Jana na Wiki Iliyopita
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Form and use the past tense marker -li- with common verbs to narrate completed events.
- Negate past events accurately using negative subject markers and -ku-, and distinguish this -ku- from the infinitive prefix ku-.
- Ask and answer questions about what happened yesterday or last week.
- Use object markers inside past-tense verbs when the referent is clear from context.
- Sequence several past events using kwanza, kisha, halafu, baadaye, and mwishowe.
- Say what did not happen, using past negative forms.
- Distinguish present -na-, future -ta-, and past -li- in connected speech and writing.
- Write a connected account of 130-160 words describing completed events in chronological order.
Communication Scenario
You have joined a Swahili conversation group that meets weekly. Every session begins the same way: each person shares what they did the day before or over the past week. This week, it is your turn. You want to describe your recent activities clearly and in order — what you did first, what happened next, and how your week ended — using accurate past-tense Swahili that your conversation partners can follow and respond to.
- Think about yesterday or the past week. What did you do, in what order? English narrates the past mostly with one past-tense form and a scatter of time words ("then," "after that," "later"). As you work through this chapter, notice how Swahili narrates a sequence of completed events using one consistent tense marker plus connecting words.
- English forms a negative past by adding "did not" before the verb ("I did not go"). Swahili forms a negative past differently — through a change to the subject marker and a distinct tense marker inside the verb itself. Watch for this contrast as you study negation in this chapter.
Core Vocabulary
Vitenzi vya matukio ya kawaida — Common activity verbs
The verbs below are high-frequency and recycle activities from earlier chapters — routines, food, shopping, travel, work, and school. Learn each infinitive together with its root, since the root is what carries the past-tense marker.
| Infinitive | Root | Meaning | Chapter first taught |
|---|---|---|---|
| kuamka | -amk- | to wake up | Ch. 7 |
| kwenda | -end-* / -enda | to go | Ch. 11 |
| kufanya kazi | -fany- kazi | to work | Ch. 14 |
| kusoma | -som- | to study; to read | Ch. 7 |
| kununua | -nunu- | to buy | Ch. 9 |
| kula | -l- | to eat | Ch. 8 |
| kunywa | -nyw- | to drink | Ch. 8 |
| kupika | -pik- | to cook | Ch. 8 |
| kukutana na | -kutan- na | to meet (someone) | Ch. 17 preview; recognized here |
| kuandika | -andik- | to write | Ch. 5 |
| kupiga simu | -pig- simu | to make a phone call | Ch. 14 |
| kusafiri | -safir- | to travel | Ch. 11 |
| kulala | -lal- | to sleep | Ch. 7 |
| kucheza | -chez- | to play | Ch. 4 (recognition); productive here |
| kuona | -on- | to see | Ch. 11 |
*kwenda behaves irregularly and is treated as a fixed pattern: past affirmative nilikwenda, past negative sikwenda. Learn these two forms directly rather than deriving them mechanically.
Muda uliopita — Past time expressions
| Swahili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| jana | yesterday |
| juzi | the day before yesterday |
| wiki iliyopita | last week |
| mwezi uliopita | last month |
| asubuhi iliyopita | this past morning |
| jana asubuhi | yesterday morning |
| jana jioni | yesterday evening |
| Jumatatu iliyopita | last Monday |
| mwaka jana | last year |
iliyopita and uliopita both mean "past/last" and agree with the noun class of the time word (wiki is N-class; mwezi is M-MI class). Learn each phrase as a fixed productive expression at this stage; the underlying agreement pattern is a recognition item.
Maneno ya mpangilio — Sequencing expressions
| Swahili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| kwanza | first |
| kisha | then; next |
| halafu | then; after that |
| baadaye | later; afterward |
| mwishowe | finally; in the end |
| baada ya hapo | after that |
kisha and halafu are largely interchangeable in everyday narration; the course uses both so that learners recognize either one.
