What does "they" mean in Swahili?
English "they" is the pronoun for a group of people or things already mentioned: "They are teachers," "They came yesterday." The Swahili independent pronoun is wao (pronounced WAH-o). It is the last of the six personal pronouns: mimi (I), wewe (you), yeye (he, she), sisi (we), ninyi (you, plural) and wao (they).
The important difference from English is that Swahili rarely needs to say wao at all. Every Swahili verb carries its subject inside it as a prefix, and the prefix for "they" is wa-. So wanacheza already means "they are playing": wa- (they) + -na- (present) + cheza (play). Saying wao wanacheza is not wrong. It is emphatic, like "they are playing" or "as for them, they are playing." The free pronoun is used to stress or contrast, after the copula ni ("it is them": ni wao), with the habitual hu- verbs (which have no person prefix), and on its own in short answers.
"They" therefore appears in several forms in Swahili, and this lesson teaches all of them:
- wao: the free pronoun, "they, them" (emphatic) - wa-: the subject prefix on the verb, "they" (wanasoma, "they are reading") - hawa-: the negative subject prefix (hawasomi, "they are not reading") - -wa-: the object prefix inside the verb, "them" (niliwaona, "I saw them") - -ao: the possessive "their," which agrees with the thing owned (watoto wao, nyumba yao, vitabu vyao) - nao: na + wao, "and they" or "with them"
wao belongs to the class of people, noun class 1/2 (m-/wa-): mtu/watu (person/people), mtoto/watoto (child/children). It is used for people and for animals. For things, such as books, houses and trees, Swahili does not use wao. The verb takes the prefix of the thing's own noun class: vitabu viko wapi? Viko mezani ("where are the books? They are on the table").
wao is a native Bantu word, not a loan (unlike lakini of Lesson 23, which comes from Arabic). Its w- is the same class 2 concord seen in the subject prefix wa-. Swahili spelling is fully phonetic and uses no accents: each letter is pronounced the same way every time.
- wao means "they, them"; it is emphatic, because the verb already contains "they" as the prefix wa- - The object "them" goes inside the verb as -wa-: tuliwaona, "we saw them" - "Their" is -ao and agrees with the thing owned: watoto wao, nyumba yao, kitabu chao - nao = "and they / with them"; wao wenyewe = "they themselves"; ni wao = "it's them" - wao is for people and animals; things are "they" through their own class prefix
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wao /ˈwa.o/: two syllables, WAH-o. The a is as in "father," the o is a pure o as in Spanish no, with no glide to "oh-oo." Keep the two vowels separate; do not blend them into English "wow."
Swahili stress falls on the second-to-last syllable of every word: WA-o, wa-na-CHE-za, wa-li-o-tu-sa-i-DI-a. When a prefix or suffix is added, the stress moves so that it stays second from the end.
Related forms:
- nao /ˈna.o/: NAH-o, "and they, with them" - hao /ˈha.o/: HAH-o, "those (people)" - yao /ˈja.o/, vyao /ˈvja.o/, zao /ˈza.o/, chao /ˈt͡ʃa.o/: "their," with different class agreements - wenyewe /weˈɲe.we/: we-NYE-we, "themselves" - hawa- /ha.wa/: hawajui /ha.waˈd͡ʒu.i/, ha-wa-JU-i, "they don't know"
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24.1a Wao they ni are walimu teachers
24.1b Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON ni /ni/ COP walimu /waˈli.mu/ teacher.CL2.PL
24.2a Wao they wanacheza they-are-playing
24.2b Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON wanacheza /wa.naˈt͡ʃe.za/ wa-na-chez-a: 3PL-PRES-play-FV
24.3a Wao they si are-not wageni guests
24.3b Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON si /si/ NEG.COP wageni /waˈɡe.ni/ guest.CL2.PL
