XJ.
PL
87M1
.1
FM5
1918
C.I
ROBA
OHPHBH
R. FELL
Presented to the
LIBRARY of the
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
by
PROF. A. GLEASON
A TONGA GRAMMAR
HY
J. R. FELL
mi; I;.MI..\-);.\TON<;A MISSION.
SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING
CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE
LONDON: 68, IIAYMARKET, S.\V.
1918
PRIMTED BY
WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIM1TEP
tM->ON F AND BECCLES.
PREPACK
TONGA is the language spoken by the natives in the Zambesi Basin
below the Victoria Falls and on the Batoka Plateau. This book
is an attempt to help Europeans in this district, Officials, Mission-
aries, and others who must use the language. No pretence is made
to an absolutely exhaustive treatment. But the varied forms of
speech are gathered together, and much valuable information given
which has been secured through long contact with the natives, and
which cannot be obtained in any other single book.
In order that space may be saved, neither exercises nor vo-
cabulary are given. Literature has already been produced which
can be used to illustrate these grammatical forms, and our Tonga
Reader could be read with advantage by all students of Tonga.
Explanations are as briefly given as possible. The matter is
arranged under the several parts of speech. In some cases sections
might easily have been reserved for later studies, but generally it
seemed most convenient to group all relevant matter under the
sectional heading, leaving it for the student to pass over the
advanced parts and intricacies until the whole has come under
general survey.
We would suggest to the learner that every Tonga word be
read aloud, and pronunciation and accentuation corrected by close
association with natives. The grammar can well be read con-
secutively. First look at the whole, then get a thorough knowledge
of vital parts, and later fill in the more difficult details.
The system of phonetics should be carefully noted. The section
on language characteristics could be read, but will not be fully
appreciated until some proficiency has been? gained. The Noun
iii
iv PREFACE
Classes must be mastered. Every illustration need not be
laboriously learned, but the constant view of these word lists will
help to increase the beginners stock. The section on Case must
not be overlooked, particularly the Genitive Particle. The Copu-
lative Particles should certainly have attention at this stage. The
learner can next proceed to the Adjective. Qualitative and Quanti-
tative prefixes must be firmly fastened in the mind, and their
general use. All other matter on the Adjective can be reserved
for the second reading. Next we proceed to the Pronoun. Of this
the forms of first importance are Personal. Then those cf the
First Class in Substantive and Possessive should follow. All other
matter can conveniently be learned later. When tackling the Verb
the conjugation of Present, Past, Aorist, Perfect, and Future Tenses
should be carefully learned first. Verbal species, other tenses, and
irregular verbs can be done later.
The first stock along with common Adverbs, Prepositions, Con-
junctions, and Interjections will make a very good working basis
for future advance. The second reading would note all the other
sections, so that the difficult section on the Copula would be
attacked last of all. If this plan is followed, what appear formidable
lists will almost mechanically be assimilated.
We would advise the learner to read the literature carefully,
listen to natives intently, and speak the language continuously, if he
wishes to become proficient. If the present book makes the way
more easy, it will have achieved its purpose.
The subjects arc arranged in the order adopted by Rev. E. \V.
Smith in his Handbook on the f/a, which is a cognate language.
J. R. F.
TRAINING INSTMLUI,
CLIXBY ESTATE,
KAFUE,
N. RHODESIA.
1918.
