| father (m/w class for verbs and adjectives but: possessive prefix like n class) | baba |
| to be | kuwa |
| he is / becomes (3sg + present tense marker + verb) | anakuwa |
| past tense marker | -li- |
| present tense marker | -na- |
| he was | alikuwa |
| a sick person/ an invalid | mgonjwa |
| Father was an invalid | Baba alikuwa mgonjwa. |
| to die | kufa |
| he died (therefore) - (consecutive positive) | akafa |
| and | na |
| He was sick and he died. (in consequence) | Alikuwa mgonjwa na akafa. |
| marker for consecutive time | -ka- |
| marker for if /when time | -ki- |
| when I was | nikiwa |
| still | bado |
| young | mdogo |
| very | sana |
| very young | mdogo sana |
| when I was still very young | nikiwa bado mdogo sana |
| Father died when I was still very young. | Baba alikufa nikiwa bado mdogo sana. |
| Father was invalid and (in consequence) died when I was still very young. | Baba alikuwa mgonjwa na akafa nikiwa bado mdogo sana. |