Aug 2010 - Beginners Kiswahili - Rev
Aug 2010 - Beginners Kiswahili - Rev
Aug 2010 - Beginners Kiswahili - Rev
tie, etc.
Swahili has also borrowed heavily from Arabic especially words concerning religion,
trade, commerce, sailing and others.
For example:
Biashara
business
Hesabu
accounts
Kitabu
book
Lakini
but
mtakatifu
holy person
Nabii
prophet
Tafadhali
please, etc.
From the Portuguese Swahili borrowed such words as:
Bendera
flag
Mpira
Mvinyo
wine, etc.
From Spanish Swahili borrowed:
Meza
table
Pesa
Use of the language
Pronunciation:
ball
money, etc.
2
The easiest aspect of the Kiswahili language is that each letter of the alphabet always
represents the same sound; with the exception of where two letters occur together to
represent one specific sound. Words are pronounced following the vowels used in them.
Kiswahili language uses all the letters of the alphabet, except Q and X.
Vowels
A
as in English
E
as in English
I
as in English
O
as in English
U
as in English
far
bed
flee
off
moon
Consonants
There are two groups of Kiswahili consonants. In the first group, each sound is
represented by one letter.
b
as in bed e.g. baba (father)
c
only found with h as ch, as in each e.g. chungwa (an orange)
d
as in did e.g. dada (sister)
f
as in fun e.g. fua (wash clothes)
g
as in gun e.g. goma (go on strike)
h
as in hat e.g. habari (news)
j
as in job e.g. joto (heat)
k
as in kick e.g. kimbia (run)
l
as in long e.g. leo (today)
m
as in man e.g. maji (water)
n
as in nut e.g. na (and)
p
as in put e.g. papa (shark)
r
as in rat e.g. raha (comfort)
s
as in sink e.g. sasa (now)
t
as in tick e.g. bata (duck)
v
as in voice e.g. vunja (break sth.)
w
as in warn e.g. watu (people)
y
as in yet e.g. yeyuka(melt/dissolve)
z
as in zoo e.g. zama (sink)
Combinations
The second group is combinations. In this group of consonants each sound is
represented by two letters.
ch
as in each e.g. chungwa (an orange)
dh
as th in this e.g. dhahabu (gold)
gh
as sound ch in Scots loch e.g. ghali (expensive)
ng'
as in song e.g. ng'ombe (a cow)
ny
as in new e.g. nyama (meat)
sh
as in ship e.g. shida (a problem)
th
as in thing e.g. themanini (eighty)
Double vowels
aa
ee
ii
oo
uu
3
kaa
mzee
saa
pekee
aa as in car; ee as in great;
mtalii
hii
ii as in see;
choo
kuu
ndoo
mguu
oo as in toe; uu as in blue.
Stress
A stress on a Kiswahili word is always found on the penultimate syllable of such a word.
For example, we may break any Kiswahili word into its syllables, thus:
nya-ma stressing the nya- thus nyama
cha-ku-la stressing the ku- thus chakula
cho-o stressing cho- thus choo ka-zi stressing the ka- thus kazi m-tu - the syllable here
is a consonant, but this does not alter the position of the stress m thus m-, tu.
Objectives
By the end of the course the participants will be able to communicate simple messages,
using basic vocabulary and a first knowledge of the structure of the language. They will
also have gained a foundation on which to build more effective communication.
Course requirements
Students are required to attend all class sessions, unless they fully provide justification
for absence. However, tolerated absence would not exceed 2 sessions in the course of
the semester.
During class, students are required to actively participate in all activities; which include,
conversation, discussions, assignments, writing mid- term and final examinations.
Methods of instruction
(1)
Class conversation, dialogues and language games: Students practice the
introduced topic through conversation, dialogues and language games.
(2)
Excursions: Students make group excursions and be assigned to different tasks in
small groups during the excursion, the present the excursion findings in class.
