Kongo Verbs
Welcome to the 10th lesson about verbs in Kongo. We will first learn about the present tense, followed by the past tense, and future tense. We will also analyze some grammar rules, and finally practice how to ask for direction in Kongo.
Verbs are used to express an action (I swim) or a state of being (I am). The present tense in Kongo conveys a situation or event in the present time. Here are some examples:
| Present Tense - Kongo |
|---|
| I speak English mono ke tuba angele |
| you speak French nge ke tuba falanse |
| he speaks German yandi ke tuba alemani |
| she speaks Italian yandi ke tuba italiani |
| we speak Arabic beto ke tuba alaba |
| they speak Chinese bo ke tuba shinwa |
The past tense in Kongo conveys a situation or event in the past time. Here are some examples:
| Past Tense - Kongo |
|---|
| I visited France mono kwendaka kutala falansi |
| you visited Italy nge kwendaka kutala italia |
| he visited Morocco yandi kwendaka kutala maroko |
| she visited China yandi kwendaka kutala shini |
| we visited Mexico beto kwendaka kutala mekisiko |
| they visited Kenya bo kwendaka kutala kenya |
The future tense in Kongo conveys a situation or event which is anticipated to happen in the future. Here are some examples:
| Future Tense - Kongo |
|---|
| I will drink milk mono ta nuwa mabele |
| you will drink coffee nge ta nuwa kafe |
| he will drink tea yandi ta nuwa tii |
| she will drink water yandi ta nuwa masa |
| we will drink apple juice beto ta nuwa masa ya mabamfu |
| they will drink tea bo ta nuwa tii |
Now let's take a break and refresh our vocabulary by learning the body parts.
ear dikutu |
eye disu |
mouth munoko |
nose mbombo |
hair nsuki |
face luse |
head ntu |
heart ntima |
hand diboko |
fingers misapi |
leg dikulu |
feet makulu |
Travel Phrases in Kongo
Imagine yourself in some Kongo speaking country. The following travel phrases are highly important and can help you avoid misunderstanding. Try to memorize them and practice!
| English - Kongo |
|---|
| Can you help me? nge lenda sadisa mono? |
| Can I help you? mono lenda sadisa nge? |
| Where is the airport? wapi pleni ya avio? |
| Go straight kwenda kaka na ntwala |
| Then na nima |
| Turn left baluka na diboko ya nkento |
| Turn right baluka na diboko ya yakala |
I hope this lesson about the verbs in Kongo was not hard for you. Please check out our main menu here for more lessons: homepage. To see the full menu, you can also click on the "Menu" icon on the left side.
Inspirational Quote: Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. Goethe |