing.
15.18 Then she does the dishes.
15.19 Her friend Temwani asks, "What are you doing?"
15.20 She answers, "I am doing the washing."
15.21 Temwani: "Do you want help?"
15.22 Chikondi: "Yes, I do! Please do the dishes."
15.23 Temwani is doing the dishes, and Chikondi is doing the washing.
15.24 Chikondi: "Did you do the shopping yesterday?"
15.25 Temwani: "No, I did not. I did not have money."
15.26 Chikondi: "Do not worry. I will do the shopping tomorrow."
15.27 Temwani: "Thank you. What will we do after that?"
15.28 Chikondi: "We will not do anything! It is Saturday."
15.29 Temwani: "Good. I do like Saturdays."
15.30 Chikondi: "Me too. Do what you want today!"
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The narrative uses all the main jobs of "do":
- Main verb: "she does the washing" (15.17), "she does the dishes" (15.18), "Temwani is doing the dishes" (15.23), "Did you do the shopping yesterday?" (15.24), "What will we do after that?" (15.27). Chichewa: amachapa zovala, amatsuka mbale, akutsuka mbale, unagula zinthu, tidzachita. - Negatives: "Chikondi does not work" (15.16), "I did not" and "I did not have money" (15.25), "We will not do anything" (15.28). Chichewa: samagwira, sindinagule, ndinalibe, sitidzachita. After "will not" the verb is the base form: "will not do", never "will not does". - Questions: "Do you want help?" (15.21), "Did you do the shopping yesterday?" (15.24). Chichewa starts with kodi. - Commands: "Do not worry" (15.26), "Please do the dishes" (15.22), "Do what you want today!" (15.30). A plain positive command has no "do" helper: "Wash the dishes", not "Do wash the dishes". "Do the dishes" has "do" because it is the main verb. - Strong "do" and short answer: "Yes, I do!" (15.22), "I do like Saturdays" (15.29).
"Do" twice in one line. In 15.24, "Did you do the shopping yesterday?", the first "did" is the helper that makes the question; the second "do" is the main verb, in the base form. Say it slowly: Did — you — do. In 15.25, "No, I did not" the main verb is left out; "did not" stands for "did not do the shopping".
"Anything" and "nothing". After a "not" verb, English uses "anything": "We will not do anything" (15.28). It is not "We will not do nothing". Chichewa uses chilichonse after the negative verb: Sitidzachita chilichonse.
Writing a narrative. A narrative tells what happens in order, usually in the present tense here: "she does", "she answers". The words "In the morning", "Then" show the order. When a speaker's words are given, the verb of saying comes before them, with a comma: She answers, "I am doing the washing."
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- Weak and strong: "Do you speak English?" /də ju ˈspiːk ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/; "What do you do?" /ˈwɒt də ju ˈduː/ — at the end of a sentence "do" takes its strong form. - "Does" /dʌz/ and "done" /dʌn/ both have the vowel /ʌ/, as in "sun". "Do" /duː/ and "did" /dɪd/ do not. - Short forms: don't /dəʊnt/, doesn't /ˈdʌznt/, didn't /ˈdɪdnt/. The apostrophe takes the place of the letter o in "not": do not = don't. It is never written "dont". - Spelling: do (the verb), due (owing, /djuː/), dew (water on the grass); does (the verb), doe (a female deer), dose (a measure of medicine); done and dun (a dull brown colour) sound the same. - "Do" is always a separate word in English: "do not", never "donot". Chichewa puts the negative inside the verb (sindikudziwa); English keeps "not" as a separate word. - Names of places, days and people take a capital letter in English: Saturday, Chikondi, Temwani. Chichewa writes Loweruka (Saturday) with a capital letter at the beginning of a sentence, as in 15.16.
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