(3)
Audio-visual: Students be exposed to simple listening texts and pictures to
describe.
Assignments
Students group excursions to various places such as markets or shops; then present the
excursion findings in class then the teacher asses the quality of the presentation.
Grading
1)
Attendance and active class participation
2)
Individual assignments
3)
Group assignments
4)
Mid-term examination
5)
Final examination
Course schedule
Week 1
10%
25%
15%
20%
30%
4
Start with introducing the topic; followed by students practicing in small groups. The
topic is then reviewed followed by role plays.
Question words:
Introducing the question words (wapi, gani, nini, nani, lini, kwa nini, je, ... je) and
let the students practice using them in a dialogue.
Week 2
The verb to be(ni) affirmative and (si) negative present, and (kuwa for the past
and future):
Introduction of the topic.
Let the students drill and after that tell who or what themselves are and, or their
relatives profession / occupation.
Counting:
Topic introduction; followed by students practice. Let them visit a nearby market or
shop and observe prices. Let students make a market or shop role play on buying and
selling goods.
Negative tenses:
The teacher introduces the topic and let the students practice by writing, speaking and
making language games.
5
Week 5
The verb have(-NA) (affirm. and neg.) present; and to have (kuwa na); past
and future:
Introduction of the topic followed by students practicing and making a role play.
Students make an excursion to the market or go to shops and apply the grammar in
asking prices and bargaining. Let them buy some items and present in class.
Locatives: -ko (being in a place); affirmative and negative use: Start with the
introduction of the topic; followed by students practicing with different sitting or staying
positions and situations in class. Explain about the frequent use of -ko, compared to the
remaining two locative markers, -po, and -mo. Let students play language games.
Week 7
Preposition kwa ( in, on, at, to, for, by, per, with, from, of):
The teacher introduces the topic and gives various examples on the various uses of the
preposition; followed by students practicing the preposition.
M- Wa- noun class (animates group nouns. Begin with m- in singular and wa- in
plural) and its agreements, e.g verb constructions, of form (wa), possessive adjectives
(wangu, wako, wake, wetu, wenu, wao), demonstratives: singular and plural. (huyu,
yule,/ hawa, wale), adjectives, relative pronouns and expressing which one(s) (yupi/
wepi)/ gani: Start with introducing the topic; followed by students practicing and
preparing language games and role plays.
Week 8
Ki-/Ch- - Vi-/Vy- noun class (nouns which begin with ki- or ch- in singular and
vi- or vy-) and its agreements:- verb construction, of form (cha/ vya), possessive
adjectives (ch-vy- possessive sound prefixes) (ch/ vyangu, ch/ vyako, ch/ vyake,
ch/vyetu, ch/ vyenu, ch/ vyao), demonstratives: singular. and plural.(hiki, kile,/ hivi,
vile), adjectives, relative pronouns and expressing which one(s) (kipi/ vipi)/ gani:
Start with introducing the topic; followed by students practicing and preparing language
games and role plays.
Object Infixes
After introducing the topic, the students will practice and prepare a dialogue.
Mid-Term Examination
Week 9 Mid-Term Break
Week 10
The use of -po- (when) relative of time, -ki- (if) simple conditional; and
sipo- (if/ when not) (If dont/ doesnt):
Introduction of the topic, followed by students practicing the grammar.
6
Week 11
Reciprocal verbs (-na added at the end of a verb) = each other/ one another:
Introduction of the topic, followed by students practicing the grammar.
Course Review
Week 12
Subjunctives (-e replacing a; at the end of a verb construction) which means: let,
may, should?:
Introduction of the topic; followed by students practicing the grammar.
Course review
Final Examination
Teach Yourself Swahili, by Hassan O. Ali & Ali M. Mazrui, 2004 (online:
http://www.glcom.com/hassan/lessons/teach_yourself_swahili_cd_content.pdf).
Pocket phrase book English Swahili Useful phrases, at Kase Bookshop (Arusha).