Maswali ya matukio yaliyopita — Questions about past events
| Swahili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ulifanya nini jana? | What did you do yesterday? |
| Ulienda wapi? | Where did you go? |
| Ulikutana na nani? | Who did you meet? |
| Ulinunua nini? | What did you buy? |
| Ulikula nini? | What did you eat? |
| Je, ulifurahia? | Did you enjoy it? (recognition item) |
Pronunciation and Spelling
Kutofautisha alama za wakati — Distinguishing tense markers
You now know three tense markers that occupy the same position in the verb: present -na-, future -ta-, and past -li-. These three vowels and consonants are short and can be easy to mishear or misspell in fast speech. Practice hearing and pronouncing the contrast clearly.
| Present | Future | Past | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ninasoma | nitasoma | nilisoma | I study / I will study / I studied |
| anafanya kazi | atafanya kazi | alifanya kazi | he/she works / will work / worked |
| tunanunua | tutanunua | tulinunua | we buy / will buy / bought |
Negative past verbs such as sikwenda (I did not go) and hakusoma (he/she did not study) follow the regular penultimate stress rule: stress falls on the second-to-last syllable of the complete word — si-KWEN-da, ha-ku-SO-ma. English speakers sometimes place extra stress on the negative subject marker at the start of the word. Keep the stress near the end of the word, as with any other Swahili verb.
Mdundo wa masimulizi — Narrative pausing and sequence markers
When narrating several events in order, Swahili speakers typically pause briefly after each sequencing word — kwanza, kisha, halafu, baadaye, mwishowe — before continuing with the next clause. This short pause signals to the listener that a new step in the sequence is beginning. Practice reading a short sequence aloud with a clear pause after each connector.
Mgawanyo sahihi wa maandishi — Accurate written segmentation
Past-tense verbs, like present and future verbs, are written as one unhyphenated word. Practice writing the following forms without hyphens, then mark the tense-marker syllable.
- ni + li + soma → _____
- u + li + nunua → _____
- a + li + kula → _____
- tu + li + fanya kazi → _____ (two words: verb + object)
Grammar Instruction
16.1 The past tense marker -li-
Purpose: narrate completed actions and events that took place before now.
The past tense marker -li- occupies the same position in the verb template that you have already used for present -na- and future -ta-. The template remains stable — only the tense-marker slot changes:
subject marker + tense/aspect marker + object marker if needed + verb root + final vowel
| Subject | Subject marker | Past form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| mimi | ni- | nilisoma | I studied |
| wewe | u- | ulisoma | you studied |
| yeye | a- | alisoma | he/she studied |
| sisi | tu- | tulisoma | we studied |
| ninyi | m- | mlisoma | you (pl.) studied |
| wao | wa- | walisoma | they studied |
- Nilikwenda dukani jana. — I went to the store yesterday. ni-li-kwend-a
- Alipika chakula kizuri. — She/he cooked good food. a-li-pik-a
- Tulisoma Kiswahili wiki iliyopita. — We studied Swahili last week. tu-li-som-a
You already know how to build present and future verbs. The past follows exactly the same construction principle — only the tense-marker slot changes, from -na- or -ta- to -li-. If you can build ninasoma and nitasoma, you can build nilisoma by the same process. This is why the verb template introduced in Chapter 3 and used throughout the course is worth knowing well: each new tense adds to a system you already understand rather than requiring you to learn an unrelated new pattern.
Mazoezi A — Jenga vitenzi (Build the verbs): Form the past-tense verb for each subject and infinitive given.
- mimi + kununua → _____
- yeye + kuandika → _____
- sisi + kula → _____
- wewe + kusafiri → _____
- wao + kuona → _____
- ninyi + kufanya kazi → _____ (two words)
16.2 Past negation with -ku-
Purpose: say what did not happen, using the correct negative subject markers and the negative past marker.
