Chakula, Kiasi, na Manunuzi
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Name and describe common foods and market goods using class 5/6 (ji-/ma- and zero/ma-) concord.
- Apply adjective agreement correctly to class 5/6 nouns, alongside the class 7/8 and 9/10 nouns developed in Chapter 3.
- Use the quantifier -ingi ("many, much") in controlled agreement patterns across active noun classes.
- Use the quantifier -ote ("all") in controlled agreement patterns across active noun classes.
- Ask about prices, quantities, and preferences, and state simple alternatives when something is unavailable.
- Consolidate polite request forms (naomba, tafadhali nipe, ningependa) for independent productive use in shopping contexts.
- Interpret a dialogue and two short readings set in a market and a shop.
- Perform a detailed shopping transaction that includes quantities, prices, preferences, and a polite request.
Communication Scenario
The Klabu ya Kiswahili in Nairobi has planned its next meeting as a shared meal, and members are responsible for buying ingredients at the local market before the group cooks together. Halima and James, who described their important objects in Chapter 3, now need to navigate a market stall — asking about prices, choosing between similar items, requesting specific quantities, and deciding what to buy when a favorite item has sold out.
- This chapter develops class 5/6 — a noun class used for many fruits, foods, and everyday nouns — into a system for describing market goods.
- The quantifiers -ingi and -ote are introduced in a limited, controlled set of patterns; you are not expected to produce every possible agreement form yet.
- Polite request language from earlier chapters becomes a consolidated productive system this chapter, used confidently and flexibly rather than as a memorized formula.
Core Vocabulary
This chapter's vocabulary supports market and shopping communication, organized by noun class so you can see the agreement pattern each item triggers.
Vyakula vya darasa la JI-MA (5/6) — Class 5/6 foods
| Singular | Plural (ma-) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| tunda | matunda | fruit |
| yai | mayai | egg |
| chungwa | machungwa | orange |
| embe | maembe | mango |
| duka | maduka | shop; small store |
| gauni | magauni | dress |
| soko* | masoko | market |
*Soko follows the class 5/6 zero/ma- pattern (no ji- prefix in the singular), like tunda/matunda and embe/maembe. Some class 5 nouns keep a visible ji- prefix (for example, jino/meno, "tooth/teeth," introduced later); this chapter focuses on the more common zero-prefix pattern.
Chakula na soko — Food and market vocabulary
| Swahili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| mchele | uncooked rice |
| mkate | bread |
| maziwa | milk |
| nyama | meat |
| samaki | fish |
| sukari | sugar |
| chumvi | salt |
| bei | price |
| pesa / fedha | money |
| bei nafuu | affordable price |
| ghali | expensive |
| rahisi | cheap; easy |
Kiasi na maombi ya adabu — Quantities and polite requests
| Swahili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| kilo | kilogram |
| nusu kilo | half a kilogram |
| chupa | bottle |
| kifurushi | packet; parcel |
| naomba... | I would like... (polite request) |
| tafadhali nipe... | please give me... (polite request) |
| ningependa... | I would like... (more formal/tentative) |
| je, mna...? | do you (plural/formal) have...? |
| badala yake | instead |
Mapitio ya jumla — Cumulative review
The following domains from Chapters 1–3 remain productive and should be recycled naturally in this chapter's tasks.
| Domain | Sample recycled items |
|---|---|
| Class 7/8 and 9/10 objects (Ch. 3) | kifaa, kikombe, simu, gari |
| Demonstratives (Ch. 2–3) | huyu, hawa, hiki, hivi, hii, hizi |
| Person object markers | -ni-, -ku-, -m-, -tu-, -wa- |
| Tense markers | -na-, -li-, -ta-, -me- |
Pronunciation and Spelling
Namba katika mazungumzo — Numbers in connected speech
Numbers used for quantities and prices tend to run together with the noun they describe. Keep each syllable of the number clear and maintain penultimate stress on the word as a whole, rather than pausing awkwardly between the number and the noun.
| Phrase | Meaning | Listening focus |
|---|---|---|
| kilo mbili | two kilograms | Keep the phrase as one smooth rhythmic unit. |
| machungwa matano | five oranges | Do not let the plural ma- prefix collapse before the number. |
| shilingi mia tano | five hundred shillings | Practice the full price phrase at natural speed. |
Polite requests such as naomba... and tafadhali nipe... typically use a gentle falling intonation at the end of the phrase, rather than the rising pattern common in English polite requests. A flat or gently falling tone, combined with the word tafadhali ("please") and a warm facial expression, signals politeness more than pitch alone.
