-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.