Negative past verbs use the negative subject markers you learned for present negation in Chapter 7, combined with the negative past tense marker -ku- in place of -li-. Unlike present negation, the final vowel does not change to -i — the past negative keeps the ordinary final vowel -a.
| Subject | Negative subject marker | Negative past form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| mimi | si- | sikwenda | I did not go |
| wewe | hu- | hukwenda | you did not go |
| yeye | ha- | hakwenda | he/she did not go |
| sisi | hatu- | hatukwenda | we did not go |
| ninyi | ham- | hamkwenda | you (pl.) did not go |
| wao | hawa- | hawakwenda | they did not go |
Note the spelling: negative subject marker + ku + root. Before a consonant-initial root such as -kwend-, the ku and the root's initial consonant combine directly in writing: sikwenda, not sikuenda.
- Sikula asubuhi. — I did not eat in the morning. si-ku-l-a
- Hakusoma jana. — He/she did not study yesterday. ha-ku-som-a
- Hatukununua chochote. — We did not buy anything. hatu-ku-nunu-a
Swahili has two separate elements that are both spelled ku-, and beginners frequently confuse them:
- Infinitive ku- is the prefix that turns a verb root into a dictionary form: ku-soma = "to study."
- Negative past -ku- is a tense marker that appears inside a finite negative verb, after the negative subject marker: si-ku-soma = "I did not study."
These two morphemes look identical but serve entirely different grammatical functions. The infinitive ku- never combines with a subject marker; the negative past -ku- always does. Use the position in the word — and whether a subject marker precedes it — to tell them apart.
Mazoezi B — Kanusha (Negate): Rewrite each affirmative past sentence in the negative.
- Nilisoma Kiswahili jana. → _____
- Alikula chakula cha jioni. → _____
- Tulienda sokoni. → _____
- Ulinunua nguo mpya. → _____
- Walipiga simu.→ _____
16.3 Past questions
Purpose: ask what someone did, where they went, or what happened.
Past questions use the same question words you already know — nini, wapi, nani, lini — combined with a past-tense verb rather than a present or future one.
- Ulifanya nini jana? — What did you do yesterday?
- Mlienda wapi wikendi iliyopita? — Where did you (pl.) go last weekend?
- Alikutana na nani? — Who did he/she meet?
16.4 Object markers inside past-tense verbs
Purpose: refer back to something or someone already mentioned, without repeating the full noun.
Just as with present and future verbs, an object marker may occupy the slot immediately before the verb root when the referent is clear from context or discourse. The object marker's position and form do not change with tense.
- Nilikinunua jana. — I bought it yesterday. (referring to a KI-class item already mentioned) ni-li-ki-nunu-a
- Tuliwaona wikendi iliyopita. — We saw them last weekend. (referring to people already mentioned) tu-li-wa-on-a
- Sikumwona jana. — I did not see him/her yesterday. si-ku-mw-on-a
As in earlier chapters, use an object marker only when the discourse has already established the referent. Do not insert an object marker mechanically for every English object pronoun.
16.5 Sequencing past events
Purpose: connect several past events into a clear chronological account.
To narrate more than one event, repeat the past-tense pattern for each verb and connect the clauses with sequencing words. This produces a clear, learner-appropriate narrative without requiring more advanced narrative tenses.
- Kwanza niliamka saa moja asubuhi. Kisha nilikunywa chai. Halafu nilikwenda kazini. Mwishowe nilirudi nyumbani jioni. First I woke up at seven o'clock. Then I drank tea. Then I went to work. Finally I returned home in the evening.
Note: Authentic Swahili narratives often use a form called sequential -ka- after an initial -li- verb to continue a story (for example, nikaenda, "and then I went"). This is a genuine and common feature of natural narration.
At this stage: Sequential -ka- is not yet part of your productive grammar — it is introduced in Chapter 19. For now, build your narratives by repeating -li- in each clause and connecting them with kwanza, kisha, halafu, baadaye, and mwishowe. This produces clear, correct, and natural-sounding Swahili at your current level.