24.4a Ni it-is wao they
24.4b Ni /ni/ COP wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON
24.5a Wao they pia also walikuja they-came
24.5b Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON pia /ˈpi.a/ also walikuja /wa.liˈku.d͡ʒa/ wa-li-kuja: 3PL-PAST-come
24.6a Mimi I ninakunywa I-drink chai tea lakini but wao they wanakunywa they-drink kahawa coffee
24.6b Mimi /ˈmi.mi/ 1SG.PRON ninakunywa /ni.naˈku.ɲwa/ ni-na-kunywa: 1SG-PRES-drink chai /ˈt͡ʃa.i/ tea.CL9 lakini /laˈki.ni/ but wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON wanakunywa /wa.naˈku.ɲwa/ wa-na-kunywa: 3PL-PRES-drink kahawa /kaˈha.wa/ coffee.CL9
24.7a Wao they hawajui they-do-not-know Kiswahili Swahili vizuri well
24.7b Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON hawajui /ha.waˈd͡ʒu.i/ ha-wa-ju-i: NEG-3PL-know-NEG.PRES Kiswahili /ki.swaˈhi.li/ Swahili.CL7 vizuri /viˈzu.ri/ well
24.8a Watoto children wao their wanasoma they-study shuleni at-school
24.8b Watoto /waˈto.to/ child.CL2.PL wao /ˈwa.o/ their.CL2.POSS wanasoma /wa.naˈso.ma/ wa-na-som-a: 3PL-PRES-study-FV shuleni /ʃuˈle.ni/ shule-ni: school-LOC
24.9a Nilikwenda I-went sokoni to-market pamoja together nao with-them
24.9b Nilikwenda /ni.liˈkwe.nda/ ni-li-kwenda: 1SG-PAST-go sokoni /soˈko.ni/ soko-ni: market-LOC pamoja /paˈmo.d͡ʒa/ together nao /ˈna.o/ na-o: with-3PL.REF
24.10a Tuliwaona we-saw-them wao them jana yesterday jioni evening
24.10b Tuliwaona /tu.li.waˈo.na/ tu-li-wa-on-a: 1PL-PAST-3PL.OBJ-see-FV wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON.EMPH jana /ˈd͡ʒa.na/ yesterday jioni /d͡ʒiˈo.ni/ evening.CL9
24.11a Wao they wenyewe themselves walijenga they-built nyumba house hii this
24.11b Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON wenyewe /weˈɲe.we/ self.CL2 walijenga /wa.liˈd͡ʒe.ŋɡa/ wa-li-jeng-a: 3PL-PAST-build-FV nyumba /ˈɲu.mba/ house.CL9 hii /ˈhi.i/ this.CL9
24.12a Wao they ndio are-the-ones waliotusaidia who-helped-us wakati time wa of shida trouble
24.12b Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON ndio /ˈndi.o/ FOC.CL2 waliotusaidia /wa.li.o.tu.sa.iˈdi.a/ wa-li-o-tu-saidi-a: 3PL-PAST-REL.CL2-1PL.OBJ-help-FV wakati /waˈka.ti/ time.CL11 wa /wa/ of.CL11 shida /ˈʃi.da/ trouble.CL9
24.13a Wazee elders walisema they-said kwamba that wao they hawakuona they-did-not-see mvua rain kama like hii this tangu since utotoni in-childhood
24.13b Wazee /waˈze.e/ elder.CL2.PL walisema /wa.liˈse.ma/ wa-li-sem-a: 3PL-PAST-say-FV kwamba /ˈkwa.mba/ that wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON hawakuona /ha.wa.kuˈo.na/ ha-wa-ku-on-a: NEG-3PL-PAST.NEG-see-FV mvua /m̩ˈvu.a/ rain.CL9 kama /ˈka.ma/ like hii /ˈhi.i/ this.CL9 tangu /ˈta.ŋɡu/ since utotoni /u.toˈto.ni/ utoto-ni: childhood.CL14-LOC
24.14a Wanafunzi students walipofika when-they-arrived mwalimu teacher aliwapa gave-them vitabu books vyao their
24.14b Wanafunzi /wa.naˈfu.nzi/ student.CL2.PL walipofika /wa.li.poˈfi.ka/ wa-li-po-fik-a: 3PL-PAST-WHEN-arrive-FV mwalimu /mwaˈli.mu/ teacher.CL1 aliwapa /a.liˈwa.pa/ a-li-wa-p-a: 3SG-PAST-3PL.OBJ-give-FV vitabu /viˈta.bu/ book.CL8.PL vyao /ˈvja.o/ their.CL8.POSS
24.15a Ingawa although wao they ni are maskini poor wanawakaribisha they-welcome wageni guests wote all kwa with moyo heart mkunjufu open
24.15b Ingawa /iˈŋɡa.wa/ although wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON ni /ni/ COP maskini /maˈski.ni/ poor wanawakaribisha /wa.na.wa.ka.riˈbi.ʃa/ wa-na-wa-karibish-a: 3PL-PRES-3PL.OBJ-welcome-FV wageni /waˈɡe.ni/ guest.CL2.PL wote /ˈwo.te/ all.CL2 kwa /kwa/ with moyo /ˈmo.jo/ heart.CL3 mkunjufu /m̩.kuˈɲd͡ʒu.fu/ open.CL3
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24.1 Wao ni walimu. → "They are teachers."
