Lesson 7:
Grammar
Commands
The imperative, or command form, in Swahili is easy to master. There are both singular and plural commands, and affirmative and negative as well. Singular affirmative commands consist simply of the verb root. To form plural affirmative commands, change the final –a of the root to –e, and then add –ni. If the root ends in –u or –i, simply add –ni without any vowel change.
| Singular (To one person) | Plural (To more than one person) |
|
Soma! Read! Study! |
Someni! All of you, Read! Study! |
|
Sema. Speak. |
Semeni. Speak. (All of you) |
|
Andika. Write |
Andikeni. Write. |
|
Lala. Sleep. Lie down. |
Laleni. Sleep. Lie down. |
|
Amka! Wake up! |
Amkeni. Wake up! |
|
Simama! Stand up! |
Simameni. Stand up! |
|
Cheza! Play! Dance! |
Chezeni. Play! Dance! |
|
Jaribu. Try. |
Jaribuni. Try. |
|
Rudi. Return. |
Rudini. Return. |
|
Fikiri. Think! |
Fikirini. Think! |
|
Furahi. Be happy! |
Furahini. Be happy! |
Now let’s look at negative commands, which are formed a bit differently. Negative commands have both a subject prefix, u– for singular and m– for plural, and a negation marker, –si, immediately after the subject prefix. These are attached to the verb root. If the verb root ends in –a, it is changed to –e:
u– / m– + -si– + verb root (–a = –e).
So, from kusema (to speak), we have u+si+sem + e (don’t speak) and m+si+sem + e (all of you, don’t speak). Let’s look at some other examples:
| Affirmative | Singular Negative | Plural Negative |
|
Soma. Read. Study. |
Usisome Don’t read/study. |
Msisome. |
|
Andika. Write. |
Usiandike. Don’t write. |
Msiandike. |
|
Lala. Sleep. |
Usilale. Don’t sleep. |
Msilale. |
|
Cheza! Play! Dance! |
Usicheze. Don’t play/dance. |
Msicheze. |
|
Jaribu. Try. |
Usijaribu. Don’t try. |
Msijaribu. |
|
Rudi. Return. |
Usirudi. Don’t return. |
Msirudi. |
|
Fikiri. Think. |
Usifikiri. Don’t think. |
Msifikiri. |
|
Furahi. Be happy. |
Usifurahi. Don’t be happy. |
Msifurahi. |
There are just two common exceptions to these rules. The verbs kuja (to come) and kuenda (to go) have irregular command forms:
| Infinitive | Affirmative | Negative |
| Kuja (to come) | Njoo!/Njooni! | Usije!/Msije! |
| Kuenda (to go) | Nenda!/Nendeni! | Usiende!/Msiende! |
