alikuwa aki-

Past Progressive

Level 3

The past progressive describes what was happening or what someone used to do. It uses the past tense of "to be" (alikuwa) followed by a second verb containing the simultaneous marker -ki-.

How It Works

The alikuwa aki- pattern is highly frequent in formal speech, literature, and journalism. It serves two main functions:

  • Past Progressive: Describes an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past (e.g., "I was reading"). It is often used to set the background scene for a narrative, describing an ongoing action that is interrupted by another event.
  • Past Habitual: Describes an action that used to happen regularly (e.g., "The electricity used to go off every day").

Important Rules & Nuances:

  • Double Subject Agreement: Both the auxiliary verb (kuwa) and the main verb must take the exact same subject prefix. For example, nilikuwa nikisoma (I was reading), not nilikuwa akisoma.
  • Negation: To form the negative, you only negate the auxiliary verb using the past negative -ku- pattern, while the main verb keeps the -ki- prefix. For example, sikuwa nikisoma (I was not reading) or hakuwa akisoma (he/she was not reading).
  • Monosyllabic Verbs: For short verbs like kula (to eat) or kuja (to come), the infinitive marker ku- is dropped when attaching the -ki- prefix. The correct form is alikuwa akila, not alikuwa akikula.
  • Register: While alikuwa aki- is the standard written form, in casual, everyday spoken Swahili, it is very often replaced by the colloquial equivalent using the present -na- marker (e.g., alikuwa anasoma). Both are fully understood, but aki- is preferred in formal contexts.
  • The Role of -ki-: The simultaneous -ki- infix is not a past tense marker on its own; it simply means "while" or "in the act of." It only creates a past continuous meaning when explicitly anchored by the past auxiliary alikuwa.

Examples (6)

  1. Alikuwa akisoma gazeti sebuleni.

    He was reading a newspaper in the living room.

    Word by Word: He was while-reading newspaper in living room.

    A standard past progressive sentence describing an ongoing action.

  2. Tulikuwa tukifanya mazoezi.

    We were doing exercises.

    Word by Word: We were while-doing exercises.

    Notice that both verbs must take the subject prefix 'tu-' (we).

  3. Umeme ulikuwa ukikatika kila siku.

    The electricity used to go off every day.

    Word by Word: Electricity it was while-cutting every day.

    Demonstrates the past habitual usage of the pattern.

  4. Wageni walipofika, nilikuwa nikipika.

    When the guests arrived, I was cooking.

    Word by Word: Guests when they arrived, I was while-cooking.

    Shows how the past progressive sets a background scene that is interrupted by a simple past action.

  5. Mtoto alikuwa akila chakula chake.

    The child was eating their food.

    Word by Word: Child he was while-eating food his.

    Demonstrates the rule for monosyllabic verbs: 'kula' drops the 'ku-' to become 'akila'.

  6. Sikuwa nikisikiliza redio wakati huo.

    I was not listening to the radio at that time.

    Word by Word: I-was-not while-listening radio time that.

    To negate the past progressive, only the auxiliary verb 'kuwa' is negated ('sikuwa'), while the main verb retains the '-ki-' prefix.

Common Mistakes

  • Using mismatched subject prefixes on the auxiliary and main verbs.

    Nilikuwa akisoma.
    Nilikuwa nikisoma.

    Both the auxiliary verb ('kuwa') and the main verb must have matching subject prefixes. If the subject is 'I' (ni-), both verbs must start with 'ni-'.

  • Retaining the 'ku-' on monosyllabic verbs.

    Alikuwa akikula.
    Alikuwa akila.

    When attaching the '-ki-' prefix to short verbs like 'kula' (to eat) or 'kuja' (to come), the infinitive 'ku-' must be dropped in Standard Swahili.

  • Using the simple past when the action was in progress.

    Different MeaningAlisoma gazeti wakati nilipoingia.
    Alikuwa akisoma gazeti wakati nilipoingia.

    Alisoma gazeti wakati nilipoingia is a good sentence: he read the paper (and perhaps finished it) at the time I came in. If the reading was already going on when the other event happened, the past progressive fits better: alikuwa akisoma.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

alikuwa aki-Level 3Past Progressive

Learn This First

To understand the past progressive (alikuwa aki-), you need to know how to conjugate the verb 'kuwa' in the past tense and how the -ki- marker is used to show ongoing or simultaneous actions.

Words in This Pattern

-ki-wa-li-