CONTENTS
PHONOGRAPHY -
Vowels ... ... ... ... ... ... 7
Consonants ... ... ... ... ... ... 8
Combination of Consonants ... ... ... ... S
CHARACTERISTICS OF PHONETICS
Syllables ... ... ... ... ... ... 10
Accent... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10
(.'uncord ... ... ... ... ... ... 10
Euphony ... ... ... ... ... ... II
NOUN
Classification ... ... ... ... ... ... 13
(lender ... ... ... ... ... ... 24
Case ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 25
Locative Xouns ... ... ... ... ... ... 27
Copulative Particles ... ... ... ... ... 28
Formation of Noun> ... ... ... ... ... 30
Foreign Nouns ... ... ... ... ... ... 38
AI>U:C.TIVE
Qualitative ... ... ... ... ... ... 39
Comparison ... ... ... 44
Quantitative ... ... ... ... ... 46
Locative ... ... ... ... ... ... 52
PKOXOUSS-
Personal ... ... ... ... 53
Substantive: Simple, Indicative, Prepositional, Conjunctiva! ... 55
Possessive ... ... 59
Interrogative ... ... ... .. ... ... 62
Reflexive ... ... ... ... ... ... 63
Demonstrative ... ... ... ... ... ... 63
Relative 66
CONTENTS
VKRK
Species : Relative, Causative, Reciprocal. Stativc, Capable
Intensive, Reversive, Repetitive, and Persistent Repetitive 68
Voice ... ... ... ... .... ... ... 72
Mood ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 73
Tense ... ... ... ... ... 7.;
Number and Person ... ... ... ... ... 74
Negative ... ... ... ... ... ... 74
Auxiliary Particles ... ... ... ... ... 74
Auxiliary Verbs ... ... ... ... 74
Conjugation : Verb ku bona ... ... ... ... 75
Verbs with initial vowel ... ... ... 84
To have ... , ... ... ... 95
To be ... ... ... ... ... 99
COPULA
Present, Past, Future, In Indirect Clauses . ... 101
ADVERB
Time, Place, Manner ... ... ^20
PREPOSITION J 27
CONJUNCTION ... ... ... 128
INTERJECTION ... ... 13
A TONGA GRAMMAR
ALPHABET REQUIRED FOR TONGA
PHONOGRAPHY
i. VOWELS.
THE vowels are a, e,.i, o and u. Each has the long or short
sounds commonly associated with it.
a short as in mat
a long
father
e short
men
e long
they
i short
sick
i long
ravine
o short
on
o long
bone
u short
buck
u long
rule
ma-ta
daub.
ta-ta
se-ba
ma-te-le-le
my father,
sift,
herbs.
si-ka
to arrive.
Hi
bo-la
egg-
to rot.
mo-yo
bu-ka
heart,
to rise.
lu-fu
death.
Frequently two vowels are written immediately following
each other. Each has its individual long sound, although
these may be uttered so quickly as to give the idea of a diph-
thong yet strictly speaking such is not the case, e.g. :
ai as in mai
eggs.
ao
tao
he is not here.
an
maulu
legs.
ea
lea
step aside.
ei
ntolei
where am I to take it
eo
iteo
scrub, bush.
ia
ku pia
to be hot.
ie
bieni
how ?
io
bio
only.
iu
miunzi
villages.
oa
buloa
blood.
oi
inkoloi
waggon.
ua
, ibua
desert.
A TONGA -GRAMMAR
2. CONSONANTS.
Eighteen consonants are used, viz. -
sec.
tooth.
to rise early.
evening.
house.
to-morrow.
sit.
stop, cease.
patch.
to-day.
to rise (of sun).
carry.
monkey.
defend.
throw.
to peep.
to fish (with net}.
C is only used in combination with h, that isch as in "church,"
chi-ta to do, to make.
R is only necessary when introducing foreign words, the
^ound represented by this character is absent in Tonga.
O and X are not required.
1)
as in bone
bo-na
(1
,, din
di-no
f
., fig
fu-ma
g
go
i-go-go
h
house
i-ha-i-si
3
June
ju-nza
k
,, key
ka-la
]
lay
le-ka
in
,, mamma
ma-ma
n
,, noon
SU-llll
P
,, pat
pa-ta
s
sustain
su-sa
t
jet
je-ta
V
, , over
vu-na
w
,, war
wa-la
y
,, VOU
yu-na
z
,, 'Zulu
zu-ba
3. COMBINATIONS
OF CONSO?
ch
as in chi-ko-lo
school.
mb
ba-mba
to arrange.
nd
,, . . mu-nda
garden.
mf
,, mu-la-mfu
long.
ng
i-ngo-mbe
cow.
