English "his" → Swahili "-ake" (wake, yake, lake, chake, vyake, zake, kwake …) – Possessive, Third Person Singular (his, her, its)
What does "his" mean in Swahili?
English "his" tells you two things at once: that something belongs to one person, and that the person is male. Swahili tells you two different things. The stem -ake (pronounced AH-keh) says that the thing belongs to one person or one thing, "he", "she" or "it"; and its first sound changes to agree with the thing owned, according to that noun's class. So "his book" is kitabu chake, "his house" is nyumba yake, "his name" is jina lake, and "his children" is watoto wake. The form most often met is yake, the one used with class 9 nouns such as nyumba, "house", simu, "phone", and kazi, "work".
Three points differ from English:
- No "his" and "her". Swahili has no gender. Jina lake is "his name", "her name" or "its name": the sentence or the situation tells you which. Mama yake is "his mother" or "her mother". When it matters, name the owner instead: kitabu cha Juma, "Juma's book". - It agrees with what is owned, not with the owner. English "his" is the same word before every noun. Swahili changes the first sound of -ake to match the class of the noun owned: ch-ake with a class 7 noun (kitabu chake), vy-ake with class 8 (vitabu vyake), l-ake with class 5 (gari lake). - It comes after the noun. English says "his car"; Swahili says gari lake, "car his". If there is an adjective too, the possessive comes first: gari lake jipya, "his new car".
-ake belongs to the set of possessive stems you have already met in passing: -angu "my" (rafiki yangu), -ako "your" (dada yako, Lesson 27), -etu "our" (gari letu, Lesson 27). All of them take the same agreeing first sounds. -ake is the one for a single third person.
- -ake = his, her or its; Swahili does not show the owner's sex. - It comes after the noun and agrees with the thing owned: jina lake, kitabu chake, nyumba yake, watoto wake. - Before an adjective: gari lake jipya, "his new car". - On its own after ni: Ni yake, "It is his"; si yangu, ni yake, "it's not mine, it's his". - With a place in -ni: nyumbani kwake, "at his home"; and the fixed phrase peke yake, "alone, by himself".
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-ake /ˈa.ke/: AH-keh. Two syllables, stress on the first; the e is as in "bed", never silent.
The agreeing forms all keep the stress on the a:
- wake /ˈwa.ke/: WAH-keh (classes 1, 2, 3 and 11: mtoto wake, watoto wake, moyo wake) - yake /ˈja.ke/: YAH-keh (classes 4, 6 and 9: misingi yake, madaftari yake, nyumba yake) - lake /ˈla.ke/: LAH-keh (class 5: jina lake) - chake /ˈt͡ʃa.ke/: CHAH-keh (class 7: kitabu chake) - vyake /ˈvja.ke/: VYAH-keh (class 8: vitabu vyake); vy is one sound, a v gliding into y - zake /ˈza.ke/: ZAH-keh (class 10: funguo zake) - kwake /ˈkwa.ke/: KWAH-keh (place, class 17: nyumbani kwake)
Other words from this lesson:
- peke yake /ˈpe.ke ˈja.ke/: PEH-keh YAH-keh, "alone" - alimpigia /a.li.m̩.piˈɡi.a/: a-li-m-pi-GI-a, "he phoned him/her"; the m is a syllable of its own - kompyuta /komˈpju.ta/: kom-PYU-ta, "computer" - mgonjwa /m̩ˈɡo.nd͡ʒwa/: m-GO-njwa, "sick person, patient"
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28.1a Jina name lake his ni is Juma Juma
28.1b Jina /ˈd͡ʒi.na/ name.CL5 lake /ˈla.ke/ his.CL5.POSS ni /ni/ COP (is) Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma
28.2a Hiki this ni is kitabu book chake his
28.2b Hiki /ˈhi.ki/ this.CL7.DEM ni /ni/ COP (is) kitabu /kiˈta.bu/ book.CL7 chake /ˈt͡ʃa.ke/ his.CL7.POSS
28.3a Nyumba house yake his ni is kubwa big
28.3b Nyumba /ˈɲu.mba/ house.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS ni /ni/ COP (is) kubwa /ˈku.bwa/ big.CL9
28.4a Baba father yake his ni is mwalimu teacher
28.4b Baba /ˈba.ba/ father.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS ni /ni/ COP (is) mwalimu /mwaˈli.mu/ teacher.CL1
28.5a Watoto children wake his wanacheza they-are-playing
28.5b Watoto /waˈto.to/ child.CL2 wake /ˈwa.ke/ his.CL2.POSS wanacheza /wa.naˈt͡ʃe.za/ wa-na-chez-a: CL2-PRES-play-FV
28.6a Juma Juma anaosha he-washes gari car lake his jipya new kila every Jumamosi Saturday
28.6b Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma anaosha /a.naˈo.ʃa/ a-na-osh-a: 3SG-PRES-wash-FV gari /ˈɡa.ri/ car.CL5 lake /ˈla.ke/ his.CL5.POSS jipya /ˈd͡ʒi.pja/ new.CL5 kila /ˈki.la/ every Jumamosi /d͡ʒu.maˈmo.si/ Saturday.CL9
28.7a Mwalimu teacher alisahau he-forgot kofia hat yake his darasani in-the-classroom
