-na-

The Present -na- is the standard present tense in Swahili. It is used for both actions currently in progress (like 'I am reading') and general present actions (like 'I read'). While Habitual hu- is specifically used for habits, -na- is the most common way to express the present tense in modern Standard Swahili.

Building the Verb:
Swahili verbs are built by attaching prefixes to a root. The tense marker goes in the middle slot. The core human subject prefixes are ni- (I), u- (you), a- (he/she), tu- (we), m- (you all), and wa- (they):

• ni- (I) + -na- (present) + -soma (read) = ninasoma (I am reading / I read)
• wa- (they) + -na- (present) + -cheza (play) = wanacheza (they are playing / they play)

Note that inanimate objects use different subject prefixes based on their Noun Classes (for example, inanyesha for 'it is raining'). Animals, however, use the human subject prefixes (a- for singular, wa- for plural) regardless of their noun class.

Special Rules:
If a verb root has only one syllable (like -la 'eat' or -ja 'come'), it keeps its infinitive ku- prefix to sound right. For example, 'I am eating' is ninakula. Also, the verbs To Be kuwa and Have with kuwa na do not use the -na- tense marker for current states. Instead, you use forms like the Present Copula ni for 'is' or I Have nina for 'I have'.

Negation:
When you want to say you are not doing something, the -na- marker completely disappears! You will use Present Negative Subject Forms instead. While the first person uses si- (I do not), other persons use an h- prefix pattern (like hu- for you do not, ha- for he/she, hatu- for we, ham- for you all do not, and hawa- for they do not). Additionally, the final vowel of most verbs changes from -a to -i (see Present Negative -i). For example, ninasoma becomes sisomi, and anasoma becomes hasomi. Note that verbs of Arabic origin ending in -e, -i, or -u (like kusafiri or kujibu) do not change their final vowel in the negative. Finally, for monosyllabic verbs, the ku- prefix is dropped in the negative present tense (see Negative Monosyllabic Verbs). For example, ninakula becomes sili (I am not eating) and ninakuja becomes siji (I am not coming).