Language/Swahili-individual-language/Grammar/Passive-Voice
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Welcome to our lesson on the Passive Voice in Swahili! This topic is quite fascinating and essential for anyone looking to enhance their understanding of the Swahili language. The passive voice allows speakers to emphasize the action itself rather than the subject performing the action. In many cases, this can lead to more nuanced and engaging communication.
As we dive into this lesson, we will explore the formation and usage of the passive voice, including the subject-object shift and prepositional passive structures. By the end of this lesson, you will not only grasp the concept but also be able to use it in your own conversations.
Here’s a brief outline of what we will cover:
- Understanding the Passive Voice
- Formation of the Passive Voice
- Examples of Passive Voice in Action
- Exercises for Practice
- Solutions and Explanations
With that in mind, let's get started!
Understanding the Passive Voice[edit | edit source]
The passive voice is a grammatical structure that shifts the focus from the doer (the subject) of the action to the action itself or the recipient of the action. In English, you might say, "The book was read by the girl." Here, the emphasis is on the book rather than the girl.
In Swahili, the passive voice is similarly structured but has its own unique rules and forms. Understanding how to effectively use the passive voice can greatly enrich your conversational skills in Swahili.
Formation of the Passive Voice[edit | edit source]
1. Basic Structure:
In Swahili, the passive voice is formed by modifying the verb. The typical structure involves using a specific passive marker.
2. Subject-Object Shift:
In a passive sentence, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
3. Prepositional Passive:
Sometimes, the agent (the doer of the action) is introduced with a preposition.
Let’s break this down further with some examples.
Basic Structure[edit | edit source]
To form the passive voice in Swahili, you typically use the verb form with the prefix "wa-" for the present tense.
| Swahili (individual language) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| kitabu kinakusanywa | kɪˈtɑːbu kɪnɑˈkʊsɑːnʊ | The book is being collected |
| chakula kinapikwa | tʃɑːˈkʊlɑ kɪnɑˈpɪkʊ | The food is being cooked |
| barua inasomwa | bɑːˈrʊɑ ɪnɑˈsɔmʊ | The letter is being read |
| nyumba inajengwa | ɲʊmˈbɑ ɪnɑˈdʒɛŋwɑ | The house is being built |
| wimbo unaimbwa | ˈwɪmbo ʊnɑˈɪmbwɑ | The song is being sung |
Subject-Object Shift[edit | edit source]
Here's how the subject-object shift works. In an active sentence, the subject performs the action on the object. When converted to passive, the object takes the subject's place.
| Active Sentence (Swahili) | Passive Sentence (Swahili) | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mwalimu anafundisha wanafunzi | Wanafunzi wanafundishwa na mwalimu | The teacher teaches the students. → The students are taught by the teacher. |
| Mama anapika ugali | Ugali unapikwa na mama | Mother cooks ugali. → Ugali is cooked by mother. |
| Mtu anasafisha gari | Gari linakasafishwa na mtu | The person cleans the car. → The car is cleaned by the person. |
| Daktari anachunguza mgonjwa | Mgonjwa anachunguzwa na daktari | The doctor examines the patient. → The patient is examined by the doctor. |
| Watoto wanacheza mpira | Mpira unachezewa na watoto | The children play ball. → The ball is played by the children. |
Prepositional Passive[edit | edit source]
In some instances, we may want to specify who is performing the action. This is done using a preposition, often "na" (by).
| Swahili (individual language) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Barua inasomwa na Maria | bɑːˈrʊɑ ɪnɑˈsɔmʊ nɑ mɑːˈrɪɑ | The letter is being read by Maria. |
| Chakula kinapikwa na mke | tʃɑːˈkʊlɑ kɪnɑˈpɪkʊ nɑ mˈkɛ | The food is being cooked by the wife. |
| Nyumba inajengwa na fundi | ɲʊmˈbɑ ɪnɑˈdʒɛŋwɑ nɑ ˈfʊndɪ | The house is being built by the builder. |
| Mwalimu anafundisha watoto na wazazi | Watoto wanafundishwa na walimu na wazazi | The teacher teaches the children by the parents. → The children are taught by the teacher by the parents. |
| Mtu anasafisha gari na mke | Gari linakasafishwa na mtu na mke | The person cleans the car by the wife. → The car is cleaned by the person by the wife. |
Examples of Passive Voice in Action[edit | edit source]
Now that we’ve discussed the formation and structure of passive voice in Swahili, let’s look at some more examples to reinforce these concepts.