Uandishi wa aya — Paragraph dictation
Ask a partner, instructor, or text-to-speech tool to read the paragraph below aloud twice, at a natural pace. Write what you hear, then check your spelling of class 5/6 plurals and quantifiers against the Answer Key.
Leo nimeenda sokoni kununua chakula. Nimenunua machungwa matano na maembe matatu. Bei ya matunda yote ilikuwa nafuu. Pia nimenunua kilo moja ya mchele na chupa mbili za maziwa. Duka moja halikuwa na sukari, kwa hiyo nimeenda duka lingine.
Grammar Instruction
This chapter develops class 5/6 into a system for describing market goods, introduces the quantifiers -ingi and -ote in a limited controlled set of agreement patterns, and consolidates polite request forms for confident productive use.
4.1 Adjective concord with class 5/6 nouns
Purpose: describe fruits, foods, and market goods accurately by matching adjectives to class 5/6 nouns.
| Noun | Singular adjective | Plural adjective |
|---|---|---|
| tunda / matunda | zuri (nice) | mazuri |
| chungwa / machungwa | bivu (ripe) | mabivu |
| duka / maduka | dogo (small) | madogo |
Note that class 5 singular adjective agreement often has no visible prefix at all (tunda zuri, not tunda lizuri), which distinguishes it from the class 6 plural, which regularly takes ma-. This zero-prefix singular pattern is worth noticing now and will be reinforced through practice.
4.2 Demonstrative concord: hili/haya
Purpose: point out a specific fruit, food item, or shop among others, distinguishing class 5/6 from the class 7/8 and 9/10 forms learned in Chapter 3.
| Noun class | Singular ("this") | Plural ("these") |
|---|---|---|
| Class 5/6 | hili | haya |
| Class 7/8 (review) | hiki | hivi |
| Class 9/10 (review) | hii | hizi |
- Hili ni tunda zuri. This is a nice fruit.
- Haya ni maembe matamu. These are sweet mangoes.
4.3 Quantifier -ingi ("many, much") — controlled patterns
Purpose: describe quantity for the noun classes already active in this volume.
| Noun class | -ingi form | Status this chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2 (people, review) | wengi | Productive |
| Class 6 (foods, new) | mengi | Productive |
| Class 8 (things, review) | vingi | Productive |
| Class 10 (things, review) | nyingi | Productive |
| All other classes | — | Deferred to a later chapter |
This chapter limits productive -ingi use to the four forms above, since they cover the classes already active in the volume. Other -ingi forms exist but are not required here.
4.4 Quantifier -ote ("all") — controlled patterns
Purpose: refer to an entire set of items already mentioned or in view.
| Noun class | -ote form | Status this chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Class 6 (foods, new) | yote | Productive |
| Class 8 (things, review) | vyote | Productive |
| Class 10 (things, review) | zote | Productive |
| All other classes | — | Deferred to a later chapter |
- Bei ya matunda yote ni nafuu leo. The price of all the fruit is affordable today.
- Vitabu vyote ni vya Kiswahili. All the books are Swahili books.
4.5 Consolidating polite requests
Purpose: make and respond to shopping requests confidently and flexibly, without relying on a single memorized phrase.
You have met polite request language in earlier chapters as formulaic expressions. This chapter consolidates that system: you should now be able to choose among request forms depending on formality and combine them with quantities, prices, and preferences.
- Naomba kilo moja ya machungwa. I would like one kilogram of oranges.
- Tafadhali nipe mkate na chupa moja ya maziwa. Please give me bread and one bottle of milk.
- Ningependa kujua bei ya samaki huyu. I would like to know the price of this fish.
- Je, mna sukari? Kama hamna, naomba chumvi badala yake. Do you have sugar? If you don't, I'd like salt instead.
Mazoezi A — Kukamilisha (Completion): Complete each sentence with the correct class 5/6 adjective, demonstrative, or quantifier form.
- Tunda hili ni ___ (kubwa).
- Machungwa ___ (haya/hii) ni matamu.
- Nina matunda ___ (mengi/wengi) leo.
- Bei ya vitu ___ (vyote/yote) ni nafuu.
Mazoezi B — Kuomba kwa adabu (Polite requests): Rewrite each blunt statement as a polite request using naomba, tafadhali nipe, or ningependa.
- Nipe machungwa matano.
- Nataka kujua bei ya samaki.
- Nipe kilo mbili za mchele.
