Simple tenses: Past, Present, Future

The basic formula for conjugation is: pronoun prefix + tense prefix + verb root

For example, I want = ninataka. This is ni (verb prefix) + na (present tense) + taka (to want).

Simple verb prefixes are:

Here is an example of the conjugations of -lala the verb for "sleep". I’ve included translations for a few of them; you fill in the blanks.

You’ll see verbs presented either in infinitive form, like kulala, or just with the stem, like -lala.

For exception verbs, the rules are exactly the same, except you retain the ku in the word for the simple tenses.

Examples of conjugating Swahili present tense (kula, to eat):