28.7b Mwalimu /mwaˈli.mu/ teacher.CL1 alisahau /a.li.saˈha.u/ a-li-sahau: 3SG-PAST-forget kofia /koˈfi.a/ hat.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS darasani /da.raˈsa.ni/ darasa-ni: classroom.CL5-LOC
28.8a Rafiki friends zake his wanakuja they-are-coming nyumbani at-home kwake his leo today jioni evening
28.8b Rafiki /raˈfi.ki/ friend.CL10 zake /ˈza.ke/ his.CL10.POSS wanakuja /wa.naˈku.d͡ʒa/ wa-na-kuj-a: 3PL-PRES-come-FV nyumbani /ɲuˈmba.ni/ nyumba-ni: house.CL9-LOC kwake /ˈkwa.ke/ his.LOC17.POSS leo /ˈle.o/ today jioni /d͡ʒiˈo.ni/ evening.CL9
28.9a Simu phone hii this si is-not yangu mine ni is yake his
28.9b Simu /ˈsi.mu/ phone.CL9 hii /ˈhi.i/ this.CL9.DEM si /si/ COP.NEG (is not) yangu /ˈja.ŋɡu/ my.CL9.POSS (= mine) ni /ni/ COP (is) yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS (= his)
28.10a Je QUESTION unajua you-know jina name la of mke wife wake his
28.10b Je /d͡ʒe/ Q (question particle) unajua /u.naˈd͡ʒu.a/ u-na-jua: 2SG-PRES-know jina /ˈd͡ʒi.na/ name.CL5 la /la/ of.CL5 mke /ˈm̩.ke/ wife.CL1 wake /ˈwa.ke/ his.CL1.POSS
28.11a Juma Juma alimpigia he-phoned simu phone dada sister yake his kumwambia to-tell-her kwamba that amepata he-has-got kazi job mpya new
28.11b Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma alimpigia /a.li.m̩.piˈɡi.a/ a-li-m-pig-i-a: 3SG-PAST-3SG.OBJ-hit-APPL-FV simu /ˈsi.mu/ phone.CL9 (kupigia simu = to phone) dada /ˈda.da/ sister.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS kumwambia /ku.mwaˈmbi.a/ ku-mw-ambi-a: INF-3SG.OBJ-tell-FV kwamba /ˈkwa.mba/ that amepata /a.meˈpa.ta/ a-me-pat-a: 3SG-PERF-get-FV kazi /ˈka.zi/ work.CL9 mpya /ˈm̩.pja/ new.CL9
28.12a Mzee old-man yule that anaishi he-lives peke alone yake his katika in nyumba house ndogo small karibu near na with shamba farm lake his
28.12b Mzee /m̩ˈze.e/ elder.CL1 yule /ˈju.le/ that.CL1.DEM anaishi /a.naˈi.ʃi/ a-na-ishi: 3SG-PRES-live peke /ˈpe.ke/ alone yake /ˈja.ke/ his.POSS (peke yake = by himself) katika /kaˈti.ka/ in nyumba /ˈɲu.mba/ house.CL9 ndogo /ˈndo.ɡo/ small.CL9 karibu /kaˈri.bu/ near na /na/ with (karibu na = near) shamba /ˈʃa.mba/ farm.CL5 lake /ˈla.ke/ his.CL5.POSS
28.13a Mwanafunzi student huyu this amesahau he-has-forgotten madaftari exercise-books yake his kwa for hiyo that hawezi he-cannot kufanya to-do kazi work zake his za of nyumbani home
28.13b Mwanafunzi /mwa.naˈfu.nzi/ student.CL1 huyu /ˈhu.ju/ this.CL1.DEM amesahau /a.me.saˈha.u/ a-me-sahau: 3SG-PERF-forget madaftari /ma.dafˈta.ri/ exercise.book.CL6 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL6.POSS kwa /kwa/ for (kwa hiyo = so) hiyo /ˈhi.jo/ that.CL9.REF hawezi /haˈwe.zi/ ha-wez-i: 3SG.NEG-be.able-NEG kufanya /kuˈfa.ɲa/ ku-fany-a: INF-do-FV kazi /ˈka.zi/ work.CL10 zake /ˈza.ke/ his.CL10.POSS za /za/ of.CL10 nyumbani /ɲuˈmba.ni/ nyumba-ni: house.CL9-LOC (kazi za nyumbani = homework)
28.14a Daktari doctor alimwambia he-told mgonjwa patient kwamba that moyo heart wake his una it-has nguvu strength lakini but lazima necessary apunguze he-should-reduce sukari sugar katika in chakula food chake his
28.14b Daktari /dakˈta.ri/ doctor.CL9 alimwambia /a.li.mwaˈmbi.a/ a-li-mw-ambi-a: 3SG-PAST-3SG.OBJ-tell-FV mgonjwa /m̩ˈɡo.nd͡ʒwa/ patient.CL1 kwamba /ˈkwa.mba/ that moyo /ˈmo.jo/ heart.CL3 wake /ˈwa.ke/ his.CL3.POSS una /ˈu.na/ u-na: CL3-have nguvu /ˈŋɡu.vu/ strength.CL10 lakini /laˈki.ni/ but lazima /laˈzi.ma/ must apunguze /a.puˈŋɡu.ze/ a-pungu-z-e: 3SG-reduce-CAUS-SBJV sukari /suˈka.ri/ sugar.CL9 katika /kaˈti.ka/ in chakula /t͡ʃaˈku.la/ food.CL7 chake /ˈt͡ʃa.ke/ his.CL7.POSS
28.15a Baada after ya of kumaliza finishing masomo studies yake his ya of chuo college kikuu great Baraka Baraka alirudi he-returned kijijini to-the-village kwake his kuwasaidia to-help-them wazazi parents wake his shambani on-the-farm
28.15b Baada /baˈa.da/ after ya /ja/ of (baada ya = after) kumaliza /ku.maˈli.za/ ku-maliz-a: INF-finish-FV masomo /maˈso.mo/ studies.CL6 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL6.POSS ya /ja/ of.CL6 chuo /ˈt͡ʃu.o/ college.CL7 kikuu /kiˈku.u/ great.CL7 (chuo kikuu = university) Baraka /baˈra.ka/ Baraka alirudi /a.liˈru.di/ a-li-rudi: 3SG-PAST-return kijijini /ki.d͡ʒiˈd͡ʒi.ni/ kijiji-ni: village.CL7-LOC kwake /ˈkwa.ke/ his.LOC17.POSS kuwasaidia /ku.wa.sa.iˈdi.a/ ku-wa-saidi-a: INF-3PL.OBJ-help-FV wazazi /waˈza.zi/ parent.CL2 wake /ˈwa.ke/ his.CL2.POSS shambani /ʃaˈmba.ni/ shamba-ni: farm.CL5-LOC
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28.1 Jina lake ni Juma. → "His name is Juma."