Here are 20 additional examples of sentences in passive voice:
| Swahili (individual language) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kazi inafanywa | ˈkɑːzi ɪnɑˈfɑnywɑ | The work is being done |
| Maji yanakusanywa | ˈmɑːdʒɪ jɑnɑˈkʊsɑnʊ | The water is being collected |
| Barua inatengenezwa | bɑːˈrʊɑ ɪnɑˈtɛŋɛnɛzwɑ | The letter is being prepared |
| Kiti kinatengenezwa | ˈkɪtɪ kɪnɑˈtɛŋɛnɛzwɑ | The chair is being made |
| Mti unakatwa | mtɪ ʊnɑˈkɑtwɑ | The tree is being cut |
| Nyota inang'ara | njɔtɑ ɪnɑnˈɡɑrɑ | The star is shining |
| Mtu anaheshimiwa | mˈtu ɑnɑhɛˈʃɪmwɑ | The person is being respected |
| Chakula kinapandishwa | tʃɑːˈkʊlɑ kɪnɑˈpɑndɪʃwɑ | The food is being raised |
| Kazi inasimamiwa | ˈkɑːzi ɪnɑsɪˈmɑmɪwɑ | The work is being supervised |
| Nyumba inauzwa | ɲʊmˈbɑ ɪnɑˈʊzwɑ | The house is being sold |
| Mtu anashughulikiwa | mˈtu ɑnɑʃuɡʊlɪˈkɪwɑ | The person is being taken care of |
| Kitu kinatengenezwa na fundi | kɪˈtʃɪt ɪnɑˈtɛŋɛnɛzwɑ nɑ ˈfʊndɪ | The thing is being made by the builder |
| Mwalimu anafundishwa na mwanafunzi | mwɑːˈlɪmʊ ɑnɑˈfʊndɪʃwɑ nɑ mwɑːˈnɑfʊndzɪ | The teacher is being taught by the student |
| Nyumba inajengwa na fundi | ɲʊmˈbɑ ɪnɑˈdʒɛŋwɑ nɑ ˈfʊndɪ | The house is being built by the builder |
| Maji yanatumiwa | ˈmɑːdʒɪ jɑnɑˈtʊmɪwɑ | The water is being used |
| Mwalimu anapewa heshima | mwɑːˈlɪmʊ ɑnɑˈpɛwɑ hɛˈʃɪmɑ | The teacher is being given respect |
| Chakula kinapikwa na mama | tʃɑːˈkʊlɑ kɪnɑˈpɪkʊ nɑ mɑːˈmɑ | The food is being cooked by mother |
| Kazi inakamilishwa | ˈkɑːzi ɪnɑkɑˈmɪlɪʃwɑ | The work is being completed |
| Nyumba inakaguliwa | ɲʊmˈbɑ ɪnɑkɑɡʊˈlɪwɑ | The house is being inspected |
| Mtu anafugwa | mˈtu ɑnɑfʊˈɡwɑ | The person is being fed |
| Maji yanakatwa | ˈmɑːdʒɪ jɑnɑˈkɑtwɑ | The water is being cut |
Exercises for Practice[edit | edit source]
Now it’s time to test your understanding of the passive voice! Below are some exercises you can do to practice forming the passive voice in Swahili.
1. Convert the following active sentences to passive voice:
- Mtu anachora picha.
- Mary anauza maua.
- Daktari anatazama mgonjwa.
- Watoto wanacheka.
2. Identify the passive voice in the sentences below and indicate the subject and the object:
- Barua inasomwa na mtoto.
- Chakula kinapikwa na mke.
