Learning Swahili verbs is one of the most important steps towards speaking Kiswahili confidently. Swahili verbs are used to describe actions, events and states, and understanding how they work makes it much easier to build sentences.
In this guide, you will learn how Swahili verbs are formed, how subject prefixes work, how to express different tenses, and how to use common verbs in everyday conversations.
What is a Swahili verb?
A verb is a word that describes an action, event or state.
Examples include:
- kula — to eat
- kunywa — to drink
- kwenda — to go
- kuja — to come
- kusoma — to read or study
- kuandika — to write
- kuongea — to speak
- kufanya — to do
- kuona — to see
- kujua — to know
Common Swahili verbs
Here are useful verbs for beginners:
- kuwa — to be
- kufanya — to do/make
- kwenda — to go
- kuja — to come
- kula — to eat
- kunywa — to drink
- kulala — to sleep
- kuamka — to wake up
- kusoma — to read/study
- kuandika — to write
- kuzungumza — to speak
- kusikiliza — to listen
- kuona — to see
- kusikia — to hear
- kujua — to know
- kuelewa — to understand
- kupenda — to like/love
- kutaka — to want
- kuhitaji — to need
- kusaidia — to help
Swahili subject prefixes
Swahili commonly marks the subject within the verb.
Examples:
- ni- — I
- u- — you
- a- — he/she
- tu- — we
- m- — you plural
- wa- — they
For example:
- Ninasoma. — I am reading/studying.
- Unasoma. — You are reading/studying.
- Anasoma. — He/she is reading/studying.
- Tunasoma. — We are reading/studying.
- Mnasoma. — You are reading/studying.
- Wanasoma. — They are reading/studying.
Swahili present tense
The present tense commonly uses -na-.
Examples:
- Ninakula. — I am eating.
- Unakunywa. — You are drinking.
- Anaenda. — He/she is going.
- Tunasoma. — We are studying.
- Wanafanya kazi. — They are working.
Swahili past tense
The past tense commonly uses -li-.
Examples:
- Nilisoma. — I studied/read.
- Ulikula. — You ate.
- Alikuja. — He/she came.
- Tulikwenda. — We went.
- Walizungumza. — They spoke.
Swahili future tense
The future tense commonly uses -ta-.
Examples:
- Nitasoma. — I will study.
- Utakuja. — You will come.
- Atakula. — He/she will eat.
- Tutakwenda. — We will go.
- Watafanya kazi. — They will work.
Negative verbs
Negation changes according to the tense and construction.
Examples include:
- Sisomi. — I do not read/study.
- Hatusomi. — We do not read/study.
- Sikula. — I did not eat.
- Hatakwenda. — He/she will not go.
Infinitive verbs
Many Swahili infinitives begin with ku-.
Examples:
- kula — to eat
- kusoma — to read/study
- kuandika — to write
- kwenda — to go
- kucheza — to play
- kuzungumza — to speak
Learn Swahili verbs through sentences
Learning verbs in complete sentences is often more useful than memorising isolated words.
For example:
Ninasoma Kiswahili.
I am studying Swahili.
Tunakwenda sokoni.
We are going to the market.
Anapenda kusoma.
He/she likes reading.
Watakula baadaye.
They will eat later.
Swahili verb practice
Complete the sentences:
- Mimi ______ Kiswahili.
- Yeye ______ chakula.
- Sisi ______ sokoni.
- Wao ______ kazi.
- Wewe ______ kitabu.
Use verbs such as kusoma, kula, kwenda, kufanya and kusoma where appropriate.