Time & Dates

1. Mwahuno

   Today

   Usage

   Today; put it at the start of a sentence, as in "Mwahuno kwaotcha chomene" (it is very hot today)

   Grammar Note

   "mwahuno" is a time adverb and does not change

2. Mayiro

   Yesterday

   Usage

   Yesterday; "mayiro namise" means yesterday evening

   Grammar Note

   "mayiro" is a time adverb and does not change

3. Machero

   Tomorrow

   Usage

   Tomorrow; the form "namachero" also exists

   Grammar Note

   "machero" is a time adverb; "malile machero" means "by tomorrow"

4. Zuŵa limoza

   One day

   Usage

   One day; used for the length of a stay or a rental

   Grammar Note

   "zuŵa" takes the li- agreement, so "-moza" becomes "limoza"; the plural takes gha-, as in "mazuŵa ghaŵiri" (two days)

5. Myezi yiŵiri

   Two months

   Usage

   Two months; counted with the plural of "mwezi"

   Grammar Note

   The plural of "mwezi" (month) is "myezi" and the number agrees with yi-; "mwezi" also means "moon"

6. Chaka chimoza

   One year

   Usage

   One year; used for a stay or a visa length

   Grammar Note

   "chaka" takes chi- so the number is "chimoza"; the plural is "vyaka" (vyaka vitatu = three years)

7. Ora limoza

   One hour

   Usage

   One hour; used for how long something takes or how long you wait

   Grammar Note

   "ora" takes li-, so the number is "limoza"; "pa ora limoza" means "per hour"

8. Maola ghaŵiri

   Two hours

   Usage

   Two hours; used for how long something takes

   Grammar Note

   The plural of "ora" is "maola" and the number agrees with gha-, giving "ghaŵiri"

9. Mande

   Monday

   Usage

   Monday; "pa Mande" means "on Monday"

   Grammar Note

   "Mande" is the noun for Monday; put "pa" before a day name for "on …"

10. Chiŵiri

    Tuesday

    Usage

    Tuesday; "pa Chiŵiri" means "on Tuesday"

    Grammar Note

    "Chiŵiri" has the same form as the word for "second"; "ŵ" is written as one letter

11. Chitatu

    Wednesday

    Usage

    Wednesday; "pa Chitatu" means "on Wednesday"

    Grammar Note

    "Chitatu" has the same form as the word for "third"

12. Chinayi

    Thursday

    Usage

    Thursday; "pa Chinayi" means "on Thursday"

    Grammar Note

    "Chinayi" has the same form as the word for "fourth"

13. Chinkhondi

    Friday

    Usage

    Friday; "pa Chinkhondi" means "on Friday"

    Grammar Note

    "Chinkhondi" has the same form as the word for "fifth" and is inferred from the weekday series counted from Monday; native review recommended

14. Chisulo

    Saturday

    Usage

    Saturday; "pa Chisulo" means "on Saturday"

    Grammar Note

    "Chisulo" is the noun for Saturday and is used as "pa Chisulo"

15. Sabata

    Sunday

    Usage

    Sunday; "pa Sabata" means "on Sunday". It also means "week"

    Grammar Note

    "sabata" comes from "Sabbath" and means both Sunday and "week"; "sabata yikwiza" is "next week"

16. Mulenji

    Morning

    Usage

    Morning; placed after a clock time it means a.m. ("8:00 mulenji")

    Grammar Note

    "mulenji" is the noun for morning and does not change

17. Namise

    Afternoon / Evening

    Usage

    The span from afternoon into evening; "mayiro namise" is yesterday evening

    Grammar Note

    "namise" covers afternoon and evening in one word, without the finer split English makes

18. Usiku

    Night

    Usage

    Night; "Usiku uwemi!" means "Good night!"

    Grammar Note

    "usiku" is the noun for night; "-wemi" (good) agrees with u- to give "usiku uwemi"

19. Zuŵa na zuŵa

    Every day

    Usage

    Every day; used for opening days or how often something happens

    Grammar Note

    "zuŵa na zuŵa" is literally "day and day", meaning "day by day"

20. Sabata yikwiza

    Next week

    Usage

    Next week; used when talking about plans or bookings

    Grammar Note

    "yikwiza" means "coming" and agrees with "sabata" through yi-; "sabata yamara" is "last week"

21. Mwezi wamara

    Last month

    Usage

    Last month; used to place a past event in time

    Grammar Note

    "wamara" means "past" and agrees with "mwezi" through wa-

22. Chaka chino

    This year

    Usage

    This year; used for plans and travel timing

    Grammar Note

    "chino" is "this" and agrees with "chaka" through chi-; "chaka ichi" is also said

23. Kufuma pa Mande mpaka pa Chinkhondi

    From Monday to Friday

    Usage

    Used for opening or running days

    Grammar Note

    "kufuma … mpaka …" gives "from … to …". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

24. Pa nyengo ya 8:00 mulenji

    At 8:00 in the morning

    Usage

    Used for meeting or departure times; change the number as needed

    Grammar Note

    "pa nyengo ya + time + mulenji" gives "at … a.m.". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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