24.2 Wao wanacheza. → "They are playing."
24.3 Wao si wageni. → "They are not guests."
24.4 Ni wao! → "It's them!"
24.5 Wao pia walikuja. → "They came too."
24.6 Mimi ninakunywa chai, lakini wao wanakunywa kahawa. → "I drink tea, but they drink coffee."
24.7 Wao hawajui Kiswahili vizuri. → "They don't know Swahili well."
24.8 Watoto wao wanasoma shuleni. → "Their children study at school."
24.9 Nilikwenda sokoni pamoja nao. → "I went to the market together with them."
24.10 Tuliwaona wao jana jioni. → "We saw them yesterday evening."
24.11 Wao wenyewe walijenga nyumba hii. → "They built this house themselves."
24.12 Wao ndio waliotusaidia wakati wa shida. → "They are the ones who helped us in time of trouble."
24.13 Wazee walisema kwamba wao hawakuona mvua kama hii tangu utotoni. → "The elders said that they had not seen rain like this since childhood."
24.14 Wanafunzi walipofika, mwalimu aliwapa vitabu vyao. → "When the students arrived, the teacher gave them their books."
24.15 Ingawa wao ni maskini, wanawakaribisha wageni wote kwa moyo mkunjufu. → "Although they are poor, they welcome all guests with an open heart."
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24.1 Wao ni walimu.
24.2 Wao wanacheza.
24.3 Wao si wageni.
24.4 Ni wao!
24.5 Wao pia walikuja.
24.6 Mimi ninakunywa chai, lakini wao wanakunywa kahawa.
24.7 Wao hawajui Kiswahili vizuri.
24.8 Watoto wao wanasoma shuleni.
24.9 Nilikwenda sokoni pamoja nao.
24.10 Tuliwaona wao jana jioni.
24.11 Wao wenyewe walijenga nyumba hii.
24.12 Wao ndio waliotusaidia wakati wa shida.
24.13 Wazee walisema kwamba wao hawakuona mvua kama hii tangu utotoni.
24.14 Wanafunzi walipofika, mwalimu aliwapa vitabu vyao.
24.15 Ingawa wao ni maskini, wanawakaribisha wageni wote kwa moyo mkunjufu.
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These are the grammar rules for wao in Swahili:
1. The six free pronouns.
- mimi: I, me - wewe: you (one person) - yeye: he, she, him, her - sisi: we, us - ninyi (also nyinyi): you (more than one person) - wao: they, them
These forms never change. The same wao serves as subject ("they") and object ("them").
2. "They" on the verb: the subject prefix wa-. Every finite verb begins with a subject prefix. For "they" (people and animals) it is wa-, followed by a tense marker and the verb stem:
- wa-na-soma: they are reading (present -na-) - wa-li-soma: they read (past -li-) - wa-ta-soma: they will read (future -ta-) - wa-me-soma: they have read (perfect -me-)
Because the verb already says "they," the pronoun wao is normally left out. Add it only for emphasis or contrast (24.2, 24.6), after ni and si (24.1, 24.3, 24.4), with pia, wenyewe and ndio (24.5, 24.11, 24.12), or to make clear who "they" are when a new group is introduced (24.13).
3. Negative: hawa-. In the negative, wa- becomes hawa-, and the tense markers change:
- present: hawasomi, "they are not reading" (the final -a becomes -i) - past: hawakusoma, "they did not read" (-li- becomes -ku-) - future: hawatasoma, "they will not read" - perfect: hawajasoma, "they have not (yet) read" (-me- becomes -ja-)
Examples: hawajui (24.7), hawakuona (24.13).
4. "Them" inside the verb: the object prefix -wa-. An object pronoun is placed inside the verb, straight after the tense marker:
- tu-li-wa-ona: we saw them (24.10) - a-li-wa-pa: he/she gave them (24.14) - ni-ta-wa-pikia: I will cook for them (24.22)
The free pronoun wao may be added after the verb for emphasis (tuliwaona wao, "we saw them"), but it does not replace the object prefix. For people, and especially for particular people already known, the object prefix is normally used even when the object noun itself is stated: tuliwaona watoto, "we saw the children."
