Difference between revisions of "Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Passive-Voice"

Latest revision as of 04:13, 20 June 2023

◀️ Conditional Clauses — Previous Lesson	Next Lesson — Causative Verbs ▶️

Swahili (individual language) Grammar → Advanced Topics in Swahili Grammar → Passive Voice

Introduction[edit | edit source]

In this lesson, we will delve into the advanced topic of the passive voice in Swahili. Understanding the passive voice is crucial for developing a deeper understanding of Swahili grammar and becoming a more proficient speaker. We will explore the formation and usage of the passive voice, including subject-object shift and prepositional passive. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use the passive voice in various contexts and understand its cultural significance in the Swahili-speaking world. So let's get started!

Formation of the Passive Voice[edit | edit source]

The passive voice in Swahili is formed by using the auxiliary verb "ku-" followed by the verb stem in the passive form. The passive form of a verb is created by adding the infix "-w-" before the final vowel of the verb stem. Let's look at some examples to illustrate this:

Swahili (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
Kitabu kinasomwa.	/ki.ta.bu ki.na.so.mwa/	The book is being read.
Nyumba inajengwa.	/ɲum.ba i.na.jɛŋ.wa/	The house is being built.
Chakula kinapikwa.	/tʃa.ku.la ki.na.pi.kwa/	The food is being cooked.
Barua inaandikwa.	/ba.ru.a i.na.an.di.kwa/	The letter is being written.

As you can see, the verb "ku-" is used as an auxiliary verb in the passive voice construction, and the verb stem is modified with the infix "-w-" to indicate the passive form. It is important to note that the subject of the active voice sentence becomes the object of the passive voice sentence, and the object of the active voice sentence is omitted in the passive voice construction.

Usage of the Passive Voice[edit | edit source]

The passive voice is used in Swahili to shift the focus from the doer of the action to the receiver of the action. It is commonly used to emphasize the object or the receiver of the action, especially when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or already known. Let's explore some examples to understand the usage of the passive voice in different contexts:

1. Emphasizing the receiver of the action[edit | edit source]

The passive voice is often used to highlight the object or the receiver of the action. This can be seen in sentences like:

Kitabu kinasomwa na mwalimu. (The book is being read by the teacher.)
Nyumba inajengwa na wafanyakazi. (The house is being built by the workers.)

In these examples, the object of the active voice sentence ("the book" and "the house") becomes the subject of the passive voice sentence, and the doer of the action ("the teacher" and "the workers") is introduced using the preposition "na" (by). This construction allows us to emphasize the receiver of the action.

2. Describing general truths or habitual actions[edit | edit source]

The passive voice is also used to describe general truths or habitual actions. For example:

Watu hununuliwa na bidhaa hizi. (People are bought by these products.)
Vyakula vingi hupikwa nyumbani. (Many foods are cooked at home.)

In these sentences, the passive voice is used to convey the general idea that people are bought by these products and that many foods are cooked at home. The focus is on the action itself rather than on a specific doer of the action.

3. Reporting events or news[edit | edit source]

The passive voice is commonly used in news reporting or when discussing events. For instance:

Ajali ilitokea jana. (An accident happened yesterday.)
Uchaguzi utafanyika kesho. (The election will take place tomorrow.)

In these examples, the passive voice is used to report the occurrence of an accident and the upcoming election. The focus is on the event itself rather than on the specific individuals involved.

Cultural Insights[edit | edit source]

The usage of the passive voice in Swahili reflects the cultural emphasis on the receiver of the action rather than the doer. This can be seen in various aspects of Swahili society, including language, social interactions, and even traditional sayings.

In Swahili culture, it is often considered polite and respectful to focus on the object or the receiver of the action rather than the person performing the action. This is reflected in the frequent use of the passive voice, which allows for the receiver to be highlighted and given importance. Swahili speakers believe that it is more important to acknowledge the impact of an action on the receiver than to emphasize the doer of the action.

Furthermore, the use of the passive voice in Swahili can also be attributed to the influence of Arabic, which has had a significant impact on the Swahili language and culture. Arabic, like Swahili, places a strong emphasis on the receiver of the action and often uses the passive voice to convey this focus. This influence can be seen in the similar usage of the passive voice in both languages.