Model Dialogue
Muktadha: Halima yuko sokoni akinunua vitu kwa ajili ya mkutano wa Klabu ya Kiswahili. Anazungumza na Bwana Musa, muuzaji wa matunda.
(Setting: Halima is at the market buying items for the Swahili Club meeting. She is speaking with Mr. Musa, a fruit seller.)
Vocabulary note: ndizi (banana) is a class 9/10 noun, like simu from Chapter 3; its adjectives (mbivu, tamu) do not change between singular and plural.
Maswali ya ufahamu — Comprehension questions:
- Halima ananunua matunda gani sokoni?
- Kwa nini Halima hanunui maembe leo?
- Bei ya machungwa kumi ni ngapi?
- Find two polite request forms in the dialogue. Identify which form each one uses.
- Find one example of the quantifier -ote and one example of -ingi in the dialogue. State which noun each one agrees with.
Listening
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud twice, at a natural conversational pace. This passage combines class 5/6 description, quantifiers, and polite requests, as your Volume II tasks will require.
Mazungumzo — Dukani kwa Bibi Amina
"Karibu dukani! Leo tuna mkate mpya, mayai mengi, na sukari ya kutosha. Bei ya mkate ni shilingi hamsini. Mayai ni shilingi kumi kila moja; ukinunua kumi, nitakupa bei nafuu. Kwa bahati mbaya, maziwa yote yameisha asubuhi hii; wateja walinunua yote mapema. Tunatarajia maziwa mapya kesho."
Kazi A — Orodha ya bei (Price list): As you listen, list each item mentioned, its noun class if you can identify it, and its price or availability.
Kazi B — Maswali ya ufahamu:
- Bei ya mkate ni ngapi?
- Bibi Amina anatoa punguzo (discount) kwa mayai gani?
- Kwa nini hakuna maziwa dukani leo?
Listening Script for Instructor, Partner, or Text-to-Speech Use. See Answer Key for expected responses.
Reading
Read the following adapted club submission and shop notice. Look for class 5/6 concord, demonstrative concord, quantifiers, and polite request language as you read.
Maandishi 1 — Siku ya Ununuzi (adapted club submission)
Jina langu ni James. Kila wiki mimi huenda sokoni kununua chakula kwa ajili ya wiki nzima. Nadhani soko ni mahali pazuri kwa sababu bei ya matunda na mboga huwa nafuu kuliko dukani. Wiki hii nimenunua machungwa matano, maembe matatu, na mkate mmoja. Nimeomba pia kilo moja ya mchele na chupa mbili za maziwa. Muuzaji mmoja hakuwa na sukari, hivyo nimenunua chumvi badala yake. Matunda yote niliyonunua yalikuwa mabivu na matamu.
This is an adapted instructional text, not an authentic published source.
Maandishi 2 — Tangazo la Duka: Bei za Wiki Hii (shop notice)
Karibu Duka la Familia! Wiki hii tuna bei nafuu kwa vitu vingi. Mchele: shilingi mia tatu kwa kilo. Sukari: shilingi mia mbili kwa kilo. Mayai: shilingi kumi kila moja, au shilingi mia moja kwa dazani. Matunda yote — machungwa, maembe, na ndizi — yana bei nafuu wiki hii. Tafadhali njoo mapema; bidhaa nyingi huisha haraka. Naomba wateja walipe kwa fedha taslimu au simu.
Maswali ya ufahamu — Comprehension and interpretation questions:
- James ananunua vitu vingapi wiki hii? Vitaje.
- Kwa nini James anasema soko ni bora kuliko duka?
- Duka la Familia linauza mayai kwa bei gani mbili tofauti?
- Find three examples of class 5/6 nouns with adjective or demonstrative agreement in Maandishi 1 or Maandishi 2.
- Based on both texts, what strategies do shoppers and sellers use to manage price and availability? Support your answer with details from the readings.
Writing Workshop
- Soma mfano. Reread Maandishi 1 (Siku ya Ununuzi). Underline every class 5/6 noun with its agreement, every quantifier, and every polite request form you find.
- Panga mawazo yako. Imagine a shopping trip. Note three or four items you would buy, their noun classes, quantities, and approximate prices.
- Andika rasimu yako ya kwanza. Write a connected 110–140-word paragraph in Swahili describing your shopping trip. Use at least one class 5/6 noun, one quantifier (-ingi or -ote), and at least one polite request form, with consistent agreement throughout.
- Kagua kwa orodha hapa chini. Check your draft against the editing checklist before writing your final version.