Mazoezi C — Panga matukio (Sequence events): Put the following events in a logical order and connect them with sequencing words to form a short narrative.
- alilala / alifanya kazi / aliamka / alikula chakula cha jioni
- tulinunua chakula / tulienda sokoni / tulipika chakula / tulikula pamoja
Mazoezi D — Muundo kamili (Full sentences): Translate these sentences into Swahili.
- I woke up at six o'clock yesterday.
- She did not go to the market last week.
- First we studied, then we ate dinner.
- Did you (singular) buy it? — Yes, I bought it yesterday.
- They did not call us.
- Finally, he returned home.
Model Dialogue
Muktadha: Amara na Kofi wanakutana darasani Jumatatu asubuhi. Wanazungumza kuhusu wikendi iliyopita.
(Setting: Amara and Kofi meet in class on Monday morning. They talk about last weekend.)
(Kofi anacheka. / Kofi laughs.)
Vocabulary note: ilikuwaje = how was it; mambo mengi = many things; niambie = tell me; kilikuwa = it was (KI-class); popote = anywhere; nimechoka = I am tired; shughuli = activities. These are recognition items at this stage.
Maswali ya ufahamu — Comprehension questions:
- Amara alienda wapi Jumamosi asubuhi? (Where did Amara go Saturday morning?)
- Amara na dada yake walinunua nini kwanza? (What did Amara and her sister buy first?)
- Walikutana na nani sokoni? (Who did they meet at the market?)
- Amara alifanya nini Jumapili? Taja mambo matatu. (What did Amara do on Sunday? Name three things.)
- Find one negative past-tense verb in the dialogue. Write it and explain what it means.
Listening
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following short passages aloud, twice each. Complete the tasks below as you listen.
Mazungumzo A — Siku ya Baraka
"Jana niliamka saa mbili asubuhi. Kwanza nilikunywa chai na kula mkate. Kisha nilikwenda kazini. Nilifanya kazi saa nyingi. Halafu nilikutana na rafiki yangu kwa chakula cha mchana. Baadaye nilirudi nyumbani na kupumzika. Sikufanya kazi jioni. Nililala saa tano usiku."
Mazungumzo B — Wiki iliyopita ya Neema
"Wiki iliyopita nilikuwa na shughuli nyingi. Jumatatu na Jumanne nilisoma maktabani. Jumatano nilikutana na mwalimu wangu. Alunimu Alhamisi sikwenda shuleni kwa sababu nilikuwa mgonjwa. Ijumaa nilirudi shuleni na nilifanya mtihani. Mwishowe, wikendi nilipumzika na familia yangu."
Kazi A — Mpangilio (Sequence): Listen to Mazungumzo A. List the events in the order Baraka mentions them, with the sequencing word used for each.
Kazi B — Ndiyo au Hapana (True or false): Listen to Mazungumzo B. Mark each statement true or false and correct any false statement. (1) Neema alisoma maktabani Jumatatu. (2) Neema alikwenda shuleni Alhamisi. (3) Neema alifanya mtihani Ijumaa. (4) Neema alifanya kazi wikendi.
Listening Script for Instructor, Partner, or Text-to-Speech Use. See Answer Key for expected responses.
Reading
Read the following short texts. Look for past-tense verbs, negative past forms, and sequencing words as you read.
Maandishi 1 — Shajara ya Zawadi (Zawadi's diary entry)
Jana ilikuwa siku ya kawaida, lakini nzuri. Kwanza niliamka saa moja na nusu asubuhi. Sikula chakula kingi — nilikunywa chai tu. Kisha nilikwenda chuoni. Nilisoma masomo yangu ya Kiswahili na hisabati. Saa saba mchana nilikutana na rafiki zangu wawili, Amara na Kofi. Tulikula chakula cha mchana pamoja karibu na chuo.
