Negation in swahili

 

How to Negate in Swahili

English Negation

Swahili Negation

Negation

kukubaliana

he is not here

hako hapa

that is not my book

hicho si kitabu changu

do not enter

usiingie


English Negation

Swahili Negation

I don't speak

sisemi

I don't write

siandiki

I don't drive

siendeshi

I don't love

sependi

I don't give

siwezi kupeana

I don't smile

sitabsamu

I don't take

sichukui

he doesn't speak

haongei

he doesn't write

haandiki

he doesn't drive

haendeshi

he doesn't love

hapendi

he doesn't give

hapeani

he doesn't smile

hatabasamu

he doesn't take

hachukui

we don't speak

hatusemi

we don't write

hatuandiki

we don't drive

hatuendeshi

we don't love

hatupendi

we don't give

hatuwezi kutoa

we don't smile

hatutabasamu

we don't take

hatuchukui

Subject Prefix (S)

When negating verbs, we modify our subject prefixes in the following way:

Subject

Affirmative Prefix

Negative Prefix

Mimi

Ni-

Si-

Wewe

U-

Hu-

Yeye

A-

Ha-

Sisi

Tu-

Hatu-

Ninyi

M-

Ham-

Wao

Wa-

Hawa-

Noun class 1

A-

Ha-

Noun class 2

Wa-

Hawa-

Noun class 3

U-

Hau-

Noun class 4

I-

Hai-

Noun class 5

Li-

Hali-

Noun class 6

Ya-

Haya-

Noun class 7

Ki-

Haki-

Noun class 8

Vi-

Havi-

Noun class 9

I-

Hai-

Noun class 10

Zi-

Hazi-

Noun class 11

U-

Hau-

Noun class 14

U-

Hau-


Tense Marker (T)

Tense

Affirmative Marker

Negative Marker

Present

-na-

-(-)-

Simple Past

-li-

-ku-

Past Perfect

-me-

-ja-

Future

-ta-

-ta-



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