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LESSON 6. THE KI-VI CLASS
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PART ONE 17 LESSON 6 THE KI-VI CLASS Nouns in this class denote things. There are a few nouns which denote living things (see Lesson Three). Here are the commonest nouns in this class: kitu, thing vitu, things kiti, chair viti, chairs kitabu, book vitabu, books kisu, knife visu, knives kitanda, bed vitanda, beds kikombe, cup vikombe, cups kikapu, basket vikapu, baskets kichwa, head vichwa, heads kiatu, shoe viatu, shoes kiazi, potato viazi, potatoes kifua, chest vifua, chests kidole, finger vidole, fingers kijiko, spoon vijiko, spoons kisima, well visima, wells kisiwa, island visiwa, islands The adjectives agreeing with this class have ki/vi prefixes, e.g. kitabu kizuri, “a nice book”; vitabu vizuri, “nice books”. EXERCISE 7 Translate into Swahili: 1. Long fingers. 5. Very nice shoes 2. He has a big head. 6. Thieves have broad chests. 18 SWAHILI MADE EASY 3. She has a long bed. 7. Sharp Knives 4. Many potatoes. 8. A big basket Some nouns in this class begin with ch and vy, e.g. chakula, food vyakula, foods cheti, certificate vyeti, certificates cheo, rank, measure vyeo, ranks, measures choo, toilet vyoo, toilets chombo, vessel vyombo, vessels chuma iron vyuma, pieces of iron chumba, room vyumba, rooms Adjectives also begin with ch and vy if the stems begin with a vowel, e.g. -eusi: kiatu cheusi “a black shoe”; viatu vyeusi “black shoes”. Likewise, a light basket” kikapu chepesi. “Light baskets” vikapu vyepesi. EXERCISE 8 Add the correct nominal prefixes to the following adjectives (in brackets): 1. vitabu (eusi) 10. vyakula (dogo) 2. viti (epesi) 11. vitu (ingi) 3. chumba (eupe) 12. vyuma (kubwa) 4. kikombe (dogo) 13. viti (refu) 5. chuma ( laini) 14. visu (kali) 6. chombo (embamba) 15. viazi (ghali) 7. mtoto ana viazi (eupe) 16. viazi (rahisi) 8. watoto wana viazi (eupe) 17. kikombe (dogo) 9. chakula (dogo) ...