Conjugation of the Chinyanja Verb "kuthandiza"

kuthandiza
to help
Stem
-thandiza
Type
Transitive
Infinitive Prefix
ku-

Present Habitual (-ma-)

Used for regular actions, habits, and general truths. Formed with the habitual marker -ma- between the subject prefix and the verb stem.

Pronoun Conjugation
ine (I) ndimathandiza
iwe (you sg.) umathandiza
iye (he/she) amathandiza
ife (we) timathandiza
inu (you pl.) mumathandiza
iwo (they) amathandiza

Present Progressive (-ku-)

Used for actions happening right now. Formed with the progressive marker -ku- between the subject prefix and the verb stem.

Pronoun Conjugation
ine (I) ndikuthandiza
iwe (you sg.) ukuthandiza
iye (he/she) akuthandiza
ife (we) tikuthandiza
inu (you pl.) mukuthandiza
iwo (they) akuthandiza

Past Tense (-na-)

Used for completed actions in the past. Formed with the past marker -na- between the subject prefix and the verb stem.

Pronoun Conjugation
ine (I) ndinathandiza
iwe (you sg.) unathandiza
iye (he/she) anathandiza
ife (we) tinathandiza
inu (you pl.) munathandiza
iwo (they) anathandiza

Future Tense (-dza-/-za-)

Used for actions that will happen. Formed with the future marker -dza- (or contracted -za-) between the subject prefix and the verb stem.

Pronoun Conjugation
ine (I) ndizathandiza
iwe (you sg.) uzathandiza
iye (he/she) azathandiza
ife (we) tizathandiza
inu (you pl.) muzathandiza
iwo (they) azathandiza

Perfect Tense (-a-)

Used for completed actions with present relevance ("have done"). The subject prefix merges with the marker -a-, creating contracted forms (ndi+a → nda-, u+a → wa-, ti+a → ta-).

Pronoun Conjugation
ine (I) ndathandiza
iwe (you sg.) wathandiza
iye (he/she) athandiza
ife (we) tathandiza
inu (you pl.) mwathandiza
iwo (they) athandiza

Negative (si-)

Negation is formed by adding the prefix si- before the subject prefix (si+ndi → sindi-, si+u → su-, si+a → sa-, si+ti → siti-, si+mu → simu-).

Pronoun Conjugation
ine (I) sindimathandiza
iwe (you sg.) sumathandiza
iye (he/she) samathandiza
ife (we) sitimathandiza
inu (you pl.) simumathandiza
iwo (they) samathandiza

Imperative (Lamulo)

Direct commands. The plural/polite form adds -ni to the singular form.

Form Command
Singular (iwe) thandiza!
Plural / Polite (inu) thandizani!

Verb Extensions (Zowonjezera)

Bantu verb extensions modify the verb stem to create related meanings — applicative (-ir-), causative (-its-/-ets-), reciprocal (-an-), passive (-idw-/-edw-), and stative (-ek-).

Extended Form Meaning
kuthandizana to help each other (reciprocal)
kuthandizidwa to be helped (passive)
kuthandizira to help with / assist at (applicative)

Example Sentences (Zitsanzo)

Thandizeni chonde.

Help me, please. (polite)

Timathandizana.

We help each other.

Azandithandiza.

He/she will help me.