28.2 Hiki ni kitabu chake. → "This is his book."
28.3 Nyumba yake ni kubwa. → "His house is big."
28.4 Baba yake ni mwalimu. → "His father is a teacher."
28.5 Watoto wake wanacheza. → "His children are playing."
28.6 Juma anaosha gari lake jipya kila Jumamosi. → "Juma washes his new car every Saturday."
28.7 Mwalimu alisahau kofia yake darasani. → "The teacher forgot his hat in the classroom."
28.8 Rafiki zake wanakuja nyumbani kwake leo jioni. → "His friends are coming to his home this evening."
28.9 Simu hii si yangu, ni yake. → "This phone isn't mine, it's his."
28.10 Je, unajua jina la mke wake? → "Do you know his wife's name?"
28.11 Juma alimpigia simu dada yake kumwambia kwamba amepata kazi mpya. → "Juma phoned his sister to tell her that he has got a new job."
28.12 Mzee yule anaishi peke yake katika nyumba ndogo karibu na shamba lake. → "That old man lives alone in a small house near his farm."
28.13 Mwanafunzi huyu amesahau madaftari yake, kwa hiyo hawezi kufanya kazi zake za nyumbani. → "This student has forgotten his exercise books, so he can't do his homework."
28.14 Daktari alimwambia mgonjwa kwamba moyo wake una nguvu, lakini lazima apunguze sukari katika chakula chake. → "The doctor told the patient that his heart is strong, but that he must cut down the sugar in his food."
28.15 Baada ya kumaliza masomo yake ya chuo kikuu, Baraka alirudi kijijini kwake kuwasaidia wazazi wake shambani. → "After finishing his university studies, Baraka went back to his village to help his parents on the farm."
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28.1 Jina lake ni Juma.
28.2 Hiki ni kitabu chake.
28.3 Nyumba yake ni kubwa.
28.4 Baba yake ni mwalimu.
28.5 Watoto wake wanacheza.
28.6 Juma anaosha gari lake jipya kila Jumamosi.
28.7 Mwalimu alisahau kofia yake darasani.
28.8 Rafiki zake wanakuja nyumbani kwake leo jioni.
28.9 Simu hii si yangu, ni yake.
28.10 Je, unajua jina la mke wake?
28.11 Juma alimpigia simu dada yake kumwambia kwamba amepata kazi mpya.
28.12 Mzee yule anaishi peke yake katika nyumba ndogo karibu na shamba lake.
28.13 Mwanafunzi huyu amesahau madaftari yake, kwa hiyo hawezi kufanya kazi zake za nyumbani.
28.14 Daktari alimwambia mgonjwa kwamba moyo wake una nguvu, lakini lazima apunguze sukari katika chakula chake.
28.15 Baada ya kumaliza masomo yake ya chuo kikuu, Baraka alirudi kijijini kwake kuwasaidia wazazi wake shambani.
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These are the grammar rules for -ake and "his" in Swahili:
1. The stem and its agreement. "His", "her" and "its" are all the stem -ake. Its first sound is the possessive prefix of the class of the noun owned, never of the owner. The forms are:
- class 1 (mtu, mke, mzee): wake: mke wake (28.10) - class 2 (watu, watoto, wazazi): wake: watoto wake (28.5), wazazi wake (28.15) - class 3 (mti, moyo, mkoba): wake: moyo wake (28.14), mkoba wake (28.18) - class 4 (miti, misingi): yake: misingi yake (Section F) - class 5 (jina, gari, shamba): lake: jina lake (28.1), gari lake (28.6), shamba lake (28.12) - class 6 (majina, madaftari, masomo): yake: madaftari yake (28.13), masomo yake (28.15) - class 7 (kitabu, chakula, kiti): chake: kitabu chake (28.2), chakula chake (28.14), kiti chake (28.24) - class 8 (vitabu, vitu): vyake: vitabu vyake (28.20), vitu vyake (28.27) - class 9 (nyumba, simu, kofia): yake: nyumba yake (28.3), kofia yake (28.7) - class 10 (nyumba "houses", funguo, kazi "jobs"): zake: funguo zake (28.20), kazi zake (28.13) - class 11 (ufunguo "key"): wake: ufunguo wake, "his key" - place, class 17: kwake: nyumbani kwake (28.8), kijijini kwake (28.15)
Because wake and yake each serve several classes, the noun usually decides the meaning: watoto wake is "his children" because watoto is plural.