,, i-mpo-ngo
goat.
nj
i-nji-la
to enter.
nk
,, i-nka
to go.
mp
,, la-mpa
to be lengthy.
ns
,, i-nsa
kidney.
nt
, , mu-ntu
person.
mv
i-mvu-la
rain.
1)\V
, , b wa-nga
poison.
dw
,, dwa-va
to Stt'itn.
ALPTIAr.F.T REQUIRED FOR TONGA PHONOGRAPHY o
iu
JW
k\v
l\v
m\v
sw
tw
VW
zw
dy
ny
zy
nz
nch
tch
mbw
ndw
mlw
ngw
nkw
mpvv
nsw
ntw
mvw
nyw
nsy
nzy
tchw
Strange as these combined consonants may appear to
the uninitiated, they present little difficulty. Each has the
individual sound as when uttered separately. Note must be
made of ng which has two sounds as the illustrations show,
viz. ng as in "longing," i-ngo-mbe cow, and ng as in "longer,"
i-mpo-ngo goat.
The combinations tch and tchw are very rarely met. In
these the explosive / is prefixed to ch and chw respectively.
!\va
/c die.
i-j\vi
word.
i-so-kwe
grass.
Iwa-no
tale.
mwe-zi
moon, month.
swa-na
to approach.
mu-twe
head.
vwi-ma
to hunt.
zwa-ta
to clothe.
po-dya
tobacco.
nya-ya
to defraud.
syu-ta
to bite.
zyu-lu-ka
to revolve.
ma-nzi
water.
nchi-cho
it is it.
tchu
very.
i-mbwe-bwe-to
antenna.
ya-ndwa
to be loved, desired.
i-mfwi-fwi
short.
ngwa-ni
ivho is he ?
lu-cha-nkwi-za
shallowness.
i-mpwi-zi
heifer.
i-nswi
fish.
ntwa-gi-la
'to lap.
mvwi-de
understood.
nywi-de
drank.
ka-nsyo
if, except.
i-nzvu-ndu
chrysalis.
tchwa
very.
CHARACTERISTICS OF TONGA PHONETICS
i. SYLLABLES.
IT is important to remember that every syllable ends with
a vowel both in writing and enunciating the language.
2. ACCENT.
Accent plays an important part, but it is almost impossible
to make rules for the correct accentuation of Tonga words.
Were they given they would be so numerous, so intricate,
and have so many exceptions that they would hinder rather
than help. Correct accentuation can ba more rapidly and
easily learned by constant intercourse with natives than by
artificial rules.
3. CONCORD.
The genius of the language is in this principle. -It is es-
tablished by prefixes. The prefix used before the root of
the substantive is repeated through the sentence befoie every
expression which agrees with it. The prefix may appear in a
slightly modified form, but it is easily recognizable, as the
following examples will show :
(a) Muntu mubotu udi munganda.
Lit. Person good he is in house.
A good person is in the house.
(b) Tunyama otu ntuto nto we eta, ntubi.
Lit, Small animals these those which he brought, they are bad.
These small animals which he brought are bad.
(c) Kankala kangu aka ka janide inyama yako.
Lit. Puppy my that it found meat its.
That puppy of mine found its meat.
(d) Zintu zimwi zingi zidi bikidwe mudi zimbi zyen zinyena
zyezyo,
10
CHARACTERISTICS OF TONGA PHONETICS n
Lit. Things some many are placed among others his friends of
them.
V a nous things arc placed among others similar
to them.
4. KI'I'UONY.
The easy enunciation of words is an important feature of
Tonga. For the sake of euphony many changes take place.