Note: -wa- is also the object prefix for "you (plural)." Wanawasalimu can mean "they greet them" or "they greet you all"; context, or an added nyinyi or wao, decides (see 24.28).
5. "Their": the possessive -ao. "Their" is the stem -ao, preceded by the concord of the noun owned, not of the owners:
- class 1/2 (people): mtoto wao, watoto wao (their child, their children) - class 3/4: mti wao, miti yao (their tree, trees) - class 5/6: jina lao, majina yao (their name, names) - class 7/8: kitabu chao, vitabu vyao (their book, books) - class 9/10: nyumba yao, nyumba zao (their house, houses) - class 11 and 14: ukuta wao, ufalme wao (their wall, their kingdom) - place (class 17): kwao, at their home
So watoto wao (24.8) looks exactly like the pronoun, but here wao is the class 2 possessive. Vitabu vyao (24.14) shows the class 8 form.
6. Compounds of wao.
- nao = na + wao: "and they," "with them" (24.9, 24.18, 24.29) - wao wenyewe: "they themselves" (24.11); the stem -enyewe agrees in the same way (mimi mwenyewe, "I myself," 24.22) - wao ndio: "they are the ones (who)" (24.12); the negative is si wao, "it isn't them" - wao wote: "all of them"
7. The habitual hu-. Verbs with the habitual marker hu- have no subject prefix: hupenda means "(someone) usually likes." The free pronoun is the only thing that tells you who: wao hupenda wali, "they (usually) like rice" (24.20–24.21).
8. wao and hao. wao is the personal pronoun. hao is the demonstrative "those (people) just mentioned." Formal and biblical Swahili often uses hao where English says "they," as in the Beatitudes in Section F.
9. Things are not wao. For non-living things the verb takes the prefix of the noun's class: miti inakua ("the trees, they are growing"), vitabu viko hapa ("the books, they are here"). Animals take the people concord: mbwa wanabweka, "the dogs are barking."
Common Mistakes
- Using wao in every sentence. Wao wanaenda, wao wanakula, wao wanalala sounds heavy and insistent. Say wanaenda, wanakula, wanalala, and keep wao for emphasis. - Putting the object outside the verb. ✗ Tuliona wao. ✓ Tuliwaona (or, emphatic, tuliwaona wao). - Wrong possessive concord. ✗ nyumba wao ✓ nyumba yao; ✗ kitabu wao ✓ kitabu chao. The ending agrees with the thing owned. - Negating with -li-. ✗ hawalikuona ✓ hawakuona. The negative past uses -ku-. - wao for things. ✗ Vitabu? Wao wako mezani. ✓ Viko mezani. - wali and wa-li-. wali (cooked rice) is a noun; wali- at the start of a verb is "they + past." Walipika wali = "they cooked rice." - Monosyllabic verbs. kula (eat), kunywa (drink), kuja (come) and kwenda (go) keep their ku-/kw- in the ordinary tenses (walikuja, wanakunywa, nilikwenda) but lose it in the negative present: hawali, "they don't eat."
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Frequency. The free pronoun wao is common but much rarer than the prefix wa-, which appears in almost every sentence about more than one person. You will hear wao most in contrasts ("we... but they..."), in gossip and complaint (wao ndio walioanza!, "they are the ones who started it!"), and in the short question na wao?, "and them?"
Respect plural. In Tanzanian and coastal speech, the plural can express respect for one elder or parent: Mama wamesema, "Mother has said," with the plural prefix wa-. A learner does not need to produce this but should recognise it. In it, the plural does not mean more than one person.
kwao: home. kwao (literally "at their place") is the everyday word for someone's family home, and a whole idea of belonging goes with it: amerudi kwao means "he has gone back home." Swahili speakers ask kwenu ni wapi?, "where is your (people's) home?", expecting the name of a home region, not a street address.
Greetings in the third person. Swahili greetings ask after absent people, using the plural: Hawajambo?, "Are they well?", answered Hawajambo, "They are well." Asking after someone's family (nyumbani hawajambo?) is a normal part of politeness, and you will meet it in the dialogue below.
Varieties. Standard Swahili (Kiswahili sanifu, based on the Zanzibar dialect) is used here. The form wao is the same across Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and the Congo; the plural "you" varies between ninyi and nyinyi, both correct.