- Nyumba inajengwa na fundi.
3. Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice:
- Mwalimu anafundisha somo.
- Wanafunzi wanajifunza lugha.
- Wazazi wanasaidia watoto.
4. Create sentences in the passive voice using the following verbs:
- Kukusanya (to collect)
- Kujaribu (to try)
- Kuandika (to write)
5. Translate the following sentences from English to Swahili in passive voice:
- The book is being read by the girl.
- The food is being cooked by my mother.
- The song is being sung by the children.
6. Change the following sentences to passive voice while including the preposition ‘na’ for the agent:
- Mtu anapika ugali.
- Daktari anachunguza mgonjwa.
- Mama anasafisha nyumba.
7. Fill in the blanks with the correct passive form of the verbs provided:
- Maji __________ (kukusanywa).
- Nyumba __________ (kujengwa).
- Kazi __________ (kufanywa).
8. Identify whether the following sentences are in active or passive voice:
- Chakula kinapikwa.
- Wanafunzi wanajifunza.
- Barua inasomwa.
9. Create your own passive voice sentences using the verbs:
- Kufanya (to do)
- Kuleta (to bring)
- Kuona (to see)
10. Convert these sentences into passive voice:
- Watoto wanacheka.
- Mama anapika ugali.
- Mwalimu anawasaidia wanafunzi.
Solutions and Explanations[edit | edit source]
Let's go through the exercises and provide detailed solutions and explanations for each one.
1.
- Picha inachorwa na mtu. (The picture is drawn by the person.)
- Maua yanauzwa na Mary. (The flowers are sold by Mary.)
- Mgonjwa anatazamwa na daktari. (The patient is being watched by the doctor.)
- Watoto wanacheka. (The children are laughed at.)
2.
- Barua inasomwa na mtoto. (Subject: Barua, Object: mtoto)
- Chakula kinapikwa na mke. (Subject: Chakula, Object: mke)
- Nyumba inajengwa na fundi. (Subject: Nyumba, Object: fundi)
3.
- Somo linafundishwa na mwalimu. (The lesson is taught by the teacher.)
- Lugha inajifunzwa na wanafunzi. (The language is learned by the students.)
- Watoto wanasaidiwa na wazazi. (The children are helped by the parents.)
4.
- Maji yanakusanywa. (The water is being collected.)
- Jaribio linajaribiwa. (The test is being tried.)
- Barua inaandikwa. (The letter is written.)
5.
- Kitabu kinanasomwa na msichana. (The book is being read by the girl.)
- Chakula kinapikwa na mama yangu. (The food is being cooked by my mother.)
- Wimbo unaimbwa na watoto. (The song is being sung by the children.)
6.
- Ugali unapikwa na mtu. (Ugali is being cooked by the person.)
- Mgonjwa anachunguzwa na daktari. (The patient is being examined by the doctor.)
- Nyumba inasafishwa na mama. (The house is being cleaned by mom.)
7.
- Maji yanakusanywa. (The water is being collected.)
- Nyumba inajengwa. (The house is being built.)
- Kazi inafanywa. (The work is being done.)
8.
- Chakula kinapikwa. (Passive)
- Wanafunzi wanajifunza. (Active)
- Barua inasomwa. (Passive)
9.
- Kazi inafanywa. (The work is being done.)
- Vitu vinaletwa. (The things are being brought.)
- Macho yanakuwa. (The eyes are being seen.)
10.
- Watoto wanachekwa. (The children are being laughed at.)
- Ugali unapikwa na mama. (Ugali is being cooked by mother.)
- Wanafunzi wanasaidiwa na mwalimu. (The students are being helped by the teacher.)
Congratulations! You've now taken a significant step in understanding the passive voice in Swahili. Keep practicing, and you'll soon find it becoming second nature in your conversations.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Tenses
- Pronouns
- Negation
- How to Use Have
- Slang and Colloquialisms
- Swahili Dialects
- Plurals
- Conditional Clauses
- Nominalization
- Cases
| ◀️ Conditional Clauses — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Causative Verbs ▶️ |