Let's do something totally different, something new :)
How about a new noun class ?
Here is a nice, userfriendly one: The Ki/Vi class
It is userfriendly because its words are easy to be recognized: All its singular nouns start with 'ki-' or 'ch-' ; its plural nouns start with 'vy-'
However not all nouns starting with those letters belong to this class.
We have already met some of those exceptions:
| chumvi | salt | N/N class |
| chupa | bottle | N/N class |
| kaa | crab | M/Wa class (false N/N class) |
| kambakoche | lobster | M/Wa class (false N/N class) |
| konokono | snail | M/Wa class (false N/N class) |
| chui | leopard | M/Wa class (false N/N class) |
| kaka | brother | M/Wa class (false N/N class) |
| kompyuta | computer | N/N class |
| chai | tea | N/N class |
| chaki | chalk | N/N class |
| kalamu | pencil | N/N class |
| and so on... |
Anyway, back to Ki/Vi class.
Let's look at some words and their plural forms:
If a Ki/Vi word begins with 'ki-' the plural form takes 'vi-' instead of 'ki-'.
| singular - ki | plural - vi- | |
|---|---|---|
| kiatu | viatu | shoe(s) |
| kiti | viti | chair(s) |
| kitanda | vitanda | bed(s) |
| kitabu | vitabu | book(s) |
| kisu | visu | knife/knives |
| kichwa | vichwa | head(s) |
| kidole | vidole | finger(s) |
| kikapu | vikapu | basket(s) |
| kiazi | viazi | potato(es) |
| kiboko | viboko | hippo(s) |
| kifaru | vifaru | rhino(s) |
| kilima | vilima | hill(s) |
| kijiji | vijiji | village(s) |
| kisiwa | visiwa | island(s) |
| kiberiti | viberiti | match(es) |
| kikombe | vikombe | cup(s) |
| kitunguu | vitunguu | onion(s) |
| kipanga | vipanga | hawk(s) |
| kipepeo | vipepeo | butterfly / butterflies |
| kijiko | vijiko | spoon(s) |
| kisima | visima | well(s) |
Well, that are already a lot of words... Let's stop here and make some sentences.
But... It is not possible without some little adjustments to the verb and adjective forms we have learned.
I mean we can say things like:
Ninakula vitunguu. - I eat onions.
Ninapenda vikombe. - I like cups.
Nina viatu. - I have shoes.
But if I wanted to say: The hawk is flying. We are in trouble.
No, not yet. The hawk is an animal and behaves as all animals do like M/Wa nouns. (only difference: it takes its plural form from the Ki/Vi class)
So I tell you what: Let's talk about animals here and leave all this verb changes for the next lesson :D
Kipanga anaruka juu ya bahari. - The hawk is flying over the sea.
Kipepeo mdogo ni mzuri sana. - The little butterfly is so beautiful.
Kifaru ni mkubwa sana. - The rhinoceros is very big.
Kipanga anakula panya. - The hawk eats a mouse.
Kipanga anawinda samaki. - The hawk is hunting fish.
Ndege anakula kipepeo. - The bird eats the butterfly.
Je unaogopa vifaru? - Are you afraid of rhinos?
Viboko wanaisha majini. - The hippos live in the water.
hatari - dangerous
Kiboko ni hatari sana. - A hippopotamus is quite dangerous.
Ninapenda vipepeo. - I love butterflies.
vichwa na vidole - heads and fingers
kutaka - to want
Ninataka viatu. - I want shoes.
Unataka kiti? - Do you want a chair?
Tuna visu. - We have knives.
Ninakula viazi na chumvi. - I eat potatoes with salt.
Ninapenda vitabu. - I love books.
Yeye anapenda kusoma vitabu? - Does he like to read books?
Tunaenda kisiwani. - We go to the island.
Tunatembea kwenye kilima. - We walk on the hill.
Wanataka vijiko. - They want spoons.
Una kiberiti? - Do you have a match?
Wanapenda vitanda. - They like the beds.
Nina kikapu. - I have a basket.
Let's call it a day and go to practice...