- Andika nakala safi. Produce a clean final version to share with a partner or keep for your records.
Orodha ya ukaguzi — Editing checklist:
- Every class 5/6 noun has matching adjective agreement (zero prefix singular, ma- plural).
- Demonstratives (hili/haya) are used correctly for the intended noun class.
- -ingi and -ote are used only in the controlled agreement forms taught this chapter.
- At least one polite request form (naomba, tafadhali nipe, ningependa) is used naturally, not mechanically repeated.
- Class 7/8 and 9/10 agreement from Chapter 3 remains accurate wherever those nouns appear.
- All verbs are written in normal unhyphenated Swahili spelling.
- Capitalization, spacing, punctuation, and ng' are correct throughout.
Kazi ya ziada — Additional task: Exchange your draft with a partner. Find one class 5/6 noun in your partner's writing and confirm together that the adjective agreement is correct.
Speaking Practice
Mazoezi ya msingi — Controlled practice
With a partner, take turns asking and answering one question from each domain below. Answer in complete sentences, using correct class 5/6 agreement and at least one polite request form.
- Unapenda tunda gani zaidi? Kwa nini? (favorite fruit)
- Ukienda sokoni, unanunua vitu vingapi kwa kawaida? (shopping habits)
- Bei ya chakula sokoni kwako ni nafuu au ghali? (price)
- Ungependa kununua nini kwa mkutano wa klabu? (club meeting shopping)
- Duka lako la karibu linauza nini kwa bei nafuu? (nearby shop)
Mchezo wa kuigiza — "Sokoni" role-play
In pairs, act out a shopping transaction: one partner is the seller (muuzaji), the other is the customer (mteja). The customer should ask about at least two items, use a quantifier, request a specific quantity politely, and respond if an item is unavailable.
Mbadala wa kujifunza peke yako — Solo alternative
Record yourself playing both roles of a market conversation: ask about an item's price, request a quantity politely, and respond to the news that a different item is sold out by choosing an alternative. Listen back and check your class 5/6 agreement and request forms.
Culture and Communication
In many Swahili-speaking communities, open-air markets (masoko) remain an important part of daily life alongside supermarkets and small shops, especially for fresh produce. Shopping habits vary widely by country, city, and household, but a personal relationship with a regular seller — who may offer a familiar customer a better price or set items aside — is common in many market settings.
In some market settings, prices for certain goods are treated as a starting point for polite negotiation rather than fixed, while in shops, supermarkets, and among some sellers, prices are typically fixed. Expectations vary by country, setting, and item, so it is often useful to observe local norms or ask before assuming that bargaining is appropriate.
This chapter uses shilingi (shillings) in price examples, reflecting currency used in Kenya and Tanzania, but currency names and amounts vary across Swahili-speaking regions and countries. The request and quantity language taught here — naomba, kilo, -ingi, -ote — remains widely understood Standard Swahili regardless of the specific currency in use.
Common Mistakes
Error: Tunda hili ni makubwa. (using the plural adjective form with a singular class 5 noun)
Correction: Tunda hili ni kubwa. — The class 5 singular typically takes no visible adjective prefix; ma- belongs to the class 6 plural form, as in matunda haya ni makubwa.
Error: Hii ni tunda zuri. (using the class 9/10 demonstrative hii with a class 5/6 noun)
Correction: Hili ni tunda zuri. — Class 5/6 nouns take hili/haya, not the class 9/10 forms hii/hizi learned in Chapter 3.
Error: Guessing at an -ingi or -ote form for a noun class not yet covered in this chapter's controlled set.
Correction: This chapter limits productive use of -ingi and -ote to classes 2, 6, 8, and 10. For other classes, it is acceptable to use a simpler alternative, such as repeating the noun or using a number, until later chapters expand the pattern.
Error: Nipe machungwa! as the default request in a shop, without softening language.
Correction: Naomba machungwa or Tafadhali nipe machungwa is more appropriate for ordinary shop interactions. Reserve the bare imperative for very informal or urgent situations, or soften it with tafadhali.
Chapter Review
Sehemu A — Msamiati (Vocabulary)
1. Write three Swahili class 5/6 nouns and their meanings.
2. Write three polite request phrases and their meanings.
3. Write a sentence using bei that is true for you.
Sehemu B — Sarufi (Grammar)
1. Give the correct class 5/6 adjective agreement for: tunda (zuri); machungwa (bivu, plural form).
2. Give the correct demonstrative ("this"/"these") for: tunda; matunda; duka.
3. Give the correct -ingi form for: watu, matunda, vitabu.
4. Correct the error: Tunda hili ni makubwa.
5. Identify and correct the error: Hii ni tunda zuri.
Sehemu C — Usomaji (Reading)
1. In Maandishi 2, identify one sentence that uses -ote, and state which noun it agrees with.
2. Compare Maandishi 1 and Maandishi 2. Which text is a personal account, and which is a shop notice? What language shows this difference?
