Week 2
Wednesday
Lesson 3: Polite Imperative
| Ufanye! |
Would you do! |
Ufunge! |
Would you close! |
| Ufungue! |
Would you open! |
Ulete! |
Would you bring! |
| Upike! |
Would you cook! |
Usafishe! |
Would you clean! |
| Ujaribu! |
Would you try! |
Urudi! |
Would you come back! |
| Usamehe! |
Would you forgive! |
Uende! |
Would you go! |
| Uje! |
Would you come! |
Ule! |
Would you eat! |
In Swahili, as in many other languages, the more you lengthen the verbal formula when giving an order, the more you soften its "abruptness", and the more you show yourself polite.
Compare for instance in English : Come ! / Can you come ! / Are you coming ? / Would you like to come ? / I wish you would come / etc...
A common way of easing the rough edge of an order is to use the subjunctive. (See: Chapter 33 - The Subjunctive.)
This is done by removing the prefix KU- of the infinitive and by replacing the ending -A with -E.
The second person singular begins with the pronominal prefix U-.
While the second person plural begins with the pronominal prefix M-.
2nd Person Plural
| Mfanye! |
Would ya'll do! |
Mfunge! |
Would ya'll close! |
| Mfungue! |
Would ya'll open! |
Mlete! |
Would ya'll bring! |
| Mpike! |
Would ya'll cook! |
Msafishe! |
Would ya'll clean! |
| Mjaribu! |
Would ya'll try! |
Mrudi! |
Would ya'll come back! |
| Msamehe! |
Would ya'll forgive! |
Mwende! |
Would ya'll go! |
| Mje! |
Would ya'll come! |
Mle! |
Would ya'll eat! |