Baadaye, niliondoka chuoni na kwenda nyumbani. Sikufanya kazi ya ziada jana. Badala yake, nilipiga simu kwa mama yangu Kisumu. Tulizungumza kwa dakika arobaini. Mwishowe, nilipika chakula cha jioni kwa ajili ya familia yangu na tulikula pamoja saa mbili usiku.
Vocabulary note: siku ya kawaida = an ordinary day; niliondoka = I left; badala yake = instead; kwa ajili ya = for the sake of. These are recognition items.
Maandishi 2 — Ujumbe kwa rafiki (A message to a friend)
Habari yako, Tariq!
Samahani sikupiga simu wiki iliyopita — nilikuwa na shughuli nyingi. Jumatatu na Jumanne nilifanya kazi hadi jioni. Jumatano nilisafiri kwenda Mombasa kwa kazi. Sikurudi nyumbani hadi Ijumaa.
Huko Mombasa nilikutana na wenzangu wa kazi na tulipanga mradi mpya. Pia niliona bahari — ilikuwa nzuri sana! Sikupata muda wa kutembelea maeneo mengine kwa sababu ratiba ilikuwa ngumu.
Wikendi hii nitapumzika. Tuonane hivi karibuni!
Kwa heri,
Neema
Vocabulary note: hadi = until; wenzangu wa kazi = my co-workers; mradi = project; bahari = the sea; sikupata muda = I did not get time; ratiba = schedule; ngumu = difficult; tuonane = let's see each other. These are recognition items.
Maswali ya ufahamu — Comprehension questions:
- Zawadi aliamka saa ngapi jana? (What time did Zawadi wake up yesterday?)
- Zawadi alikutana na nani saa saba mchana? (Who did Zawadi meet at one o'clock in the afternoon?)
- Taja jambo moja ambalo Zawadi hakufanya jana. (Name one thing Zawadi did not do yesterday.)
- Neema alisafiri wapi wiki iliyopita, na kwa nini? (Where did Neema travel last week, and why?)
- Find two negative past-tense verbs in Maandishi 2. Write each one and explain its meaning.
Writing Workshop
- Soma mfano. Reread Maandishi 1 (Shajara ya Zawadi) above. Underline every past-tense verb. Circle every sequencing word.
- Panga mawazo yako. Think about yesterday or last week. List five to seven events in the order they happened, noting the time of day for at least two of them.
- Andika rasimu yako ya kwanza. Write a 130-160-word account of your day or week. Use at least six past-tense verbs, at least one negative past-tense verb, and at least three sequencing words (kwanza, kisha, halafu, baadaye, mwishowe).
- Kagua kwa orodha hapa chini. Check your draft against the editing checklist below before writing a final version.
- Andika nakala safi. Produce a clean final version to include in your portfolio or share with a partner.
Orodha ya ukaguzi — Editing checklist:
- Every past-tense verb includes a subject marker, -li-, the correct root, and the final vowel.
- Every negative past-tense verb uses a negative subject marker + -ku-, not -li-.
- The infinitive ku- is not confused with the negative past marker -ku- anywhere in the text.
- Object markers are used only where the referent is already clear from context.
- Sequencing words connect events logically and are not overused in a single sentence.
- Time expressions (jana, wiki iliyopita, etc.) are spelled correctly and placed naturally.
- All verbs are written as normal unhyphenated Swahili words.
- Each sentence ends with a full stop and begins with a capital letter.
Kazi ya ziada — Additional task: Write a short message (five to seven sentences) to a friend explaining why you did not call or write to them last week, using at least two negative past-tense verbs. Use the format of Maandishi 2 as a model for the opening and closing.
Speaking Practice
Mazoezi ya msingi — Controlled practice
With a partner, take turns converting present-tense sentences into past-tense sentences. Your partner says a present-tense sentence (for example, Ninasoma Kiswahili); you respond with the past-tense form (Nilisoma Kiswahili jana), adding a past time expression.
Mchezo wa maswali — Question game
Take turns asking and answering these questions. Give full-sentence answers in Swahili.
- Ulifanya nini jana?
