Swahili Noun Classes Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What are the nine verb classes?

The classes change nouns from singular to plural (e.g., mwalimu --> walimu) and verbs from singular to plural (e.g., Mwalimu anaimba --> Walimu wanaimba).

What is the plural form of 'mtoto', 'mgeni', 'mke'?

watoto, wageni, wake

What are the changes to a verb for the m-->wa noun class?

a --> wa

What is the plural form of 'kitabu', 'kiti', 'kiazi', 'kitanda'?

vitabu, viti, viazi, vitanda Signup and view all the answers

What else does this ki-->vi noun class include?

It includes nouns that change from 'ch' to 'vy' (e.g., choo --> vyoo; chakula --> vyakula). Signup and view all the answers

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of ki-->vi?

ki --> vi Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Kiti kilivunjwa.'

Viti vilivunjwa. Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Kichwa kinauma.'

Vichwa vinauma. Signup and view all the answers

What is the plural form of 'mti', 'mgomba', 'mmea', 'moyo', 'mto', 'msitu', 'mpira'?

miti, migomba, mimea, mioyo, mito, misitu, mipira Signup and view all the answers

M --> __ noun class

mi Signup and view all the answers

What else does this noun class include?

Nouns that go from mw --> mi (e.g., mwaka --> miaka) and from mu --> mi (e.g., muhindi --> mihindi). Signup and view all the answers

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of m-->mi?

u --> i Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Mti ulianguka.'

Miti ilianguka. Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Mkono unauma.'

Mikono inauma. Signup and view all the answers

Noun class ji --> __

ma Signup and view all the answers

What are the plural forms of 'blanketi', 'gari', 'duka', 'jina', 'swali', 'jicho', 'embe', and 'dafu'?

mablanketi, magari, maduka, majina, maswali, macho, maembe, madafu, mayai Signup and view all the answers

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of ji --> ma?

li --> ya Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Gari limefika.'

Magari yamefika. Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Chungwa limenunuliwa.'

Machungwa yamenunuliwa. Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Maji yamemwangika.'

Maji yamemwangika. Signup and view all the answers

Nou class --> _

n Signup and view all the answers

What are the plural forms of 'barua', 'dawa', 'kalumu', 'sabuni', 'nyumba', 'baridi', 'mvua', 'nchi', 'nyama'?

barua, dawa, kalumu, sabuni, nyumba, baridi, mvua, nchi, nyama Signup and view all the answers

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of n --> n?

i --> zi Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Kalamu imeanguka.'

Kalamu zimeanguka. Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Njia imefungwa.'

Njia zimefungwa. Signup and view all the answers

The noun class U--> __

u Signup and view all the answers

What are the plural forms of 'uso', 'ubawa', 'upepo', 'upanga', 'wimbo', 'ugali', 'uji', 'umri', and 'unga'?

nyuso, mbawa, pepo, upanga, nyimbo, ugali, uji, umri, unga Signup and view all the answers

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of u --> u?

u --> zi Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Ufunguo umepotea.'

Funguo zimepotea. Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Ugali umepikwa.'

Ugali umepikwa. Signup and view all the answers

Complete the transformation: 'Upendo wao umesifika.'

Upendo wao umesifika. Signup and view all the answers

What else is there?

KU - KU, PA - PA, MU - MU Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Noun Classes in Swahili

Swahili has multiple noun classes that dictate singular and plural forms.
Common transformation patterns exist, such as prefixes that change with number and type.

Verb Class Changes

Subject pronouns and verb endings change based on noun classes:
- For singular 'mwalimu', plural is 'walimu'.
- Conjugation patterns for verbs: 'mwalimu anaimba' changes to 'walimu wanaimba'.

Class Specific Transformations

Class m-->wa modifies the verb ending from 'a' to 'wa'.
Some nouns do not change under rules, e.g., 'mama' remains 'mama'.