2. No gender. -ake stands for any single owner: a man, a woman, an animal or a thing. In 28.4 baba yake is "his father"; in the dialogue, namba yake (28.26) is "her number", the mother's; in Section F, misingi yake is "its foundations", the house's. Context decides. To be unmistakable, name the owner with the -a of possession: kitabu cha Juma, "Juma's book"; mkoba wa Juma (28.27), "Juma's bag".
3. Word order. The possessive follows its noun directly, and other adjectives come after it: gari lake jipya (28.6), "his new car"; kazi zake za nyumbani (28.13), "his homework", literally "his works of home".
4. Family and friends. Words for relatives and friends such as baba, mama, dada and rafiki are class 9 in form, and the possessive normally takes the class 9 form: baba yake (28.4), dada yake (28.11), mama yake (28.18). In the plural they take class 10: rafiki zake (28.8), "his friends". You will also hear rafiki wake, with the class 1 form for a person; rafiki yake is the form taught here.
5. "His" on its own. After ni or si, the possessive stands alone, agreeing with the noun understood: Simu hii si yangu, ni yake (28.9), "This phone isn't mine, it's his"; of a book, ni chake, "it's his".
6. Places: kwake. A noun of place in -ni takes kwake: nyumbani kwake, "at (or to) his home" (28.8, 28.22); kijijini kwake, "to his village" (28.15). On its own, kwake means "at his place", as kwa in Lesson 26 means "at someone's".
7. peke yake. "Alone, by himself, by herself" is peke yake (28.12). The same phrase changes with the person: peke yangu, "by myself"; peke yako, "by yourself".
Common Mistakes
- Putting the possessive first. ✗ yake nyumba ✓ nyumba yake, "his house". - Using yake for every noun. ✗ kitabu yake, ✗ jina yake ✓ kitabu chake, jina lake. Match the class of the thing owned. - Agreeing with the owner. ✗ watoto yake ("his children", thinking of the man as owner) ✓ watoto wake: the agreement is with watoto, class 2. - Looking for a word for "her". There is none: ✓ mama yake is "his mother" or "her mother". Do not use -ao for one woman; -ao is "their". - Adjective before the possessive. ✗ gari jipya lake ✓ gari lake jipya.
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Family words come with an owner. In Swahili one rarely says mama or baba without saying whose: mama yake, baba yake, mke wake, mume wake ("her husband"). Because -ake does not show sex, mke wake ("his wife") and mume wake ("her husband") are told apart by the noun, not by the possessive.
Short forms in writing and speech. With a few nouns -ake is fused to the end of the noun. The most common is mwenzake, "his (or her) companion, colleague", from mwenzi + -ake, heard every day: Juma na mwenzake, "Juma and his companion". The Bible has Mwanawe, "his Son", from mwana + -ake (Yohana 3:16 in the Union Version). The learner should recognise these and use the full forms: mtoto wake, rafiki yake.
Varieties. Standard Swahili (Kiswahili sanifu), the form taught here, is based on the speech of Zanzibar town. The possessive forms are the same in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. In writing and in this course, always keep the class agreement.
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Source: Maandiko Matakatifu ya Mungu Yaitwayo Biblia (Swahili Union Version, 1952), Mathayo (Matthew) 7:24–26, the end of the Sermon on the Mount: the wise man and the foolish man who build their houses. The same phrase, nyumba yake, "his house", stands in both halves of the parable. Text checked against two independent copies (wordproject.org and bible.com, SUV). Lines F-A.1 and F-A.3 are taken from the ends of verses 24 and 26, and line F-A.2 from the end of verse 25.
