Jifunze kiswahili

TO BE IN A PLACE: KUWAKO

This verb is also irregular in the present tense. In other tenses it is regular and identical with the verb kuwa treated above. Kuwako means “to be in a place “.

It is used to indicate that a thing or person is in a certain place, as contrasted to being in a certain state e.g “I am a teacher “and “I am at school “are not the same in Swahili:to be a teacher is a quality status.

While to be at school is not inherent in me as a quality;I am still a teacher even when I sleep at night in my bed. This distinction of being as a status and being in a place is necessary in the present tense. In all other tenses the same form of the verb to be is used to mean to be as a status and to be in a place. The following examples will illustrate this; Compare:

Tatu ni mwalimu, Tatu is a teacher;

and.          Tatu yuko shuleni, Tatu is at school.

again.        Tatu alikuwa mtoto, Tatu was a child.

and.            Tatu alikuwa shuleni,  Tatu was at school.

So,too.        Tatu atakuwa mama, Tatu will be a mother

and.             Tatu atakua nyumbani, Tatu will be at home.

Present tense

Niko,I am (in a place)e.g,niko hapa,I am here.

Uko,you are(in a place)uko wapi?where are you?

Yuko,he/she is (in a place)yuko huko,he is there.

Tuko,we are (in a place)tuko,we are here.

Mko,you are(in a place)mko ndani?are you inside?

Wako,they are(in a place)wako huko,they are there

Perfect Tense

Nimekuwa (ko),I have been(in a place)

Umekuwa(ko),he/she has been (in a place)

Amekuwa(ko),he/she has been (in a place)

Tumekuwa(ko),we have been (in a place)

Wamekuwa(ko),They have been (in a place)

Past Tense

Nilikuwa (ko),I was (there)

Ulikuwa(ko),you were (there)

Alikuwa(ko),he/she was ( there)

Tulikuwa(ko),we were (there)

Mlikuwa(ko),you were (there)

Walikuwa(ko),They were (there)

Future Tense

Nitakuwa(ko),I will be (there)

Utakuwa (ko),you will be(there)

Atakuwa(ko),he/she will be (there)

Tutakuwa(ko),we will be (there)

Mtakuwa(ko),you will be(there)

Watakuwa(ko),They will be(there)

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