Exercises[edit | edit source]

Now it's time to practice using the passive voice in Swahili. Complete the following exercises and check your answers below:

1. Translate the following sentences into Swahili using the passive voice:

a) The car is being washed by the mechanic. b) The cake is being baked by my mother. c) The letter was written by the secretary.

2. Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice:

a) Watoto wanacheza mpira katika uwanja. (The children are playing soccer in the field.) b) Mwalimu anafundisha wanafunzi kiswahili. (The teacher is teaching the students Swahili.) c) Wafanyakazi wanajenga nyumba mpya. (The workers are building a new house.)

Solutions[edit | edit source]

1. Translation:

a) Gari linanawiriwa na fundi. b) Keiki inapikwa na mama yangu. c) Barua ilitiwa wino na katibu.

2. Passive Voice:

a) Mpira unachezwa na watoto katika uwanja. b) Wanafunzi wanafundishwa Kiswahili na mwalimu. c) Nyumba mpya inajengwa na wafanyakazi.

Conclusion[edit | edit source]

Congratulations! You have completed the lesson on the passive voice in Swahili. You have learned how to form and use the passive voice, including subject-object shift and prepositional passive. Additionally, you have gained cultural insights into the usage of the passive voice in Swahili society. Keep practicing and incorporating the passive voice into your Swahili conversations to become a more confident and fluent speaker. Good luck!

Table of Contents - Swahili (individual language) Course - 0 to A1[edit source]