F-A: Interlinear Text
F-A.1a mtu man mwenye having akili intelligence aliyejenga who-built nyumba house yake his juu top ya of mwamba rock
F-A.1b mtu /ˈm̩.tu/ person.CL1 mwenye /ˈmwe.ɲe/ having.CL1 (mtu mwenye akili = a wise man) akili /aˈki.li/ intelligence.CL9 aliyejenga /a.li.jeˈd͡ʒe.ŋɡa/ a-li-ye-jeng-a: 3SG-PAST-REL.CL1-build-FV nyumba /ˈɲu.mba/ house.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS juu /ˈd͡ʒu.u/ top, above ya /ja/ of (juu ya = on) mwamba /ˈmwa.mba/ rock.CL3
F-A.2a kwa for maana meaning misingi foundations yake its imewekwa has-been-placed juu top ya of mwamba rock
F-A.2b kwa /kwa/ for maana /maˈa.na/ meaning.CL9 (kwa maana = because) misingi /miˈsi.ŋɡi/ foundation.CL4 yake /ˈja.ke/ its.CL4.POSS imewekwa /i.meˈwe.kwa/ i-me-wek-w-a: CL4-PERF-put-PASS-FV juu /ˈd͡ʒu.u/ top, above ya /ja/ of (juu ya = on) mwamba /ˈmwa.mba/ rock.CL3
F-A.3a mtu man mpumbavu foolish aliyejenga who-built nyumba house yake his juu top ya of mchanga sand
F-A.3b mtu /ˈm̩.tu/ person.CL1 mpumbavu /m̩.puˈmba.vu/ foolish.CL1 aliyejenga /a.li.jeˈd͡ʒe.ŋɡa/ a-li-ye-jeng-a: 3SG-PAST-REL.CL1-build-FV nyumba /ˈɲu.mba/ house.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS juu /ˈd͡ʒu.u/ top, above ya /ja/ of (juu ya = on) mchanga /m̩ˈt͡ʃa.ŋɡa/ sand.CL3
F-B: Original Text with Translation
F-B.1 … mtu mwenye akili, aliyejenga nyumba yake juu ya mwamba; (Mathayo 7:24) → "… a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:"
F-B.2 … kwa maana misingi yake imewekwa juu ya mwamba. (Mathayo 7:25) → "… for it was founded upon a rock."
F-B.3 … mtu mpumbavu, aliyejenga nyumba yake juu ya mchanga; (Mathayo 7:26) → "… a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:"
F-C: Original Text Only
Basi kila asikiaye hayo maneno yangu, na kuyafanya, atafananishwa na mtu mwenye akili, aliyejenga nyumba yake juu ya mwamba; mvua ikanyesha, mafuriko yakaja, pepo zikavuma, zikaipiga nyumba ile, isianguke; kwa maana misingi yake imewekwa juu ya mwamba. Na kila asikiaye hayo maneno yangu asiyafanye, atafananishwa na mtu mpumbavu, aliyejenga nyumba yake juu ya mchanga;
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
- nyumba yake, twice. The parable turns on one repeated phrase: both men build nyumba yake, "his house"; only the ground differs, mwamba or mchanga. Yake is the class 9 form because nyumba is class 9 (28.3). - misingi yake: "its", not "his". In verse 25 yake points back to the house: "its foundations". The form is yake again, but now for a different reason: misingi is class 4, which also takes y-. The same stem gives "his" in verse 24 and "its" in verse 25, as rule 2 of Section D says. - mwenye akili. Mwenye means "having", and mtu mwenye akili is "a person having intelligence", that is, "a wise man". It agrees with mtu, class 1. - aliyejenga: a relative verb. The -ye- after the tense makes the verb a relative, "who built", as in aliyekuja, "who came" (Lesson 27, 27.14). - Narrative -ka-. In the middle of the passage, mvua ikanyesha, mafuriko yakaja, pepo zikavuma, "the rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew", each verb carries the narrative -ka- met in Lessons 25 to 27. - juu ya. "On top of", literally "the top of": juu ya mwamba, "upon a rock".
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A constructed exchange of phone messages between two friends, Neema and Baraka, about their friend Juma, who has left his bag on the bus. Almost every message uses -ake, with the noun classes of the things in the bag, and one message shows that the same yake also means "her".
Part A: Interlinear Text
28.16a Neema Neema Habari news Baraka Baraka Umemwona have-you-seen-him Juma Juma leo today
28.16b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Habari /haˈba.ri/ news.CL9 (= hello) Baraka /baˈra.ka/ Baraka Umemwona /u.meˈmwo.na/ u-me-mw-on-a: 2SG-PERF-3SG.OBJ-see-FV Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma leo /ˈle.o/ today
28.17a Baraka Baraka Nzuri good Hapana no sijamwona I-have-not-yet-seen-him Simu phone yake his imezimwa has-been-switched-off tangu since asubuhi morning
28.17b Baraka /baˈra.ka/ Baraka Nzuri /ˈnzu.ri/ good.CL9 Hapana /haˈpa.na/ no sijamwona /si.d͡ʒaˈmwo.na/ si-ja-mw-on-a: 1SG.NEG-NOT.YET-3SG.OBJ-see-FV Simu /ˈsi.mu/ phone.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS imezimwa /i.meˈzi.mwa/ i-me-zim-w-a: CL9-PERF-switch.off-PASS-FV tangu /ˈta.ŋɡu/ since asubuhi /a.suˈbu.hi/ morning.CL9