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Source: Maandiko Matakatifu ya Mungu Yaitwayo Biblia (Swahili Union Version, 1952), Mathayo (Matthew) 5:3–5, the opening of the Beatitudes (Heri). The Union Version is the classic standard Swahili Bible, in continuous use in Tanzanian and Kenyan churches. Text checked against two independent copies (bible.com, SUV; wordproject.org).
F-A: Interlinear Text
F-A.1a Heri blessed walio who-are maskini poor wa of roho spirit Maana for ufalme kingdom wa of mbinguni in-heaven ni is wao theirs
F-A.1b Heri /ˈhe.ri/ blessedness walio /waˈli.o/ wa-li-o: 3PL-be-REL.CL2 maskini /maˈski.ni/ poor wa /wa/ of.CL2 roho /ˈro.ho/ spirit.CL9 Maana /maˈa.na/ because ufalme /uˈfal.me/ kingdom.CL14 wa /wa/ of.CL14 mbinguni /mbiˈŋɡu.ni/ mbingu-ni: heaven-LOC ni /ni/ COP wao /ˈwa.o/ their.CL14.POSS
F-A.2a Heri blessed wenye having huzuni sorrow Maana for hao those watafarijika they-will-be-comforted
F-A.2b Heri /ˈhe.ri/ blessedness wenye /ˈwe.ɲe/ having.CL2 huzuni /huˈzu.ni/ sorrow.CL9 Maana /maˈa.na/ because hao /ˈha.o/ DEM.CL2.REF watafarijika /wa.ta.fa.riˈd͡ʒi.ka/ wa-ta-farij-ik-a: 3PL-FUT-comfort-STAT-FV
F-A.3a Heri blessed wenye having upole gentleness Maana for hao those watairithi they-will-inherit-it nchi land
F-A.3b Heri /ˈhe.ri/ blessedness wenye /ˈwe.ɲe/ having.CL2 upole /uˈpo.le/ gentleness.CL14 Maana /maˈa.na/ because hao /ˈha.o/ DEM.CL2.REF watairithi /wa.ta.iˈri.θi/ wa-ta-i-rithi: 3PL-FUT-CL9.OBJ-inherit nchi /ˈn̩.t͡ʃi/ land.CL9
F-B: Original Text with Translation
F-B.1 Heri walio maskini wa roho; Maana ufalme wa mbinguni ni wao. → "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs."
F-B.2 Heri wenye huzuni; Maana hao watafarijika. → "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
F-B.3 Heri wenye upole; Maana hao watairithi nchi. → "Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth."
F-C: Original Text Only
Heri walio maskini wa roho; Maana ufalme wa mbinguni ni wao. Heri wenye huzuni; Maana hao watafarijika. Heri wenye upole; Maana hao watairithi nchi.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
The passage shows three ways of saying "they/their" in one sentence pattern.
- ni wao (v. 3): "is theirs." Ufalme (kingdom) is class 14, whose possessive concord is w-, so "their kingdom" is ufalme wao, and "the kingdom is theirs" is ufalme ni wao. The possessive happens to have the same form as the pronoun. The verse returns to the same words at the end of the series (v. 10), closing the Beatitudes. - hao (vv. 4–5): "those ones," the demonstrative of reference, pointing back to the people just named. Where English repeats "they," the translators chose hao, which is more pointed: "those are the ones who will be comforted." It is a characteristic of formal and biblical style. - wa- (vv. 4–5): the future verbs watafarijika and watairithi carry "they" in their prefix. Each verse therefore says "they" twice, once as hao and once in wa-. - walio (v. 3): wa-li-o, "(they) who are." It is the class 2 subject prefix with the relative -o on the copula -li. wenye (vv. 4–5) is "those having," the class 2 form of -enye. - watairithi contains two prefixes: wa- (they) and the object -i-, which refers ahead to nchi (class 9). In "they will inherit it, the land," the object prefix is used even though the object noun follows.
The rhythm of the translation depends on this repetition: Heri... ; Maana hao wata-... The balanced two-part line of the Greek survives in the Swahili, with hao as the hinge of each verse. The Greek also stresses its "they" (hoti autoi, "for they..."), where it could have left the pronoun inside the verb. hao keeps that emphasis in Swahili, which would likewise normally leave "they" to the prefix.
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Amina is helping her mother (Mama) prepare for a visit from her aunt (Shangazi) and uncle (Mjomba).