- Ulienda wapi wiki iliyopita?
- Ulikutana na nani hivi karibuni?
- Ulikula nini jana usiku?
- Kuna jambo ulilofanya jana ambalo hukufanya juzi? (recognition-level prompt; answer using vocabulary you know)
Uwasilishaji mfupi — Short presentation
Without using your notes, narrate five or more events from yesterday or last week in chronological order. Use at least three sequencing words and one negative past-tense sentence. Your partner listens and then asks one follow-up question using a past-tense pattern from this chapter.
Mbadala wa kujifunza peke yako — Solo alternative
Record yourself narrating your day yesterday from waking up to going to sleep, in six or more connected sentences. Listen back and check: Did you use -li- correctly in every affirmative past verb? Did you use negative subject markers with -ku- correctly in any negative sentences? Did your sequencing words connect the events clearly?
Culture and Communication
Asking someone how their day or weekend went, and describing your own in return, is a common way of maintaining relationships in many Swahili-speaking communities, much as it is in many English-speaking ones. The exchange often begins with a general question such as Ilikuwaje? ("How was it?") before moving into specific details. This chapter's personal narratives should reflect ordinary, varied experiences — work, study, family time, errands, rest — rather than only travel or leisure activities, since daily life for most people includes a mixture of routine and occasional events.
What counts as noteworthy to share, and how much detail is appropriate, varies by relationship, setting, and individual communication style. A close friend may expect more detail than a casual acquaintance or a workplace colleague.
The negative past tense is frequently used in everyday Swahili to explain why something did not happen as expected — for example, why someone did not call, did not attend an event, or did not complete a task on time. Offering a brief, honest explanation (as Neema does in Maandishi 2) is a common courteous practice in both personal and professional communication. The level of detail expected in such an explanation varies by relationship and context.
The vocabulary and time expressions used to describe weekends and daily schedules can differ slightly by country and setting — for example, the specific days considered part of "the weekend" for work or school purposes are not identical everywhere, and some communities organize the work week differently. This chapter uses widely understood Standard Swahili time expressions. When a specific institution or community uses a different schedule, that detail should be learned in context rather than assumed from this course alone.
Common Mistakes
Error: Treating kusoma (to study) and the -ku- in sikusoma (I did not study) as the same element with the same function
Correction: The infinitive ku- attaches directly to a bare root to form the dictionary form of a verb: ku-soma. The negative past -ku- is a tense marker that appears only after a negative subject marker inside a complete finite verb: si-ku-soma. They are spelled the same but occupy different positions and serve different grammatical functions. Check whether a subject marker comes before the ku-: if it does, you are looking at the negative past marker, not the infinitive.
Error: Sililisoma. or Silisoma. (combining a negative subject marker with -li-)
Correction: Sikusoma. — Swahili negative past verbs replace -li- with -ku- entirely; the two tense markers are not combined. Use the negative subject marker (si-, hu-, ha-, hatu-, ham-, hawa-) together with -ku-, never with -li-.
Error: Mimi hapana kwenda jana. (translating "I did not go" word for word with a separate negative word)
Correction: Sikwenda jana. — Swahili negation is built into the verb itself through the negative subject marker and the negative tense marker. There is no separate word equivalent to English "did not." Build the negative form as one complete word: negative subject marker + -ku- + root + final vowel.
Error: Kwanza kisha halafu nilikwenda sokoni. (using three sequencing words for one event)
Correction: Kwanza nilikwenda sokoni. — Use one sequencing word per event or transition, placed at the start of the clause it introduces. Reserve kwanza for the first event, and choose one connector — kisha or halafu — for each subsequent step, ending with mwishowe for the last event.
Error: Lisoma jana. (dropping the subject marker)
Correction: Alisoma jana. — Every finite Swahili verb, in every tense, requires a subject marker. The tense marker -li- cannot stand alone at the beginning of a verb. Always begin the verb with the subject marker that matches the doer of the action.