28.18a Neema Neema Mama mother yake his amenipigia she-has-phoned-me simu phone Juma Juma alisahau he-forgot mkoba bag wake his kwenye in basi bus jana yesterday
28.18b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Mama /ˈma.ma/ mother.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS amenipigia /a.me.ni.piˈɡi.a/ a-me-ni-pig-i-a: 3SG-PERF-1SG.OBJ-hit-APPL-FV simu /ˈsi.mu/ phone.CL9 (kupigia simu = to phone) Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma alisahau /a.li.saˈha.u/ a-li-sahau: 3SG-PAST-forget mkoba /m̩ˈko.ba/ bag.CL3 wake /ˈwa.ke/ his.CL3.POSS kwenye /ˈkwe.ɲe/ kw-enye: LOC17-having (= in, on) basi /ˈba.si/ bus.CL5 jana /ˈd͡ʒa.na/ yesterday
28.19a Baraka Baraka Pole sorry sana very Kulikuwa there-was na with nini what ndani inside ya of mkoba bag wake his
28.19b Baraka /baˈra.ka/ Baraka Pole /ˈpo.le/ sorry (sympathy) sana /ˈsa.na/ very Kulikuwa /ku.liˈku.wa/ ku-li-ku-w-a: LOC17-PAST-(ku)-be-FV na /na/ with (kulikuwa na = there was) nini /ˈni.ni/ what ndani /ˈnda.ni/ inside ya /ja/ of (ndani ya = inside of) mkoba /m̩ˈko.ba/ bag.CL3 wake /ˈwa.ke/ his.CL3.POSS
28.20a Neema Neema Kompyuta computer yake his vitabu books vyake his na and funguo keys zake his zote all
28.20b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Kompyuta /komˈpju.ta/ computer.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS vitabu /viˈta.bu/ book.CL8 vyake /ˈvja.ke/ his.CL8.POSS na /na/ and funguo /fuˈŋɡu.o/ key.CL10 zake /ˈza.ke/ his.CL10.POSS zote /ˈzo.te/ all.CL10
28.21a Baraka Baraka Lo oh Na and pasipoti passport yake his Anasafiri he-travels Jumatatu Monday
28.21b Baraka /baˈra.ka/ Baraka Lo /lo/ oh! (surprise) Na /na/ and pasipoti /pa.siˈpo.ti/ passport.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS Anasafiri /a.na.saˈfi.ri/ a-na-safiri: 3SG-PRES-travel Jumatatu /d͡ʒu.maˈta.tu/ Monday.CL9
28.22a Neema Neema Hapana no pasipoti passport yake his iko it-is nyumbani at-home kwake his kwenye on meza table yake his
28.22b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Hapana /haˈpa.na/ no pasipoti /pa.siˈpo.ti/ passport.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS iko /ˈi.ko/ i-ko: CL9-be.located nyumbani /ɲuˈmba.ni/ nyumba-ni: house.CL9-LOC kwake /ˈkwa.ke/ his.LOC17.POSS kwenye /ˈkwe.ɲe/ kw-enye: LOC17-having (= on) meza /ˈme.za/ table.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS
28.23a Baraka Baraka Ni it-is basi bus gani what-kind Dereva driver wa of basi bus ni is rafiki friend yangu my
28.23b Baraka /baˈra.ka/ Baraka Ni /ni/ COP (it is) basi /ˈba.si/ bus.CL5 gani /ˈɡa.ni/ what.kind (invariable) Dereva /deˈre.va/ driver.CL1 wa /wa/ of.CL1 basi /ˈba.si/ bus.CL5 ni /ni/ COP (is) rafiki /raˈfi.ki/ friend.CL9 yangu /ˈja.ŋɡu/ my.CL9.POSS
28.24a Neema Neema Basi bus la of Moshi Moshi Juma Juma alikaa he-sat nyuma at-the-back na and mkoba bag wake his ulikuwa it-was chini under ya of kiti seat chake his
28.24b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Basi /ˈba.si/ bus.CL5 la /la/ of.CL5 Moshi /ˈmo.ʃi/ Moshi (a town) Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma alikaa /a.liˈka.a/ a-li-ka-a: 3SG-PAST-sit-FV nyuma /ˈɲu.ma/ behind, at the back na /na/ and mkoba /m̩ˈko.ba/ bag.CL3 wake /ˈwa.ke/ his.CL3.POSS ulikuwa /u.liˈku.wa/ u-li-ku-w-a: CL3-PAST-(ku)-be-FV chini /ˈt͡ʃi.ni/ below ya /ja/ of (chini ya = under) kiti /ˈki.ti/ seat.CL7 chake /ˈt͡ʃa.ke/ his.CL7.POSS
28.25a Baraka Baraka Nitampigia I-will-phone dereva driver sasa now hivi thus Nipe give-me namba number ya of simu phone ya of mama mother yake his
28.25b Baraka /baˈra.ka/ Baraka Nitampigia /ni.ta.m̩.piˈɡi.a/ ni-ta-m-pig-i-a: 1SG-FUT-3SG.OBJ-hit-APPL-FV (= phone) dereva /deˈre.va/ driver.CL1 sasa /ˈsa.sa/ now hivi /ˈhi.vi/ thus (sasa hivi = right now) Nipe /ˈni.pe/ ni-p-e: 1SG.OBJ-give-SBJV (give me) namba /ˈna.mba/ number.CL9 ya /ja/ of.CL9 simu /ˈsi.mu/ phone.CL9 ya /ja/ of.CL9 mama /ˈma.ma/ mother.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS
28.26a Neema Neema Nimekutumia I-have-sent-you namba number yake her Asante thank-you sana very rafiki friend yangu my