Part A: Interlinear Text
24.16a AMINA: Mama mum shangazi aunt na and mjomba uncle wanakuja they-are-coming leo today
24.16b Mama /ˈma.ma/ mother.CL1 shangazi /ʃaˈŋɡa.zi/ aunt.CL1 na /na/ and mjomba /m̩ˈd͡ʒo.mba/ uncle.CL1 wanakuja /wa.naˈku.d͡ʒa/ wa-na-kuja: 3PL-PRES-come leo /ˈle.o/ today
24.17a MAMA: Ndiyo yes wao they watafika they-will-arrive jioni evening kwa by basi bus
24.17b Ndiyo /ˈndi.jo/ yes wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON watafika /wa.taˈfi.ka/ wa-ta-fik-a: 3PL-FUT-arrive-FV jioni /d͡ʒiˈo.ni/ evening.CL9 kwa /kwa/ by basi /ˈba.si/ bus.CL9
24.18a AMINA: Je Q watoto children wao their watakuja they-will-come nao with-them
24.18b Je /d͡ʒe/ Q watoto /waˈto.to/ child.CL2.PL wao /ˈwa.o/ their.CL2.POSS watakuja /wa.taˈku.d͡ʒa/ wa-ta-kuja: 3PL-FUT-come nao /ˈna.o/ na-o: with-3PL.REF
24.19a MAMA: Hapana no watoto children wao their wamebaki they-have-stayed Mombasa Mombasa na with bibi grandmother yao their
24.19b Hapana /haˈpa.na/ no watoto /waˈto.to/ child.CL2.PL wao /ˈwa.o/ their.CL2.POSS wamebaki /wa.meˈba.ki/ wa-me-baki: 3PL-PERF-remain Mombasa /moˈmba.sa/ Mombasa na /na/ with bibi /ˈbi.bi/ grandmother.CL9 yao /ˈja.o/ their.CL9.POSS
24.20a AMINA: Wao they hupenda usually-like chakula food gani which
24.20b Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON hupenda /huˈpe.nda/ hu-pend-a: HAB-like-FV chakula /t͡ʃaˈku.la/ food.CL7 gani /ˈɡa.ni/ which
24.21a MAMA: Wao they hupenda usually-like wali rice na and samaki fish
24.21b Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON hupenda /huˈpe.nda/ hu-pend-a: HAB-like-FV wali /ˈwa.li/ cooked.rice na /na/ and samaki /saˈma.ki/ fish.CL9
24.22a AMINA: Basi then nitawapikia I-will-cook-for-them wali rice mimi I mwenyewe myself
24.22b Basi /ˈba.si/ well.then nitawapikia /ni.ta.wa.piˈki.a/ ni-ta-wa-pik-i-a: 1SG-FUT-3PL.OBJ-cook-APPL-FV wali /ˈwa.li/ cooked.rice mimi /ˈmi.mi/ 1SG.PRON mwenyewe /mweˈɲe.we/ self.CL1
24.23a MAMA: Vizuri good Lakini but wao they hawali they-do-not-eat pilipili chilli
24.23b Vizuri /viˈzu.ri/ good Lakini /laˈki.ni/ but wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON hawali /haˈwa.li/ ha-wa-l-i: NEG-3PL-eat-NEG.PRES pilipili /pi.liˈpi.li/ pepper.CL9
24.24a AMINA: Sawa okay Nitawaandikia I-will-write-to-them ujumbe message kuwauliza to-ask-them wanataka they-want nini what
24.24b Sawa /ˈsa.wa/ fine Nitawaandikia /ni.ta.wa.a.ndiˈki.a/ ni-ta-wa-andik-i-a: 1SG-FUT-3PL.OBJ-write-APPL-FV ujumbe /uˈd͡ʒu.mbe/ message.CL11 kuwauliza /ku.wa.uˈli.za/ ku-wa-uliz-a: INF-3PL.OBJ-ask-FV wanataka /wa.naˈta.ka/ wa-na-tak-a: 3PL-PRES-want-FV nini /ˈni.ni/ what
24.25a MAMA: Usiwasumbue do-not-bother-them wao they wako they-are safarini on-the-journey sasa now
24.25b Usiwasumbue /u.si.wa.suˈmbu.e/ u-si-wa-sumbu-e: 2SG-NEG-3PL.OBJ-bother-SBJV wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON wako /ˈwa.ko/ wa-ko: 3PL-be.LOC safarini /sa.faˈri.ni/ safari-ni: journey-LOC sasa /ˈsa.sa/ now
Jioni. (Evening.)