Sehemu D — Uandishi (Writing)
1. Complete or finalize your 110–140-word shopping paragraph from the Writing Workshop, if you have not already done so.
Sehemu E — Kuzungumza (Speaking)
1. With a partner, or alone using the solo alternative, complete the "Sokoni" role-play from the Speaking Practice section.
Practical Performance Task
Kazi ya Utendaji
Sokoni kwa Klabu — Shopping for the Club
Complete all four components below to demonstrate that you can perform a detailed shopping transaction using class 5/6 agreement, quantifiers, and polite requests.
- Listening: Listen to the Mazungumzo — Dukani kwa Bibi Amina passage in this chapter (or an equivalent instructor-provided recording) and answer the comprehension questions in Kazi B.
- Speaking: Perform the "Sokoni" role-play with a partner (or complete the solo alternative), including at least two items, one quantifier, one polite request, and one response to an unavailable item.
- Reading: Read Maandishi 1 and Maandishi 2 in this chapter and answer the comprehension and interpretation questions.
- Writing: Submit your final 110–140-word shopping paragraph, revised using the editing checklist.
If you are studying independently: complete the solo alternative for the speaking component, and ask a Swahili-speaking contact, tutor, or qualified reviewer to check your recording and written paragraph against the criteria in this chapter.
Answer Key / Ufunguo wa Majibu
Mazoezi A — Kukamilisha (Completion — model answers)
- Tunda hili ni kubwa.
- Machungwa haya ni matamu.
- Nina matunda mengi leo.
- Bei ya vitu vyote ni nafuu.
Mazoezi B — Kuomba kwa adabu (Polite requests — model answers)
- Naomba machungwa matano. / Tafadhali nipe machungwa matano.
- Ningependa kujua bei ya samaki.
- Naomba kilo mbili za mchele. / Tafadhali nipe kilo mbili za mchele.
Dialogue Comprehension
- Halima ananunua machungwa na ndizi.
- Kwa sababu maembe yote yameuzika (yamekwisha) siku hiyo.
- Shilingi mia mbili.
- Examples include naomba machungwa kumi and nipe kilo moja, tafadhali. Accept other correctly identified request forms.
- -ote: yote (yameuzika, referring to maembe). -ingi: mengi (referring to machungwa).
Listening Responses
Kazi A (price list): mkate (class 5/6) — shilingi hamsini; mayai (class 5/6) — shilingi kumi kila moja, punguzo kwa kumi; maziwa (class 6, uncountable) — yameisha, hayapo leo.
Kazi B:
- Shilingi hamsini.
- Anatoa punguzo kwa mayai kumi (bei nafuu ukinunua kumi).
- Kwa sababu wateja walinunua maziwa yote asubuhi.
Reading Comprehension
- James ananunua vitu vitano: machungwa, maembe, mkate, mchele, na maziwa (na chumvi badala ya sukari).
- Kwa sababu bei ya matunda na mboga sokoni huwa nafuu kuliko dukani.
- Shilingi kumi kila moja, au shilingi mia moja kwa dazani.
- Examples include matunda yote, machungwa matano, and tunda hili (or similar). Accept other correctly identified examples.
- Both texts suggest that shoppers plan around price and availability, choosing alternatives when an item is unavailable, while sellers use discounts and notices to attract customers and move stock quickly.
Chapter Review — Sehemu B
- tunda zuri; machungwa mabivu
- hili (tunda); haya (matunda); hili (duka)
- wengi (watu); mengi (matunda); vingi (vitabu)
- Error: plural adjective with singular noun. Correction: Tunda hili ni kubwa.
- Error: hii used with a class 5/6 noun. Correction: Hili ni tunda zuri.
Other accurate, well-formed answers are acceptable where the task is open-ended.
Looking Ahead
Unachojua sasa — What you know now
You have developed class 5/6 concord across adjectives and demonstratives, used the quantifiers -ingi and -ote in a controlled set of patterns, and consolidated polite request forms. You can now navigate a market or shop, ask about prices and quantities, state preferences, and handle a common item being unavailable.