Summary Basic isiXhosa Grammar

1. Present tense:

● Positive: Add ya after the first letter of the verb.

- Example: Umama uyapheka.

● Negative: Prefix a and suffix i to the verb.

- Example: Umama akapheki.


2. Past tense:

● Positive: Drop ya and suffix e to the verb when an object follows and ile when

no object follows.

- Example:

- Umama uyapheka inyama → Umama upheke inyama.

- Umama uyapheka → Umama uphekile.

● Negative: Prefix negative subject concord and suffix anga to the verb (object

and no object)

- Example:

- Umama upheke inyama → Umama uphekanga inyama.


3. Future tense:

● Positive: Prefix za ku to the verb

- Example: Umama uyapheka inyama → Umama uza kupheka

inyama.

● Negative: Prefix negative subject concord + zi ku and suffix a to the verb.

- Example: Umama uza kupheka inyama → Umama akazi

kupheka inyama.