Tense in Ndebele
Present tense
Ndebele language uses the short and long forms of the present tense. There are some guidelines to be laid
down as to when each form may be used. It would be difficult to work out strict rules to cover every use
of the present tense in everyday spoken Ndebele, but the following guidelines should be helpful.
1.The long form of the present tense
The long form uses ‘ya’ e.g Ngiyafuna- I want
a) The long form is used when nothing else follows the verb in clause or sentence.
e.g
Ufuna ukudlala na? Ye, ngiyafuna
Do you want to play? Yes I want to.
Uthanda ukunatha itiye na? Ye, ngiyafuna
Do you want to drink some tea? Yes, I do
Abafana bayahamba- The boys are going.
Note the interrogative ‘na?’ is not an extension of the verb but a way of emphasizing questions just like
the Shona interrogative “here’ e.g Unoda kuenda here? Do you want to go?
b) The long form is also used when an object concord is used with the verb.
E.g uyambona umntwana na? Do you see the child?
Uyayifuna inyama na? Do you want meat?
Abafana bayawathanda amankazana- the boys like the girls
c) The long form is used for a verb of action, when the action is going on at the present time
E.g umama uyapheka lapha- Mother is cooking here
Umfana uyahamba- The boy is walking
Umfundi uyabala- The student is reading
Umnewethu uyabhala- My brother is writing
Udadewethu uyathanyela- My sister is sweeping
Abantwana bayanatha amanzi- The children are drinking water
2 The short form of the present tense
This form does not have ‘ya
a) The short form is used before an infinitive
e.g Ngifuna ukudla- I want to eat
Ngifuna ukuhamba- I want to go
Ngifuna ukubona ukudokotela- I want to see the doctor
Ngifunda ukupheka- I am learning to cook
Ngizama ukufunda- I am trying to learn
But if one is referring to something actually going on at the present time, the long form ‘ya’ will
be used..
e.g Siyathaba ukulibona- We are happy to see you
Ngiyageza- I am bathing
Umntwana uyakhala- The baby is crying
Ngiyadla- I am eating
Ngiyagula- I am sick
b) The short form is also used with an interrogative adverb. Interrogatives are terms used as forms of
questions e.g ngaphi?- Where
Njani- How?
e.g Uhlala ngaphi?- Where do you live?
Sibala nini?- When do we read?
Upheka njani lokhu?- How do you cook this?
Uhlala ngaphi- Where do you stay
c) The short form is used for a verb which does not involve action (provided something follows the
verb and there is no object concord).
e.g Ngibona inkazana- I see a girl
Ngifuna isitshwala- I want sadza
Ngicela imali- I request some money
Ngidinga uMoyo- I want (am looking for) Moyo