Chapter Review
Sehemu A — Msamiati (Vocabulary)
1. Write the Swahili word or phrase for: yesterday, last week, first, then, finally, to buy, to meet (someone), to travel.
2. Give the infinitive and root for: alisoma, tulinunua, walikula, nilifanya kazi.
3. Write in Swahili: "What did you do yesterday?" / "I went to the market." / "We did not eat breakfast."
4. List the five sequencing words introduced in this chapter, in a natural narrative order.
Sehemu B — Sarufi (Grammar)
1. Form the past-tense verb for each subject and infinitive.
- yeye + kuandika → _____
- sisi + kununua → _____
- wewe + kuona → _____
- wao + kusafiri → _____
2. Negate each sentence.
- Nilikula chakula cha jioni. → _____
- Alienda kazini. → _____
- Tulipiga simu. → _____
3. Identify and correct the error in each sentence.
- Sililisoma jana.
- Mimi hapana kwenda sokoni.
- Lifanya kazi jana.
4. Explain, in one or two sentences, the difference between infinitive ku- and negative past -ku-.
5. Translate into Swahili: "First we studied. Then we ate. Finally we rested."
Sehemu C — Usomaji (Reading)
1. In Maandishi 1 (Shajara ya Zawadi), list every past-tense verb in the order it appears, with its English meaning.
2. Why did Neema not call Tariq last week? Answer with a full Swahili sentence from the text or in your own words.
3. Identify one negative past-tense verb and one affirmative past-tense verb in Maandishi 2. Explain the difference in their construction.
Sehemu D — Uandishi (Writing)
1. Write a 130-160-word account of five or more events from yesterday or last week, in chronological order. Include at least six affirmative past-tense verbs, one negative past-tense verb, and three sequencing words.
Sehemu E — Kuzungumza (Speaking)
1. Without notes, narrate your day yesterday to a partner (or to yourself aloud) in five or more connected sentences. Then answer one follow-up question about a specific event.
Mapitio ya jumla — Cumulative review (from Chapters 1–15)
1. Say one sentence in the present tense, one in the future tense, and one in the past tense, using the same verb each time. Identify the tense marker in each.
2. Describe a family member (Chapter 4) and then say one thing you did with them last week, using the past tense.
3. Give directions to a place (Chapter 11) and then say, in the past tense, that you went there yesterday.
Chapter Performance Task
Kazi ya Utendaji
Simulizi ya Wiki Iliyopita — Account of Last Week
Prepare a chronological account of at least five events from yesterday or last week — real or plausible. Then complete the following tasks:
- Speaking: Narrate the events aloud in connected Swahili speech, using at least three sequencing words and at least one negative past-tense sentence.
- Interaction: Your partner listens and then asks at least two follow-up questions about the events using past-tense question patterns from this chapter. Answer in complete sentences.
- Writing: Submit a written version of your account — 130 to 160 words — using the vocabulary and grammar of this chapter. Apply the editing checklist from the Writing Workshop section before submitting.
If you are studying independently: record yourself giving both the narration and the follow-up questions (taking both roles). In your written version, add a closing sentence saying which event was your favorite, using vocabulary from this or an earlier chapter.
Answer Key / Ufunguo wa Majibu
Mazoezi A — Jenga vitenzi (Build the verbs)
- nilinunua
- aliandika
- tulikula
- ulisafiri
- waliona
- mlifanya kazi
Mazoezi B — Kanusha (Negate)
- Sikusoma Kiswahili jana.
- Hakula chakula cha jioni.
- Hatukwenda sokoni.
- Hukununua nguo mpya.
- Hawakupiga simu.
Mazoezi C — Panga matukio (Sequence events — model answers)
- Kwanza aliamka. Kisha alifanya kazi. Halafu alikula chakula cha jioni. Mwishowe alilala.
- Kwanza tulienda sokoni. Kisha tulinunua chakula. Halafu tulipika chakula. Mwishowe tulikula pamoja.
