The Past Tense: Near

When stem ends in -ba, -ma, -pa, or -na….

last A becomes ye

-samba (past) (to play)

-sambye

-gana (past) (to refuse)

-ganye

-fumba (past) (to cook)

-fumbye

-nyuma (past) (to be smart)

-nyumye

-vuma (past) (to abuse)

-vumye

-gana (past) (to refuse)

-ganye

When stem ends in -wa, or -ya….

the letters are replaced with ye

-kyaawa (past) (to hate)

-kyaaye

-keerewa (past) (to delay)

-keereye

-tonnya (past) (to refuse)

-tonnye

When a stem ends in -la, or -ra…

It is replaced with dde

-tambula (past) (to walk)

-tambudde

-swala (past) (to be ashamed)

-swadde

-tegeera (past) (to understand)

-tegedde

-keera (past) (to be early)

-kedde

When a stem ends in -da, -ga, or -ja or -la if the word is four letters…

They are replaced with ze

-genda (past) (to go)

-genze

-kola (past) ( to do)

-koze

-saaga (past)(to joke)

-saaze

When the stem ends in -sa or -za and a long vowel is found

The a changes to -izza

-sanyusa (past) (to make happy)

-sanyusizza

-buuza (past) (to ask)

-busuzizza

-ba (past) (to be)

-badde (mbadde)

-fa (past) (to die)

-fudde

-ggwa (past) (to come to an end)

-wedde (mpedde)

-gwa (past) (to fall)

-gudde

-kwata (past) (to touch, catch)

-kutte

-lwa (past) (to delay)

-ludde (ndudde)

-lya (past) (to eat)

lidde (ndidde)

-manya (past) (to know)

-manyi (mmanyi)

-nywa (past) (to drink)

-nywedde

-teeka (past) (to put, place)

-tadde

-twala (past) (to take)

-tutte

-tya (past) (to fear)

-tidde

-va (past) (to come)

-vudde

-wa (past) (to give)

-wadde

Mbadde nsamba

I was playing

Obadde osamba

You were playing

Abadde asamba

He/She was playing

Tubadde tusamba

we were playing

Babadde basamba

they were playing

Kibadde kirya (Class 3 Singular)

It was eating

Zibadde zirya (Class 3 Plural)

they were eating

Ntudde

I am seated

Ntuula

I am sitting down

Ntidde

I am scared

Totya

Do you not fear?

Mmanyi

I know

Mbadde mmanyi

I thought

Ng’enze

I have left…

Ng’enda waka

I am going home

Nkooye

I am tired

Tokoowa

Do you not get tired?

Mmaze

I am done/finished

Mmala

I finish (not used in present)

Mbuze

I have gotten lost

Mbula

(regularly getting lost)