Chapter 10: Ngoni Auxilliary Verbs

1. Ukuba, to be. This is the most important auxiliary verb, as by its use the compound tenses of the verb are constructed. This verb is irregular in its conjugation, and is only used in the following forms:-

1. Present indicative. The root does not appear at all, and the pronouns subjective designate "I am," "He is," &c., &c. It may be used with nouns, pronouns, or adjectives and adverbs, thus: -

EXAMPLES.

Ngingumuntu, I am a person.

Unguye, he is he.

In the above cases the -ng is the copula or verb substantive used with nouns and pronoun

Used with adjectives as shown below: -

Ngifile, I am dead.

Ngimnyama, I am black.

Used with adverbs:

Ngiphezulu, I am high up.

Ngikhona, I am present.

NOTE: - By using the verb "to be" in this way many verbs may be formed.

2. Perfect indicative. Used in forming compound tenses of verb.

Singular	Plural
1st person	Ngibe (I be)	Sibe (we be, she be, he be, it be etc)
2nd person	Ube (you be, it be)	Nibe (you be)
3rd person	Wabe, ube	Babe (they be)

NOTE. —Waba may be heard; it is probably a past tense form.

2. Ukuya, to go. The present and past (or perfect) tenses are used as auxiliaries.

1ST PRESENT
	Singular	Plural
1st Person	Ngiya	Siya
2nd Person	Uya	Niya
3rd Person	Waya (uya)	Baya
2ND PRESENT
1st Person	Ngaye	Saye
2nd Person	Waye	Naye
3rd Person	Waye	Baye

NOTE: - Waye is frequently supplanted in speech by wae.

3. Ukuza, to come. It is used in constructing one of the forms- of the future indicative and has the force of an imminent or immediate tense. "I am about to," &c.

4. The auxiliary ukuba, to be, is used with the preposition na, with, to construct a verb "to have," and this verb is used to form adjectives.

EXAMPLES.

Ngina-, I have; Nginembuzi, I have a goat.

Una, you have; Unomusa, you have mercy— you are merciful.

In like manner other tenses may be used.

5. Ng- the substantive verb "it is" is used as the copula with - nouns and pronouns. It is also used after passive, or subjective verbs, active voice, with the agent of the verb, but it may be omitted in the latter case

TABLE OF COPULA WITH NOUNS AND PRONOUN'S.

Person	Class	COPULA WITH NOUN	COPULA WITH PRONOUN
			Singular	Plural
I			Ngimi It is I	Ngithi. It is we,
II			Nguwe It is you	Ngilina. It is you
III	1	Ngumuntu. It is a person.	Nguye	It is he.
		Ngabantu. It is people.	Ngabo	It is it; It is they
	2.	Ngumuthi. It is a tree.	Ngiwo
		Ngimithi. It is trees.	Ngiyo
	3.	Ngimbuzi. It is a goat.	Ngiyo
		Ngizimbuzi. It is goats.	Ngizo
	4.	Ngisihlangu. It is a shield.	Ngiso
		Ngivihlangu. It is shields	Ngivo (-vo probably tumbuka)
	5.	Ngilizwi. It is a word.	Ngilo
		Ngamazwi. It is words	Ngiwo or ngawo
	6.	Nguluthi. It is a rod.	Ngilo
		Ngizinti. It is rods	Ngizo
	7.	Ngukudla, It is food.

NOTE 1: - The copula ng- is to be noted as differing from the preposition nga which denotes the instrument, while ng- denotes the agent.

EXAMPLES.

Wabulawa ngumuthi, he was killed by a tree.

Watshibulala ngomuthi, he killed it with a tree.

NOTE 2: - If the copula is used in such a sentence as, It is he who came, nguye owabuya is the correct form; but, He is the person who came, the personal pronoun subjective is required before the copula as, Ungumuntu owabuya or unguye umuntu owabuya.

EXAMPLES.

Ungubani? Who are you?

Lingilizwi, it is a voice.

Singukudla, it (the thing) is food. But the personal pronoun is frequently omitted.


NOTE 3. -The negative of the above is formed by prefixing asi, it is not. = asinguye asiye} It is not he.




African women


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