24.26a AMINA: Mama mum wamefika they-have-arrived Ni it-is wao they mlangoni at-the-door
24.26b Mama /ˈma.ma/ mother.CL1 wamefika /wa.meˈfi.ka/ wa-me-fik-a: 3PL-PERF-arrive-FV Ni /ni/ COP wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON mlangoni /m̩.laˈŋɡo.ni/ mlango-ni: door-LOC
24.27a MAMA: Wakaribishe welcome-them ndani inside mwanangu my-child
24.27b Wakaribishe /wa.ka.riˈbi.ʃe/ wa-karibish-e: 3PL.OBJ-welcome-SBJV ndani /ˈnda.ni/ inside mwanangu /mwaˈna.ŋɡu/ mwana-angu: child-my
24.28a SHANGAZI: Asanteni thank-you-all Watoto children wetu our wanawasalimu they-greet-you nyote all-of-you
24.28b Asanteni /a.saˈnte.ni/ asante-ni: thanks-PL Watoto /waˈto.to/ child.CL2.PL wetu /ˈwe.tu/ our.CL2.POSS wanawasalimu /wa.na.wa.saˈli.mu/ wa-na-wa-salimu: 3PL-PRES-2PL.OBJ-greet nyote /ˈɲo.te/ all.2PL
24.29a AMINA: Nao and-they je Q hawajambo are-they-well
24.29b Nao /ˈna.o/ na-o: and-3PL.REF je /d͡ʒe/ Q hawajambo /ha.waˈd͡ʒa.mbo/ ha-wa-jambo: NEG-3PL-matter (= they are well)
24.30a MJOMBA: Hawajambo they-are-well kabisa completely Wao they wanawakumbuka they-remember-you sana very-much
24.30b Hawajambo /ha.waˈd͡ʒa.mbo/ ha-wa-jambo: NEG-3PL-matter kabisa /kaˈbi.sa/ completely Wao /ˈwa.o/ 3PL.PRON wanawakumbuka /wa.na.wa.kuˈmbu.ka/ wa-na-wa-kumbuk-a: 3PL-PRES-2PL.OBJ-remember-FV sana /ˈsa.na/ very
Part B: Natural Sentences
24.16 AMINA: Mama, shangazi na mjomba wanakuja leo? → "Mum, are Aunt and Uncle coming today?"
24.17 MAMA: Ndiyo, wao watafika jioni kwa basi. → "Yes, they'll arrive this evening by bus."
24.18 AMINA: Je, watoto wao watakuja nao? → "Will their children come with them?"
24.19 MAMA: Hapana, watoto wao wamebaki Mombasa na bibi yao. → "No, their children have stayed in Mombasa with their grandmother."