Course Presentation

Introduction to Swahili Grammar

Greetings and Introductions

Swahili Culture and Society

Swahili Syntax

At Home and Around Town

Swahili Literature and Art

Advanced Topics in Swahili Grammar

Nature and the Environment

Swahili Festivals and Celebrations

Idioms and Proverbs

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

◀️ Conditional Clauses — Previous Lesson	Next Lesson — Causative Verbs ▶️

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+<span pgnav>
+{| class="wikitable pg_template_nav"
+|[[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Conditional-Clauses|◀️ Conditional Clauses — Previous Lesson]]
+|[[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Causative-Verbs|Next Lesson — Causative Verbs ▶️]]
+|}
+</span>
 {{Swahili-individual-language-Page-Top}}
 <div class="pg_page_title">Swahili (individual language) Grammar → Advanced Topics in Swahili Grammar → Passive Voice</div>
 __TOC__
-As a Swahili language teacher for over 20 years, I am excited to teach you about the passive voice in Swahili. In this lesson, we will explore the use and formation of the passive voice in Swahili, including subject-object shift and prepositional passive. By the end of this lesson, you will have a deeper understanding of Swahili grammar and be able to use the passive voice in your own sentences.
+== Introduction ==
+In this lesson, we will delve into the advanced topic of the passive voice in Swahili. Understanding the passive voice is crucial for developing a deeper understanding of Swahili grammar and becoming a more proficient speaker. We will explore the formation and usage of the passive voice, including subject-object shift and prepositional passive. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use the passive voice in various contexts and understand its cultural significance in the Swahili-speaking world. So let's get started!
+== Formation of the Passive Voice ==
+The passive voice in Swahili is formed by using the auxiliary verb "ku-" followed by the verb stem in the passive form. The passive form of a verb is created by adding the infix "-w-" before the final vowel of the verb stem. Let's look at some examples to illustrate this:
+{| class="wikitable"
+! Swahili (individual language) !! Pronunciation !! English
+|-
+| Kitabu kinasomwa. || /ki.ta.bu ki.na.so.mwa/ || The book is being read.
+|-
+| Nyumba inajengwa. || /ɲum.ba i.na.jɛŋ.wa/ || The house is being built.
+|-
+| Chakula kinapikwa. || /tʃa.ku.la ki.na.pi.kwa/ || The food is being cooked.
+|-
+| Barua inaandikwa. || /ba.ru.a i.na.an.di.kwa/ || The letter is being written.
+|}
+As you can see, the verb "ku-" is used as an auxiliary verb in the passive voice construction, and the verb stem is modified with the infix "-w-" to indicate the passive form. It is important to note that the subject of the active voice sentence becomes the object of the passive voice sentence, and the object of the active voice sentence is omitted in the passive voice construction.
-== What is the Passive Voice? ==
+== Usage of the Passive Voice ==
-The passive voice is a grammatical construction that allows the writer or speaker to focus on the action being performed rather than on the person or thing performing the action. In Swahili, the passive voice is formed by using the auxiliary verb "li-" and the passive marker "-wa" followed by the past participle of the main verb.
+The passive voice is used in Swahili to shift the focus from the doer of the action to the receiver of the action. It is commonly used to emphasize the object or the receiver of the action, especially when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or already known. Let's explore some examples to understand the usage of the passive voice in different contexts:
-For example:
+=== 1. Emphasizing the receiver of the action ===
-* Active Voice: John anapika chakula. (John is cooking the food.)
+The passive voice is often used to highlight the object or the receiver of the action. This can be seen in sentences like:
-* Passive Voice: Chakula kinaandaliwa na John. (The food is being prepared by John.)
-In the passive voice sentence, the focus is on the food being prepared, rather than on John as the person performing the action.
+* Kitabu kinasomwa na mwalimu. (The book is being read by the teacher.)
+* Nyumba inajengwa na wafanyakazi. (The house is being built by the workers.)
-== Subject-Object Shift ==
+In these examples, the object of the active voice sentence ("the book" and "the house") becomes the subject of the passive voice sentence, and the doer of the action ("the teacher" and "the workers") is introduced using the preposition "na" (by). This construction allows us to emphasize the receiver of the action.
-In Swahili, when using the passive voice, there is a shift in the subject and object from the active voice sentence. The object in the active voice becomes the subject in the passive voice sentence, while the subject in the active voice becomes the object of the preposition "na" (by) in the passive voice sentence.
+=== 2. Describing general truths or habitual actions ===
-For example:
+The passive voice is also used to describe general truths or habitual actions. For example:
-* Active Voice: Mama anafua nguo. (Mother is washing the clothes.)
+* Watu hununuliwa na bidhaa hizi. (People are bought by these products.)
-* Passive Voice: Nguo zinafuliwa na mama. (The clothes are being washed by mother.)
+* Vyakula vingi hupikwa nyumbani. (Many foods are cooked at home.)
-In the passive voice sentence, "nguo" (clothes) becomes the subject, and "mama" (mother) becomes the object of the preposition "na" (by).
+In these sentences, the passive voice is used to convey the general idea that people are bought by these products and that many foods are cooked at home. The focus is on the action itself rather than on a specific doer of the action.
-== Prepositional Passive ==
+=== 3. Reporting events or news ===
-In Swahili, there is also a prepositional passive construction in which the passive marker "-wa" is followed by a noun or preposition to indicate the agent. This construction is used when the agent is known or when it is important to include the agent in the sentence.
+The passive voice is commonly used in news reporting or when discussing events. For instance:
-For example:
+* Ajali ilitokea jana. (An accident happened yesterday.)
+* Uchaguzi utafanyika kesho. (The election will take place tomorrow.)
