Past Tense

Past tense is conveyed by using the -na- (or less commonly -da- ) infix. It can be directly translated "did."  The emphasis during pronunciation is on the tense infix. Thus:

Tinadya

We did eat.

"tee-NAH-dyah"

Here's some more examples:

Notice we've introduced another adverb, dzulo, telling when the verb performed the action.

In the negative past tense the usual -a verbal ending is changed to -e as is done in the subjunctive tense:

The Perfect tense hives a past-tense-like meaning to the verb. It is used to describe an action that has been done and is still in operation:

Past: Perfect:

I fell down but got up again. I have fallen and am still lying on the ground.

While the past uses -na- as its infix, the perfect tense merely substitutes or includes -a- with the usual vowel in the subject pronoun.  This gives us:

Past: Present: Perfect:

Ndi-na-one Ndi-ona Nda-ona

I did see I see I have seen

The subject pronouns remain unchanged when used in all other tenses except the perfect tense. They may be thought of as contractions with the -a- perfect tense infex:

Notice that while there is now a distinction between he/she and they, the same Wa- pronoun is shared by both single you and he/she forms.

The difference between agona "they sleep" and agona "they have gone to sleep" is tonal pronounciation. This is an important example of tonal pitch variation in Chichewa.

"They sleep" is ah-GOH-nah, while "they have gone to sleep" is AH-goh-nah where the capitolized syllables have a drop from a high to low pitch.

There is no negtive form of the perfect tense.
The past tense is used.

Future tense is conveyed by using the -dza- infix. It can be directly translated by the English auxillary verb "will:"

The simple present tense also gives an immediate future quality to the verb's action:

Ndibwera means "I am going to come right now."
Adya means "He is going to eat right now."

In contrast to this, the -dza- infix is used only if something is going to happen tomorrow or thereafter, never later today. Thus:

Apita.....  "He goes (right away)."
Adzapita.... "He will go (tomorrow or later)."

Negative future examples:

Sindidzabwera. Sitidzapatsa. Sadzawapatsa madzi.

I will not come. We will not give. We will not them give water.

Future Subjunctive:

This form is not very common. It indicates that something should be done in the future. In actual practice the simple subjunctive is usually employed for this purpose:

Mudzandione mawa.

You should see me tomorrow.

Future Infinitive:

Chichewa uses the future infinitive to indicate that something is going to be done in the future. There is no equivalent in the future:

The last example illustrates the use of -dza as a verb stem meaning to come, and as such is a synonym of -bwera:

Thus this -dza- infix indicates that one is coming with the intention of doing something in the future. Both ideas of coming and future-action are combined in the same grammatical element.

This tense is formed by inserting the -ma- infix before the verb stem. It can be directly trnslated by the English auxillary verb "does" or "do":

Compared to English with its many irregular verbs (see-saw-seen, eat-ate-eaten, go-went-gone, etc.) Chichewa verbs are pleasantly consistent!

The tense infixes are, of course, verbal infixes. Here is a review of the ones which we have covered thus far:

Now some new ones:

-LIKU-

This is the full form for expressing present continuous action. It includes the verb -li-, which means to be.

Note: Ndikubwera, the short form, should actually read: I coming.

-SANA-

This infix indicates that the action happened before another event which had not yet occured. As expected, the negative past qualities of this infix require the noraml -a ending to be changed to -e:

-TA-

This is sometimes called the completed tense infix. It indicates the action happened after another event which has already occured:

The -ta- infix gives the meaning that "I had just finished doing something" or "I had already done something" before something else happened:

Bambo atapita tinadya. Anatiuza titadziwa kale.

Father after-he-had-gone we-did-eat. He told us after we knew that already.

kale is a new adverb meaning old, ago or already.

The -ta- infix is used with the verb -pita and the preposition pa- (meaning "on") to indicate that something "will happen after" a period of time:

-KA-

Akabwera alendo, tidzadya.
If and when they come the-visitors, we will eat.