Other logical orderings with correctly formed sequencing words are acceptable.
Mazoezi D — Muundo kamili (Full sentences — model answers)
- Niliamka saa kumi na mbili jana.
- Hakwenda sokoni wiki iliyopita.
- Kwanza tulisoma, kisha tulikula chakula cha jioni.
- Ulinunua? — Ndiyo, nilinunua jana.
- Hawakutupigia simu. / Hawakupiga simu.
- Mwishowe, alirudi nyumbani.
Other accurate, well-formed sentences are equally acceptable. Check subject markers, tense markers, and negative forms carefully.
Dialogue Comprehension
- Amara alienda sokoni na dada yake Jumamosi asubuhi.
- Walinunua matunda na mboga kwanza.
- Walikutana na rafiki yao, Zawadi.
- Jumapili Amara sikwenda popote, alipumzika nyumbani, na aliandika barua pepe kwa familia yake. (Accept any three: did not go out, rested at home, wrote an email, did not work.)
- Example: Sikwenda popote. — "I did not go anywhere." Formed with negative subject marker si- + negative past -ku- + the irregular root for "go."
Listening Responses
Kazi A (Mazungumzo A):
- (no connector) niliamka saa mbili asubuhi
- kwanza — nilikunywa chai na kula mkate
- kisha — nilikwenda kazini
- halafu — nilikutana na rafiki yangu kwa chakula cha mchana
- baadaye — nilirudi nyumbani na kupumzika
Kazi B (Mazungumzo B):
- 1. Kweli (True) — Neema alisoma maktabani Jumatatu.
- 2. Sikweli (False) — Neema hakwenda shuleni Alhamisi (alikuwa mgonjwa).
- 3. Kweli (True) — Neema alifanya mtihani Ijumaa.
- 4. Sikweli (False) — Neema alipumzika wikendi; hakufanya kazi.
Reading Comprehension
- Zawadi aliamka saa moja na nusu asubuhi.
- Zawadi alikutana na rafiki zake wawili, Amara na Kofi.
- Accept any one: Sikula chakula kingi (did not eat much food); Sikufanya kazi ya ziada (did not do extra work).
- Neema alisafiri kwenda Mombasa kwa kazi. (Neema traveled to Mombasa for work.)
- Examples: Sikupiga simu — "I did not call"; Sikurudi nyumbani hadi Ijumaa — "I did not return home until Friday"; Sikupata muda — "I did not get time." Each uses a negative subject marker + -ku- + root + final vowel.
Chapter Review — Sehemu B
Question 1 (past-tense forms):
- aliandika
- tulinunua
- uliona
- walisafiri
Question 2 (negation):
- Sikula chakula cha jioni.
- Hakwenda kazini.
- Hatukupiga simu.
Question 3 (error correction):
- Sililisoma jana. — Error: -li- and negative marking cannot combine. Correction: Sikusoma jana.
- Mimi hapana kwenda sokoni. — Error: negation is not a separate word. Correction: Sikwenda sokoni.
- Lifanya kazi jana. — Error: missing subject marker. Correction: Alifanya kazi jana.
Question 4: Infinitive ku- attaches to a bare root to form a verb's dictionary form (kusoma, "to study") and never follows a subject marker. Negative past -ku- is a tense marker that always follows a negative subject marker inside a complete finite verb (sikusoma, "I did not study").
Question 5: Kwanza tulisoma. Kisha tulikula. Mwishowe tulipumzika.
Looking Ahead
Unachojua sasa — What you know now
You can now narrate completed events from yesterday or last week, in the correct order, and say what did not happen. You have added the past tense marker -li- to the present and future markers you already knew, learned to build accurate negative past forms with -ku-, and practiced telling infinitive ku- apart from this new negative marker. You have also used object markers inside past verbs and connected several events using kwanza, kisha, halafu, baadaye, and mwishowe. These tools give you full control of present, future, and past time reference — the core of the Swahili verb system at this level.