Weak sounds may be strengthened, and vowel sounds may be
elided, assimilated or contracted. It has been noted that all
syllables end with a vowel. Some words begin with one so
that in rapid speech it naturally follows that some of these
will be omitted or slurred over. The following examples may
be noted :-
(a] When two a's come together one may be elided.
U 1'adike, He is alone, for U la adike.
Bikawa, Put it here, for Bika awa.
(6) When a and e come together assimilation takes place.
We enda, He goes, for Wa enda.
Be ena, They deceive, for Ba ena.
(c) When a and i come together assimilation or contraction
may take place.
Ndi i jaya, / killed, it, for Nda i jaya.
Ba le tombe, They are dirty, for Ba la itombe.
The Locative prefix a, or the Conjunction a, invariably
become c when prefixed to or connecting words beginning
with i.
Esikati egogo, Both noon and evening, for A isikati a igogo.
Ejunza ezona, Both to-morrow and the day following, for
A ijunza a izona.
Bika e nyika, Place it on the ground, for Bika a inyika.
(d) When a and o come together contraction or assimilation
may take place.
W'ona, He sleeps, for Wa ona.
Wo ongolola, He calls, for Wa ongolola.
(e) When a and u come together assimilation may take place.
Mwezi nu u sika, The moon when it comes, for Mwezi na
n sika.
12 A TONGA GRAMMAR
(/) When two o's come together one may be elided.
Ndona, / will sleep, for Ndo ona.
Cha moyomwi, With a single heart, for Cha moyoomwi.
(g) When u and i come together, as when Locative mil or
ku comes before nouns with initial i, the i is elided.
Munganda, In the house, for Mu inganda.
.Kuvu, To the ground, for Ku ivu.
(//) When 11 and o come together contraction takes place.
Lozi, bark string, for luozi.
Ku kona, For to sleep, for Ku ku ona.
Frequently the occurrence of an initial consonant does not
affect these vowel changes. The vowels of the syllables often
conform with the foregoing as the following examples show :
Wa ke za, He did come, for Wa ka za.
We ba, He steals, for Wa ba.
Ba le midimo, They have work, for Ba la midimo.
Chi be chindi, After a time, for Cha ba chindi.
The following changes in consonantal sounds may be noted :
(a) L is deleted from words of Class 9 when prefixed by the
Copulative particle.
Ndunyolo, It is a razor, for Ndu lunyolo.
Xduludi, It is a roof, for Ndu luludi.
Ndweno, It is deceit, for Ndu Iweno.
(b) L is strengthened in some words of Class 3 in the singular,
idosi, a drop, not ilosi, but plural is malosi.
idundu, a hill, not ilundu, but plural is malundu.
idambwa, a pond, not ilambwa, but plural is malambwa.
idwazi, sickness, not ilwazi, but plural is malwazi.
(r) Consonant is inserted to strengthen the syllable.
i jamba, hoe, not iamba, but plural is mamba.
igundu, country, not iundu, but plural is maundu.
kujwe, to the east, for ku iwe.
inganze, seas, for inanze, which would be the regular plural
of Iwanze.
(d) Different consonant is used with harder sound.
ijoba, cloud, for iyoba, plural mayoba.
ijuni, bird, for iyuni, plural mayuni.
THE NO I X
CLASSIFICATION OF THE NOl : X
JNS are made up of t\vo parts, viz., stem and prefix,
e.g. in the word mulonga, river, -longa is the stem and mu-
is the prefix. In the word chilongo, pot, -longo is the stem and
chi- is the prefix.
Nouns arc classified according to their prefixes. Whilst
it cannot be said that the prefixes define sex, yet to some
extent the signification and connotation of the word is indicated
by its prefix.
The prefixes used are : nut, ba, mi, i, ma, hit, hn, ka, in, chi,
zi, iin, in, and lit.
Some of these arc undoubtedly the plurals of others, so that
the classes of nouns do not total the number of prefixes here
enumerated.