28.26b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Nimekutumia /ni.me.ku.tuˈmi.a/ ni-me-ku-tum-i-a: 1SG-PERF-2SG.OBJ-send-APPL-FV namba /ˈna.mba/ number.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ her.CL9.POSS Asante /aˈsa.nte/ thank you sana /ˈsa.na/ very rafiki /raˈfi.ki/ friend.CL9 yangu /ˈja.ŋɡu/ my.CL9.POSS
28.27a Baraka Baraka Habari news njema good Dereva driver amepata he-has-found mkoba bag wa of Juma Juma Vitu things vyake his vyote all viko they-are salama safe
28.27b Baraka /baˈra.ka/ Baraka Habari /haˈba.ri/ news.CL9 njema /ˈnd͡ʒe.ma/ good.CL9 Dereva /deˈre.va/ driver.CL1 amepata /a.meˈpa.ta/ a-me-pat-a: 3SG-PERF-get-FV mkoba /m̩ˈko.ba/ bag.CL3 wa /wa/ of.CL3 Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma Vitu /ˈvi.tu/ thing.CL8 vyake /ˈvja.ke/ his.CL8.POSS vyote /ˈvjo.te/ all.CL8 viko /ˈvi.ko/ vi-ko: CL8-be.located salama /saˈla.ma/ safe
28.28a Neema Neema Mungu God ni is mwema good Juma Juma ataenda he-will-go lini when kuchukua to-collect mkoba bag wake his
28.28b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Mungu /ˈmu.ŋɡu/ God.CL1 ni /ni/ COP (is) mwema /ˈmwe.ma/ good.CL1 Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma ataenda /a.taˈe.nda/ a-ta-end-a: 3SG-FUT-go-FV lini /ˈli.ni/ when kuchukua /ku.t͡ʃuˈku.a/ ku-chukua: INF-take mkoba /m̩ˈko.ba/ bag.CL3 wake /ˈwa.ke/ his.CL3.POSS
28.29a Baraka Baraka Kesho tomorrow asubuhi morning kwenye at ofisi office ya of mabasi buses Lakini but mwambie tell-him awashe he-should-switch-on simu phone yake his
28.29b Baraka /baˈra.ka/ Baraka Kesho /ˈke.ʃo/ tomorrow asubuhi /a.suˈbu.hi/ morning.CL9 kwenye /ˈkwe.ɲe/ kw-enye: LOC17-having (= at) ofisi /oˈfi.si/ office.CL9 ya /ja/ of.CL9 mabasi /maˈba.si/ bus.CL6 Lakini /laˈki.ni/ but mwambie /mwaˈmbi.e/ mw-ambi-e: 3SG.OBJ-tell-SBJV (tell him) awashe /aˈwa.ʃe/ a-wash-e: 3SG-switch.on-SBJV simu /ˈsi.mu/ phone.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS
28.30a Neema Neema Nitamwambia I-will-tell-him Na and mama mother yake his atafurahi she-will-be-happy sana very kusikia to-hear habari news hii this
28.30b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Nitamwambia /ni.ta.mwaˈmbi.a/ ni-ta-mw-ambi-a: 1SG-FUT-3SG.OBJ-tell-FV Na /na/ and mama /ˈma.ma/ mother.CL9 yake /ˈja.ke/ his.CL9.POSS atafurahi /a.ta.fuˈra.hi/ a-ta-furahi: 3SG-FUT-be.happy sana /ˈsa.na/ very kusikia /ku.siˈki.a/ ku-sikia: INF-hear habari /haˈba.ri/ news.CL9 hii /ˈhi.i/ this.CL9.DEM
Part B: Natural Sentences
28.16 Neema: Habari Baraka? Umemwona Juma leo? → "Hi Baraka, how are you? Have you seen Juma today?"
28.17 Baraka: Nzuri. Hapana, sijamwona. Simu yake imezimwa tangu asubuhi. → "Fine. No, I haven't seen him. His phone has been off since this morning."
28.18 Neema: Mama yake amenipigia simu. Juma alisahau mkoba wake kwenye basi jana. → "His mother has phoned me. Juma left his bag on the bus yesterday."
28.19 Baraka: Pole sana! Kulikuwa na nini ndani ya mkoba wake? → "Oh, I'm so sorry! What was in his bag?"
28.20 Neema: Kompyuta yake, vitabu vyake na funguo zake zote. → "His computer, his books and all his keys."
28.21 Baraka: Lo! Na pasipoti yake? Anasafiri Jumatatu. → "Oh no! And his passport? He's travelling on Monday."
28.22 Neema: Hapana, pasipoti yake iko nyumbani kwake, kwenye meza yake. → "No, his passport is at his home, on his table."
28.23 Baraka: Ni basi gani? Dereva wa basi ni rafiki yangu. → "Which bus was it? The bus driver is a friend of mine."
28.24 Neema: Basi la Moshi. Juma alikaa nyuma, na mkoba wake ulikuwa chini ya kiti chake. → "The Moshi bus. Juma sat at the back, and his bag was under his seat."
28.25 Baraka: Nitampigia dereva sasa hivi. Nipe namba ya simu ya mama yake. → "I'll call the driver right now. Give me his mother's phone number."
28.26 Neema: Nimekutumia namba yake. Asante sana, rafiki yangu! → "I've sent you her number. Thank you so much, my friend!"
28.27 Baraka: Habari njema! Dereva amepata mkoba wa Juma. Vitu vyake vyote viko salama. → "Good news! The driver has found Juma's bag. All his things are safe."
28.28 Neema: Mungu ni mwema! Juma ataenda lini kuchukua mkoba wake? → "Thank God! When will Juma go to collect his bag?"
28.29 Baraka: Kesho asubuhi, kwenye ofisi ya mabasi. Lakini mwambie awashe simu yake! → "Tomorrow morning, at the bus office. But tell him to switch his phone on!"
