-na-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "na"

Chichewa

Alternative forms

• -da- (commonly used alternative)

Infix

-ná-

1. Forms the past tense in verbs.

Usage notes

• To indicate the recent past, the high tone is shifted off the tense marker to the next syllable. Prescriptive grammars state that only the form -na- can be used this way, not -da-.
• Among most speakers, -na- and -da- are in free variation. The form -da- is most common in Malawi's Central Region, and was formerly designated as the standard.

Swahili

Etymology

From -na, a stem of -wa na (“to have”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Infix

-na-

1. positive present tense marker

   wanakula ― they are eating

2. (in stative verbs) inceptive aspect marker

   wanalala ― they are falling asleep

   Inakuwa baridi. ― It is getting cold.

3. (in second verb in a series) marker of simultaneity

   Near-synonym: -ki-

   1. (after -wa) continuous aspect marker

      nilikuwa ninaandika ― I was writing

Usage notes

This marker can be used in both nonrelative and relative verbs.

Conjugation

Conjugation of -na-

		singular	plural
1st person		nina-/na-	tuna-
2nd person		una-	mna-
3rd person	m-wa(I/II)	ana-	wana-
	m-mi(III/IV)	una-	ina-
	ji-ma(V/VI)	lina-	yana-
	ki-vi(VII/VIII)	kina-	vina-
	n(IX/X)	ina-	zina-
	u(XI)	una-	see n(X) or ma(VI)
	ku(XV/XVII)	kuna-
	pa(XVI)	pana-
	mu(XVIII)	mna-

For more information, see Appendix:Swahili verbs.

See also

Swahili TAM markers

• Initial
  • Positive infinitive: ku-/kw-¹
  • Negative infinitive: kuto-
  • Habitual: hu-¹
  • Telegrammic: ka-¹
• Final
  • General (positive indicative): -a
  • Positive subjunctive: -e
  • Negative present: -i
  • Second person plural: -ni
• Infix position positive subject concord
  • Positive past: -li-
  • Positive present: -na-
  • Positive future: -ta-
  • Negative subjunctive: -si-¹
  • Positive present conditional: -nge-
  • Negative present conditional: -singe-
  • Positive past conditional: -ngali-
  • Negative past conditional: -singali-
  • Gnomic: -a-¹
  • Perfect: -me-
  • "Already" past: -lisha-
  • "Already" present: -mesha-/-sha-
  • "If/When": -ki-¹
  • "If not": -sipo-
  • Consecutive: -ka-¹
• Infix position negative subject concord
  • Negative past: -ku-¹
  • Negative future: -ta-
  • "Not yet": -ja-¹
  • Negative present conditional: -nge-
  • Negative past conditional: -ngali-
• Relative
  • Past: -li-
  • Present: -na-
  • Future: -taka-
  • Negative: -si-

¹ Can take stress and therefore does not require -ku-/-kw- in monosyllabic verbs.