Ikafika mvula, tidzbzala chimanga.
If and when it arrives the-rain, we will plant maize.

The -ka- infix is also used as an auxillary to an existing tense. In this case it gives the idea of going to do something and can be used after any tense infix:

*chakudya is a noun derived from the verb -dya "to eat".
It literally means "something-to-eat."
-funa "to want" can be duplicated to mean "wanting-here-and-there."

-KA-E

Ka- can be used as a prefix with the subjunctive tense (the -e verb ending) to form another type of command where the subject prefix, Mu-, is implied. This gives a meaning of "You should go and do such-and-such." 

For example:

This infix is thought to be derived from the verb -nka, "to go."

-KADA-

When -ka- is followed by one of the past tense infixes it expresses "would have," "should have" or "If I had" and gives the feeling of almost:

Other less common forms are: -KANA- and -DAKA-:

Chidakachitika nchiyani ndikati ndisabwere?
It-would-have-happened what (if) I-had-not-come?

The ordinary negative si- can be used with this form. For example:

Sindikanatha popanda inu.

I couldn't have done it without you.

But it is probably better to use some explicit verb such as -leka (to stop) or the verb -panda (to be without) with the -ka- infex and then follow it with an infinitive verb:

Mwana akanaleka kulira tikanalephera kumpeza.
Child if-he-had-stopped crying we-would-have-failed to-him-find.

Ndikapanda kumfuna amabwera.
When I don't want him he usually comes.

-NGA-

expresses permission may or possibility can. It takes the subjunctive ending -e:

The negative form gives the same meaning:

Mphunzitsi sangabwere lero.

The teacher can't come today.

To express physical ability as well as the possibility of action, use this form with the verb -tha- (to be able) followed by the Inifinitive:

Ndingathe kukuonani.   Sangathe kubwera lero.

I can see you. He-is-not-able to-come today

Watch for the idiomatic use of this form, to express the idea of "lest:"

A special form is used with the verb -khala to mean "even though:"

-DZI-

This is referred to as the reflexive infix. It indicates that the action is done intentionally to oneself:

This last example illustrates how multiple infixes can be used to create complex expressions. But be careful not to confuse -dzi- with the following infix:

-ZI-

This infix is often used with commands to strengthen the sense of obligation and can be directly translated by the word "must:"

A weaker rendering of "must" is provided by the verb -yenera which means "ought" or "it would be fitting:"

Anyamata onse ayenera kulimbitsa thupi.
Youths all they-ought to-make-strong the-body.

Tsopano anthu onse abwino ayenera kudzathandiza gulu.
Now men all good they-ought to-come-and-help the-group.
(Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their pary)

-yenera can also be used as an adjective to give the meaning of "suitable" or "proper:"

-NKA-

This infix is less commonly used. It is actually a form of the past habitual tense and gives the meaning that the action "used to be" done:

-NGO-

indicates that the action is performed without any particular reason, "just:"

-BA-  and -TO-

These are old and rarely used forms. -Ba- is used to suggest simultaneous action, "while" something else is transpiring. -To- is the conjunction of -ta- and the continuous infex -ku- and gives the meaning of "just" doing something and nothing more.

Infinitives may be used after verbs like -funa (to want) and -kana (to refuse) if they use the same subject: Ndifuna kupita ku nyumba. Anakana kudya mamawa. Tifuna kudzkuonaninso mawa. I want to go home. He refused to eat this morning. We want to see you again tomorrow. With different subjects, we must use the subjective -e ending with the optional kuti: Ndifuna kuti apite kunyumba. Ndinamtuma kuti apeze icho. Anatiuza tikhale pano. I want that he should go. I sent him that he should find that. He told us we should stay here. But Thous Shalt Resist the temptation to say: Ndimufuna kupita... Ndinamtuma kupeza... Anatiuza kukhala...

VERBS PART 3