28.30 Neema: Nitamwambia. Na mama yake atafurahi sana kusikia habari hii. → "I'll tell him. And his mother will be very glad to hear this news."
Part C: Target Language Only
28.16 Neema: Habari Baraka? Umemwona Juma leo?
28.17 Baraka: Nzuri. Hapana, sijamwona. Simu yake imezimwa tangu asubuhi.
28.18 Neema: Mama yake amenipigia simu. Juma alisahau mkoba wake kwenye basi jana.
28.19 Baraka: Pole sana! Kulikuwa na nini ndani ya mkoba wake?
28.20 Neema: Kompyuta yake, vitabu vyake na funguo zake zote.
28.21 Baraka: Lo! Na pasipoti yake? Anasafiri Jumatatu.
28.22 Neema: Hapana, pasipoti yake iko nyumbani kwake, kwenye meza yake.
28.23 Baraka: Ni basi gani? Dereva wa basi ni rafiki yangu.
28.24 Neema: Basi la Moshi. Juma alikaa nyuma, na mkoba wake ulikuwa chini ya kiti chake.
28.25 Baraka: Nitampigia dereva sasa hivi. Nipe namba ya simu ya mama yake.
28.26 Neema: Nimekutumia namba yake. Asante sana, rafiki yangu!
28.27 Baraka: Habari njema! Dereva amepata mkoba wa Juma. Vitu vyake vyote viko salama.
28.28 Neema: Mungu ni mwema! Juma ataenda lini kuchukua mkoba wake?
28.29 Baraka: Kesho asubuhi, kwenye ofisi ya mabasi. Lakini mwambie awashe simu yake!
28.30 Neema: Nitamwambia. Na mama yake atafurahi sana kusikia habari hii.
Part D: Grammar Notes on the Messages
- One stem, many classes. The bag's contents run through the classes: kompyuta yake (class 9), vitabu vyake (class 8), funguo zake (class 10) in 28.20; mkoba wake (class 3) in 28.18; kiti chake (class 7) in 28.24; vitu vyake vyote (class 8) in 28.27. Each time the first sound of -ake copies the noun's class, and zote, vyote ("all") agree in the same way. - "His" or "her"? In 28.25 mama yake is "his mother", Juma's. In 28.26 namba yake is "her number", the mother's: the same yake, and only the conversation shows the owner is a woman. - Naming the owner. mkoba wa Juma (28.27), "Juma's bag", uses the -a of possession (wa, class 3) where the speaker wants to be quite clear whose bag it is. - nyumbani kwake. Pasipoti yake iko nyumbani kwake (28.22), "his passport is at his home": a place in -ni takes kwake. Iko, "it is (located)", agrees with pasipoti, class 9. - Basi, two words. Basi "bus" (class 5, basi la Moshi, 28.24) has the same spelling as basi "then, so" (Lesson 27). Its plural is mabasi (28.29). - The object marker for a person. Umemwona (28.16), "have you seen him?", sijamwona, "I haven't seen him yet", nitampigia (28.25), mwambie (28.29), nitamwambia (28.30): -m- or -mw- before the verb stem is "him" or "her", and like -ake it does not show sex. - sija-: "not yet". Sijamwona (28.17) is the negative of the perfect nimemwona, "I have seen him": "I have not yet seen him". - Subjunctive after "tell". Mwambie awashe simu yake (28.29), "tell him to switch on his phone": after -ambia, "tell", what someone is to do is in the subjunctive, as apunguze in 28.14.
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Vowels. Five pure vowels, always the same: a /a/ (father), e /e/ (bed), i /i/ (machine), o /o/ (Spanish no), u /u/ (rule). The final -e of -ake is always pronounced: yake is YAH-keh, never "yake" as in English "take". Two vowels side by side are two syllables: mzee /m̩ˈze.e/, kikuu /kiˈku.u/, alikaa /a.liˈka.a/, ataenda /a.taˈe.nda/.
Stress. Always on the next-to-last syllable: YA-ke, CHA-ke, ki-TA-bu, a-li-m-pi-GI-a. The possessive is a word of its own, with its own stress: nyumba yake is NYU-mba YA-ke.
Consonant spellings to know from this lesson:
- ch = /t͡ʃ/: chake, chakula, chini, kuchukua - vy = /vj/, one sound: vyake, vyote - ny = /ɲ/: nyumba, nyumbani, nyuma, mwenye - ng = /ŋɡ/: yangu, nguvu, tangu, misingi, aliyejenga - j = /d͡ʒ/: Juma, jina, jipya, kijijini, njema - sh = /ʃ/: anaishi, shamba, awashe, Moshi - kw = /kw/: kwake, kwamba, kwenye; the w is a glide - m before another consonant at the start of a word is its own syllable: mtu /ˈm̩.tu/, mke /ˈm̩.ke/, mkoba /m̩ˈko.ba/, mgonjwa /m̩ˈɡo.nd͡ʒwa/; and so inside alimpigia /a.li.m̩.piˈɡi.a/.
Orthography. Swahili uses the Latin alphabet without accents; q and x are not used. The possessive is always written as a separate word after its noun: kitabu chake, nyumba yake, never joined. peke yake is two words. The short forms mwenzake and Mwanawe are written as one word because the possessive has been fused to the noun. The days of the week are written with a capital: Jumamosi, Jumatatu.
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