-* Active Voice: Mwanafunzi anapenda mwalimu. (The student likes the teacher.)
+In these examples, the passive voice is used to report the occurrence of an accident and the upcoming election. The focus is on the event itself rather than on the specific individuals involved.
-* Prepositional Passive: Mwalimu anapendwa na mwanafunzi. (The teacher is liked by the student.)
-In the prepositional passive sentence, "mwalimu" (teacher) is the agent indicated by the preposition "na" (by).
+== Cultural Insights ==
-== More Examples ==
+The usage of the passive voice in Swahili reflects the cultural emphasis on the receiver of the action rather than the doer. This can be seen in various aspects of Swahili society, including language, social interactions, and even traditional sayings.
-Here are some more examples of the passive voice in Swahili:
+In Swahili culture, it is often considered polite and respectful to focus on the object or the receiver of the action rather than the person performing the action. This is reflected in the frequent use of the passive voice, which allows for the receiver to be highlighted and given importance. Swahili speakers believe that it is more important to acknowledge the impact of an action on the receiver than to emphasize the doer of the action.
-{| class="wikitable"
+Furthermore, the use of the passive voice in Swahili can also be attributed to the influence of Arabic, which has had a significant impact on the Swahili language and culture. Arabic, like Swahili, places a strong emphasis on the receiver of the action and often uses the passive voice to convey this focus. This influence can be seen in the similar usage of the passive voice in both languages.
-! Swahili (individual language) !! Pronunciation !! English
-|-
+== Exercises ==
-| Chakula kimetayarishwa na chef. || Chah-koo-lah kee-meh-tah-yah-ree-shwah nah chef. || The food has been prepared by the chef.
-|-
+Now it's time to practice using the passive voice in Swahili. Complete the following exercises and check your answers below:
-| Gazeti linaandikwa na waandishi. || Gah-zeh-tee lee-nah-ahn-dee-kwah nah wah-ahn-dee-shee. || The newspaper is being written by journalists.
-|-
+. Translate the following sentences into Swahili using the passive voice:
-| Barua zimeletwa na posta. || Bah-roo-ah zee-meh-leht-wah nah poh-stah. || The letters have been brought by the postman.
-|-
+a) The car is being washed by the mechanic.
-| Kazi zitafanywa kesho. || Kah-zee zee-tah-fahn-ywah keh-shoh. || The work will be done tomorrow.
+b) The cake is being baked by my mother.
-|}
+c) The letter was written by the secretary.
+. Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice:
+a) Watoto wanacheza mpira katika uwanja. (The children are playing soccer in the field.)
+b) Mwalimu anafundisha wanafunzi kiswahili. (The teacher is teaching the students Swahili.)
+c) Wafanyakazi wanajenga nyumba mpya. (The workers are building a new house.)
+== Solutions ==
+. Translation:
+a) Gari linanawiriwa na fundi.
+b) Keiki inapikwa na mama yangu.
+c) Barua ilitiwa wino na katibu.
+. Passive Voice:
-== Summary ==
+a) Mpira unachezwa na watoto katika uwanja.
+b) Wanafunzi wanafundishwa Kiswahili na mwalimu.
+c) Nyumba mpya inajengwa na wafanyakazi.
-In summary, we have learned that the passive voice in Swahili is formed by using the auxiliary verb "li-" and the passive marker "-wa" followed by the past participle of the main verb. We have also learned about the subject-object shift and prepositional passive constructions in Swahili. The passive voice is a useful tool to shift the focus of a sentence to the action being performed, rather than on the person or thing performing the action.
+== Conclusion ==
-In the next lesson, we will explore causative verbs in Swahili. Stay tuned!
+Congratulations! You have completed the lesson on the passive voice in Swahili. You have learned how to form and use the passive voice, including subject-object shift and prepositional passive. Additionally, you have gained cultural insights into the usage of the passive voice in Swahili society. Keep practicing and incorporating the passive voice into your Swahili conversations to become a more confident and fluent speaker. Good luck!
 {{#seo:
-|title=Swahili Grammar Lesson: Advanced Topics in Swahili Grammar → Passive Voice
+|title=Swahili (individual language) Grammar → Advanced Topics in Swahili Grammar → Passive Voice
-|keywords=Swahili, Swahili passive voice, subject-object shift, prepositional passive
+|keywords=Swahili grammar, passive voice, Swahili culture, Swahili language, subject-object shift, prepositional passive
-|description=Learn about the use and formation of the passive voice in Swahili. Understand subject-object shift and prepositional passive in Swahili. Improve your Swahili grammar with this advanced lesson.
+|description=In this lesson, you will learn about the formation and usage of the passive voice in Swahili, including subject-object shift and prepositional passive. Gain cultural insights into the significance of the passive voice in Swahili society. Complete exercises to practice using the passive voice in Swahili.
 }}
@@ Line 75: / Line 120: @@
 [[Category:0-to-A1-Course]]
 [[Category:Swahili-individual-language-0-to-A1-Course]]
+<span gpt></span> <span model=gpt-3.5-turbo-16k></span> <span temperature=0.7></span>
+==Other Lessons==
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Tenses|Tenses]]
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Pronouns|Pronouns]]
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Negation|Negation]]
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have|How to Use Have]]
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Slang-and-Colloquialisms|Slang and Colloquialisms]]
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Swahili-Dialects|Swahili Dialects]]
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Plurals|Plurals]]
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Conditional-Clauses|Conditional Clauses]]
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Nominalization|Nominalization]]
+* [[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Cases|Cases]]
 {{Swahili-individual-language-Page-Bottom}}
+<span pgnav>
+{| class="wikitable pg_template_nav"
+|[[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Conditional-Clauses|◀️ Conditional Clauses — Previous Lesson]]
+|[[Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Causative-Verbs|Next Lesson — Causative Verbs ▶️]]
+|}
+</span>