Ki-->Vi Class

Objects in this class use the prefix 'ki' in singular and 'vi' in plural, e.g., 'kitabu' becomes 'vitabu'.
Examples include 'choo' to 'vyoo' and 'chakula' to 'vyakula'.

Class M-->Mi and Ji-->Ma

Class m transforms to mi, covering nature-related nouns and some body parts.
Class ji changes to ma, applicable to objects, e.g., 'blanketi' to 'mablanketi'.
Verb changes for ji-->ma: singular 'li' to plural 'ya'.

Class N-->N

The broadest noun class where singular and plural forms are identical.
Example nouns include 'barua', 'dawa', and 'nyumba'.

Class U-->U

Nouns in this category can change from 'u' to forms like 'ny', 'mb', or remain 'u'.
Examples include 'uso' to 'nyuso' and 'ubawa' to 'mbawa'.

Uncountable Nouns

Certain nouns like 'maji' (water) and 'upendo' (love) have the same form in singular and plural, representing uncountable nouns.
The same applies to 'ugali', which remains unchanged in plural contexts.

Infinitive Markings

Specific class transformations are purely associative in nature:
- KU - KU, PA - PA, and MU - MU denote parallel structures within the class systems.

Key Transformational Patterns

Singular-to-plural transformations include:
- m --> wa (people)
- ki --> vi (inanimate objects)
- m --> mi (nature items)
- ji --> ma (objects)
- n --> n (general category)
- u --> u (various nouns)

This structured approach to noun classes and their respective transformations is essential for mastering Swahili grammar.

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Test your knowledge on Swahili noun classes with these flashcards. Explore the transformations from singular to plural forms and understand how verb conjugations relate to noun classes in Swahili. Perfect for students learning the complexities of the Swahili language.

Swahili Noun Classes Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What are the nine verb classes?

What is the plural form of 'mtoto', 'mgeni', 'mke'?

What are the changes to a verb for the m-->wa noun class?

What is the plural form of 'kitabu', 'kiti', 'kiazi', 'kitanda'?

What else does this ki-->vi noun class include?

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of ki-->vi?

Complete the transformation: 'Kiti kilivunjwa.'

Complete the transformation: 'Kichwa kinauma.'

What is the plural form of 'mti', 'mgomba', 'mmea', 'moyo', 'mto', 'msitu', 'mpira'?

M --> __ noun class

What else does this noun class include?

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of m-->mi?

Complete the transformation: 'Mti ulianguka.'

Complete the transformation: 'Mkono unauma.'

Noun class ji --> __

What are the plural forms of 'blanketi', 'gari', 'duka', 'jina', 'swali', 'jicho', 'embe', and 'dafu'?

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of ji --> ma?

Complete the transformation: 'Gari limefika.'

Complete the transformation: 'Chungwa limenunuliwa.'

Complete the transformation: 'Maji yamemwangika.'

Nou______ class ______ --> _

What are the plural forms of 'barua', 'dawa', 'kalumu', 'sabuni', 'nyumba', 'baridi', 'mvua', 'nchi', 'nyama'?

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of n --> n?

Complete the transformation: 'Kalamu imeanguka.'

Complete the transformation: 'Njia imefungwa.'

The noun class U--> __

What are the plural forms of 'uso', 'ubawa', 'upepo', 'upanga', 'wimbo', 'ugali', 'uji', 'umri', and 'unga'?

What changes the verbs from singular to plural for this noun class of u --> u?

Complete the transformation: 'Ufunguo umepotea.'

Complete the transformation: 'Ugali umepikwa.'

Complete the transformation: 'Upendo wao umesifika.'

What else is there?

Study Notes

Noun Classes in Swahili

Verb Class Changes

Class Specific Transformations

Ki-->Vi Class

Class M-->Mi and Ji-->Ma

Class N-->N

Class U-->U

Uncountable Nouns

Infinitive Markings

Key Transformational Patterns

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