Verb conjugation in Swahili, unlike English, is not only modified by tense, mood, aspect but also by the person and number. Stem verbs change their tense or mood by inflection – adding different prefixes, infixes, or suffixes. Swahili verbs always carry information about the subject and sometimes about the object. Learning verb conjugation is important for forming full Swahili sentences to communicate more effectively.
Exercise 1: Present Tense Conjugation
1. Mimi *ninaenda* (I am going) dukani.
2. Yeye *anasoma* (is reading) kitabu chake.
3. Sisi *tunacheza* (we are playing) mpira.
4. Wao *wanakimbia* (are running) kwenye uwanja.
5. Wewe *unaandika* (you are writing) barua.
6. Paka wangu *anakula* (is eating) chakula chake.
7. Ndege *inaruka* (is flying) angani.
8. Rafiki yangu *anaishi* (lives) Nairobi.
9. Mama *anapika* (is cooking) chakula cha jioni.
10. Mti *unakua* (is growing) haraka.
11. Mwalimu *anafundisha* (is teaching) darasani.
12. Gari langu *linaenda* (is going) haraka.
13. Ndugu *anawasili* (arrives) leo.
14. Mtoto *unalala* (is sleeping) usingizi.
15. Babu *anasimulia* (is telling) hadithi nzuri.
Exercise 2: Past Tense Conjugation
1. Mimi *nilikwenda* (I went) dukani.
2. Yeye *alisoma* (read) kitabu chake.
3. Sisi *tulicheza* (we played) mpira.
4. Wao *walikimbia* (ran) kwenye uwanja.
5. Wewe *uliandika* (you wrote) barua.
6. Paka wangu *alikula* (ate) chakula chake.
7. Ndege *iliruka* (flew) angani.
8. Rafiki yangu *aliishi* (lived) Nairobi.
9. Mama *alipika* (cooked) chakula cha jioni.
10. Mti *ulikua* (grew) haraka.
11. Mwalimu *alifundisha* (taught) darasani.
12. Gari langu *lilienda* (went) haraka.
13. Ndugu *aliwasili* (arrived) leo.
14. Mtoto *alilala* (slept) usingizi.
15. Babu *alisimulia* (told) hadithi nzuri.
