be
vi 1 (irreg) kuwa. (indicating wish/hope/intention) I want to ~ a doctor nataka kuwa daktari he will ~ my savior atakuwa mkombozi wangu I intend to ~ with you on Sunday nakusudia kuwa nanyi siku ya Jumapili. 2 (with n/pron) (present: is, am, are) ni Saidi is a farmer Saidi ni mkulima I am his teacher mimi ni mwalimu wake they are sick wao ni wagonjwa; (past: was/were) -likuwa I was a mechanic nilikuwa makanika they were good friends walikuwa marafiki wazuri; (perfect ~en) -mekuwa she has ~en sick amekuwa mgonjwa, she has ~en in Zambia amewahi kuwa Zambia. 3 (with adj is, was, am, are, were) the sea is red bahari ni nyekundu the food was good chakula kilikuwa kizuri the boys are poor wavulana ni masikini they were foolish walikuwa wajinga. 4 (with adv) the eggs were on the table mayai yalikuwa juu ya meza. 5 (with n or prep indicating possession) the book is mine kitabu ni changu. 6 (indicating change from one quality to another) she is a teacher but she wants to ~ a doctor yeye ni mwalimu lakini anataka kuwa daktari. 7 (indicating existence) there is life on the moon kuna uhai mwezini there are ten children kuna watoto kumi. 8 (go, come) I have been to see my uncle nimekwenda/kuja kumwona mjomba. 9 (indicating unreal condition). If I were a king I would let you live ningekuwa mfalme ningekuacha ukaishi if I were to come ningekuja. 10 (purpose) the seminar was to enlighten the villagers semina ilikusudiwa kuwaelimisha wanakijiji. 11 (phr) ~ tired choka ~ angry kasirika ~ quiet nyamaza ~ available patikana ~ lost potea ~ off ondoka ~ about to karibia ~ over kwisha ~ for unga mkono. 12 (indicating obligation) you are to finish this work lazima umalize kazi hii. 13 pref 1 kila mahali ~smear pakaza kila mahali ~dew enea umande kote. 2 elekeza (kisarufi) ~mean fanya omboleo, ombolezea. 3 vaa ~jewelled pambwa vito. 4 shadidisha ~ labour sisitiza jambo.