Originally posted by: machieng https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/32162103
Simple tense
Past | Present | Future |
---|---|---|
I worked | I work | I will work |
Nilifanya kazi | Ninafanya kazi | Nitafanya kazi |
I did not work | I do not work | I will not work |
Sikufanya kazi | Sifanyi kazi/Huwa sifanyi kazi (habitual) | Sitafanya kazi |
You worked | You work | You will work |
Ulifanya kazi | Unafanya kazi | Utafanya kazi |
You did not work | You do not work | You will not work |
Hukufanya kazi | Hufanyi kazi/Huwa hufanyi kazi (habitual) | Hutafanya kazi |
She worked | She works | She will work |
Alifanya kazi | Anafanya kazi/Huwa anafanya kazi (habitual) | Atafanya kazi |
She did not work | She does not work | She will not work |
Hakufanya kazi | Hafanyi kazi/Huwa hafanyi kazi (habitual) | Hatafanya kazi |
Continuous tense
Past | Present | Future |
---|---|---|
I was working | I am working | I will be working |
Nilikuwa nikifanya kazi | Ninafanya kazi | Nitakuwa nikifanya kazi |
I was not working | I am not working | I will not be working |
Sikuwa nikifanya kazi | Sifanyi kazi | Sitakuwa nikifanya kazi |
You were working | You are working | You will be working |
Ulikuwa ukifanya kazi | Unafanya kazi | Utakuwa ukifanya kazi |
You were not working | You are not working | You will not be working |
Hukuwa ukifanya kazi | Hufanyi kazi | Hutakuwa ukifanya kazi |
She was working | She is working | She will be working |
Alikuwa akifanya kazi | Anafanya kazi | Atakuwa akifanya kazi |
She was not working | She is not working | She will not be working |
Hakuwa akifanya kazi | Hafanyi kazi | Hatakuwa akifanya kazi |
Perfect tense (immediate past/future from time of reference)
Past | Present | Future |
---|---|---|
I had worked | I have worked | I will have worked |
Nilikuwa nimefanya kazi | Nimefanya kazi | Nitakuwa nimefanya kazi |
I had not worked | I have not worked | I will not have worked |
Sikuwa nimefanya kazi | Sijafanya kazi | Sitakuwa nimefanya kazi |
You had worked | You have worked | You will have worked |
Ulikuwa umefanya kazi | Umefanya kazi | Utakuwa umefanya kazi |
You had not worked | You have not worked | You will not have worked |
Hukuwa umefanya kazi | Hujafanya kazi | Hutakuwa umefanya kazi |
She had worked | She has worked | She will have worked |
Alikuwa amefanya kazi | Amefanya kazi | Atakuwa amefanya kazi |
She had not worked | She has not worked | She will not have worked |
Hakuwa amefanya kazi | Hajafanya kazi | Hatakuwa amefanya kazi |
NB: perfect continuous tense doesn't translate well to Swahili, since the translations overlap with perfect tense. If you're curious, 'I have been working' translates to 'Nimekuwa nikifanya kazi'; 'I have not been working' translates to 'Sijakuwa nikifanya kazi', and the prefixes of the other persons are the same as in the table above