Conjugation of the Chinyanja Verb "kuyenda"

kuyenda
to go / to walk
Stem
-yenda
Type
Intransitive
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) ndimayenda
iwe (you sg.) umayenda
iye (he/she) amayenda
ife (we) timayenda
inu (you pl.) mumayenda
iwo (they) amayenda

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) ndikuyenda
iwe (you sg.) ukuyenda
iye (he/she) akuyenda
ife (we) tikuyenda
inu (you pl.) mukuyenda
iwo (they) akuyenda

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) ndinayenda
iwe (you sg.) unayenda
iye (he/she) anayenda
ife (we) tinayenda
inu (you pl.) munayenda
iwo (they) anayenda

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) ndizayenda
iwe (you sg.) uzayenda
iye (he/she) azayenda
ife (we) tizayenda
inu (you pl.) muzayenda
iwo (they) azayenda

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) ndayenda
iwe (you sg.) wayenda
iye (he/she) ayenda
ife (we) tayenda
inu (you pl.) mwayenda
iwo (they) ayenda

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) sindimayenda
iwe (you sg.) sumayenda
iye (he/she) samayenda
ife (we) sitimayenda
inu (you pl.) simumayenda
iwo (they) samayenda

Imperative (Lamulo)

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

Form Command
Singular (iwe) yenda!
Plural / Polite (inu) yendani!

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
kuyendetsa to drive / cause to go (causative)
kuyendana to go together (reciprocal)

Example Sentences (Zitsanzo)

Ndikuyenda ku msika.

I am going to the market.

Tayenda bwino.

We have walked well / We are well.

Yendani bwino!

Go well! (farewell)