24.20 AMINA: Wao hupenda chakula gani? → "What food do they like?"
24.21 MAMA: Wao hupenda wali na samaki. → "They like rice and fish."
24.22 AMINA: Basi, nitawapikia wali mimi mwenyewe. → "Then I'll cook the rice for them myself."
24.23 MAMA: Vizuri. Lakini wao hawali pilipili. → "Good. But they don't eat chilli."
24.24 AMINA: Sawa. Nitawaandikia ujumbe kuwauliza wanataka nini. → "OK. I'll send them a message to ask what they want."
24.25 MAMA: Usiwasumbue; wao wako safarini sasa. → "Don't bother them; they're on the road now."
24.26 AMINA: Mama, wamefika! Ni wao mlangoni! → "Mum, they've arrived! It's them at the door!"
24.27 MAMA: Wakaribishe ndani, mwanangu. → "Bring them in, my child."
24.28 SHANGAZI: Asanteni! Watoto wetu wanawasalimu nyote. → "Thank you both! Our children send greetings to you all."
24.29 AMINA: Nao je, hawajambo? → "And how are they? Are they well?"
24.30 MJOMBA: Hawajambo kabisa. Wao wanawakumbuka sana. → "They're very well. They miss you very much."
Part C: Target Language Only
24.16 AMINA: Mama, shangazi na mjomba wanakuja leo?
24.17 MAMA: Ndiyo, wao watafika jioni kwa basi.
24.18 AMINA: Je, watoto wao watakuja nao?
24.19 MAMA: Hapana, watoto wao wamebaki Mombasa na bibi yao.
24.20 AMINA: Wao hupenda chakula gani?
24.21 MAMA: Wao hupenda wali na samaki.
24.22 AMINA: Basi, nitawapikia wali mimi mwenyewe.
24.23 MAMA: Vizuri. Lakini wao hawali pilipili.
24.24 AMINA: Sawa. Nitawaandikia ujumbe kuwauliza wanataka nini.
24.25 MAMA: Usiwasumbue; wao wako safarini sasa.
24.26 AMINA: Mama, wamefika! Ni wao mlangoni!
24.27 MAMA: Wakaribishe ndani, mwanangu.
24.28 SHANGAZI: Asanteni! Watoto wetu wanawasalimu nyote.
24.29 AMINA: Nao je, hawajambo?
24.30 MJOMBA: Hawajambo kabisa. Wao wanawakumbuka sana.
Part D: Grammar Notes on the Dialogue
- The prefix carries the meaning. In 24.16 and 24.26, "they" is only the prefix wa-: wanakuja, wamefika. The dialogue uses wao where there is emphasis or where the habitual hu- needs a subject (24.20–24.21). - Two meanings of wao. In 24.18 and 24.19, watoto wao is "their children" (possessive). In 24.17, 24.23 and 24.25, wao is "they" (pronoun). The class 9 noun bibi takes yao (24.19); kinship nouns such as bibi, mama and shangazi take class 9 possessives (mama yangu, "my mother") even though their verbs take the people concord. - Object prefix plus applicative. nitawapikia (24.22) = ni-ta-wa-pik-i-a, "I will cook for them"; nitawaandikia (24.24), "I will write to them." The applicative suffix -i- adds "for/to," and -wa- names the people it is done for. - Commands with an object. A command with an object prefix ends in -e: wakaribishe (24.27), "welcome them," from karibisha. The negative command is usi-...-e: usiwasumbue (24.25), "don't bother them." - -ko of location. wako safarini (24.25): wa- + -ko, "they are (somewhere)," used for location and state. - -wa- for "you all." In 24.28 and 24.30, wanawasalimu and wanawakumbuka have -wa- meaning "you (plural)," because the guests are speaking to Amina and her mother. The first wa- is the subject (they), the second is the object (you all). Only context separates this object from "them"; nyote (24.28) settles it. - Asking after absent people. Nao je, hawajambo? (24.29): nao is "and they," je marks the question, and hawajambo is the plural of the greeting hujambo ("are you well?", literally "you have no matter?"). The answer repeats it: Hawajambo, "they are well." - hawali (24.23): the negative present of kula drops the ku-: ha-wa-l-i, "they don't eat." Compare the noun wali, rice, in the line before.
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Vowels. Swahili has five pure vowels, always pronounced the same: a /a/ (father), e /e/ (bed), i /i/ (machine), o /o/ (Spanish no), u /u/ (rule). There are no silent letters. Vowels next to each other are pronounced separately: wao /ˈwa.o/, jioni /d͡ʒiˈo.ni/, saidia /sa.iˈdi.a/, wazee /waˈze.e/.
Stress. Always on the next-to-last syllable. It moves as words grow: WA-o, wa-TO-to, wa-na-wa-ka-ri-BI-sha.
Consonant spellings to know from this lesson:
- ch = /t͡ʃ/: chai, chakula, chao - j = /d͡ʒ/: jana, jioni, hawajui - ny = /ɲ/ (one sound, as in Spanish ñ): nyumba, wenyewe, nyote - sh = /ʃ/: shida, shuleni, karibisha - th = /θ/ (as in "think"): watairithi - ng = /ŋɡ/: tangu, mlangoni, shangazi; the separate sound /ŋ/ alone is written ng' with an apostrophe (ng'ombe, cow), the only special mark in Swahili spelling - mb, nd, nz = prenasalised sounds pronounced as one unit at the start of a syllable: nyumba /ˈɲu.mba/, ndani /ˈnda.ni/, wanafunzi /wa.naˈfu.nzi/ - m and n before a consonant at the start of a word can be a syllable of their own: mvua /m̩ˈvu.a/, mkunjufu /m̩.kuˈɲd͡ʒu.fu/, nchi /ˈn̩.t͡ʃi/
r and l. Swahili r is a light tap or trill, never the English r: vizuri, heri, safarini. Swahili l is always a clear l, as in "leaf": walimu, wali, pilipili. Keep the two apart.
Orthography. Swahili is written in the Latin alphabet with no accents. The letters q and x are not used. Capital letters are used as in English, for names and sentence beginnings, and for language names: Kiswahili.
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