Unreal Conditions with -nge-

01

The Pattern

• Bila shaka. Ungependa bia?

  Of course. Would you like a beer?

• u- you
• -nge- would
• penda like
• ningekuwa - I would be
• ungependa - you would like
• tungeenda - we would go

02

Both Halves Carry the Marker

This is what most surprises English speakers: the condition and the consequence both take -nge-, where English changes only one of them.

• Kama ningekuwa tajiri, ningekuwa na fleti kubwa zaidi.

  If I were rich, I would have a bigger flat.

English says were in the first half and would have in the second. Swahili uses the identical marker twice.

• Nisingefanya hivyo kama ningekuwa wewe.

  I would not do that if I were you.

03

kama Introduces but Is Not Required

kama if commonly opens the condition, though the marker alone can carry it. In the sentence above the consequence comes first and kama marks where the switch happens.

• Natamani ungekuwa na matumizi mazuri ya pesa.

  I wish you were good with money.

04

The Negative Is -singe-

• ningefanya I would do, becomes nisingefanya I would not do
• angekuja he would come, becomes asingekuja he would not come

• Nisingefanya hivyo kama ningekuwa wewe.

  I would not do that if I were you.

The negative piece -si- slots in between the subject and -nge-, and nothing else about the word moves.

05

The Polite Offer

Far and away the most useful thing -nge- does at this level is soften a question. Ungependa is the ordinary way to offer somebody something.

• Ungependa bia?

  Would you like a beer?

• Ungependa kikombe cha chai au kahawa?

  Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?

• Ningependa kuona menyu ya chakula, tafadhali.

  I would like to see the food menu, please.

Set ungependa beside plain unapenda do you like: the first is an offer, the second a question about taste.