In Swahili grammar, the continuous tense is used to describe ongoing actions or states, while the simple tense is used to describe completed actions or states. For example, to express the English continuous tense ‘I am eating,’ Swahili uses ‘Ninakula’ while the simple tense ‘I ate’ is expressed as ‘Nilikula’. The continuous vs simple tense is an important basic in understanding Swahili sentence structure and conversation fluency.
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct verb form (Continuous or Simple)
1. Mimi *ninakula* (eat) chakula cha jioni.
2. Wao *walicheza* (played) mpira jana.
3. Yeye *anakimbia* (running) mbio.
4. Sisi *tulikwenda* (went) sokoni.
5. Mama *anapika* (cooking) chakula.
6. Baba *alisoma* (read) gazeti.
7. Mti *unakua* (growing).
8. Alice *aliosha* (washed) nguo.
9. Wewe *unafanya* (doing) kazi nzuri.
10. Wanafunzi *walisoma* (studied) masomo.
11. Mimi *nakunywa* (drink) maji.
12. Tuna *aliandika* (wrote) barua.
13. Yeye *anacheza* (playing) piano.
14. Tulimaliza *tulimaliza* (finished) kusafisha.
15. Wao *wanakula* (eating) chakula.
2. Wao *walicheza* (played) mpira jana.
3. Yeye *anakimbia* (running) mbio.
4. Sisi *tulikwenda* (went) sokoni.
5. Mama *anapika* (cooking) chakula.
6. Baba *alisoma* (read) gazeti.
7. Mti *unakua* (growing).
8. Alice *aliosha* (washed) nguo.
9. Wewe *unafanya* (doing) kazi nzuri.
10. Wanafunzi *walisoma* (studied) masomo.
11. Mimi *nakunywa* (drink) maji.
12. Tuna *aliandika* (wrote) barua.
13. Yeye *anacheza* (playing) piano.
14. Tulimaliza *tulimaliza* (finished) kusafisha.
15. Wao *wanakula* (eating) chakula.
Exercise 2: Translate the actions in brackets to Swahili and use the correct tense (Continuous or Simple)
1. Mimi *ninatembea* (walk) kwenye barabara.
2. Wewe *ulilala* (slept) mapema jana.
3. Yeye *anacheza* (plays) mpira wa miguu.
4. Sisi *tunalala* (sleep) sasa.
5. Mama *anafanya* (makes) chapati.
6. Baba *alitengeneza* (made) kiti.
7. Dada *anacheza* (plays) na kaka yake.
8. Ndugu zangu *walitembelea* (visited) shule yangu.
9. Wewe *unasoma* (read) kitabu.
10. Rafiki yangu *alikimbia* (run) mbio.
11. Mimi *nalala* (sleep) chumbani.
12. Wewe *ulisafisha* (cleaned) vyombo.
13. Yeye *anafundisha* (teaches) wanafunzi.
14. Wanafunzi *walisoma* (read) vitabu.
15. Wao *wanacheza* (play) mpira.
2. Wewe *ulilala* (slept) mapema jana.
3. Yeye *anacheza* (plays) mpira wa miguu.
4. Sisi *tunalala* (sleep) sasa.
5. Mama *anafanya* (makes) chapati.
6. Baba *alitengeneza* (made) kiti.
7. Dada *anacheza* (plays) na kaka yake.
8. Ndugu zangu *walitembelea* (visited) shule yangu.
9. Wewe *unasoma* (read) kitabu.
10. Rafiki yangu *alikimbia* (run) mbio.
11. Mimi *nalala* (sleep) chumbani.
12. Wewe *ulisafisha* (cleaned) vyombo.
13. Yeye *anafundisha* (teaches) wanafunzi.
14. Wanafunzi *walisoma* (read) vitabu.
15. Wao *wanacheza* (play) mpira.