A Noun stem may take more than one singular and plural
form of prefix. According to the prefix used does the con-
notation of the noun vary, e.g. stem -lombe becomes mulombe,
boy ; balombe, bovs ; bulombe, boyhood ; kalombe, small boy ;
tulombe, small boys.
The Noun prefixes define the form which the whole sentence
shall take, and it is therefore imperative that a thorough
knowledge be gained of these various forms if one is to correctly
understand and speak the language.
CLASS i.
mu-, ba-,
This class has mu- in the Singular and ba- in the Plural.
The Singular mu- appears as mw- when preceding a root be-
ginning with a vowel.
This class may be called the Personal class, although it
13
14 A TONGA GRAMMAR
includes names of animals which are able to assume a more
or less erect posture.
Examples :
Singular. Plural.
muntu person bantu,
mwalumi man balumi
munyama animal banyama.
muyuni bird bayuni.
muka insect bauka.
mwenze male benze.
mi.ilavu lion balavu.
SUB-CLASS la.
, ba-,
Many nouns require the concord of Class i but have no
classifier in the singular.
(a) PROPER NAMES OF PERSONS.
Mwemba, The chief Mwemba ; plural ba-Mwemba,
Mwembaites.
Simeja, The chief Simeja ; plural ba-Simeja, Simejaites.
(b) SOME NAMES OF ANIMALS.
suntwe hyena PI. basuntwe.
siluwe leopard basiluwc.
sikale squirrel basikalc.
mwaba jackal bamwaba.
(c) PERSONAL NAMES BEGINNING WITH 6'/.
sinkondo enemy PL basinkondo.
simpongo herd boy basimpongo.
sichimbodio one-eyed person basichimbodio.
(</) OTHER PERSONAL NAMES.
chimpuku deaf person PL bachimpuku.
chimumu dumb person bachimumu.
SUB-CLASS ib.
mu-, ma-,
These nouns agree in the Singular with the classifier of
Class i, but differ in the Plural. Their personal nature and
singular form stamp them as belonging to Class i.
nn NOUN
Mukua
Mupunu
Mukalan'ja
I'l. Makua.
Mapunu.
Makalanga.
Mntt'bi'tc p
Makaruuga p
SUB-CLASS ic,
, ma-,
These again are personal nouns and so must be placed in
Class i.
tata my father PI. matata.
uso iky father mauso.
wisi his father mawisi.
tatesu our father matatcsu.
\visanu your father mawisanu.
wisabo their father mawisabo.
tatalenze my uncle matatalenzc.
wisilen/e his miclc mawisilenzc.
bama iv mother mamama.
banyoko thy mother manyoko.
banyena his mother manyena.
It should be noted that the word used for " mother " in the
singular has the plural construction. This is used for the sake
of politeness and respect. Similarly, every woman is always
addressed in the plural, e.g. Inywc no banakazi, lit., you
\vomen, is correctly used when addressing only one woman.
CLASS 2.
mu-, mi-,
This class has nut- in the singular and mi- in the plural.
This class is Impersonal. In it we find words of the following
types :
(a) XAMES OF TREES.
musanta PI. misanta.
mukoka mikoka.
mumpingili mimpingili.
(b) SOME ANATOMICAL PARTS.
muchila tail PI. michila.
mutwe head mitwe.
mulomo lip milomo.
mumve finger minwe.
A TONGA GRAMMAR
(c) INTANGIBLE OBJECTS CONNKCTKD WITH HUMAN I,IFI:.
nioyo heart PI. niiyoyo.
inuzimo spirit mizimo.
munzimwemwe shadow minzimwemwe.
moya breath iniyoya.
muyeyo thought miyeyo.
mubuluko recollection mibuluko.
mulazio command milazio.
(d) PHYSICAL OBJECTS CONNECTED WITH HUMAN OR
ANIMAL LIFE.
munda
garden
PL miunda.
musena
grassy plain
misena.
mudilo
fire
midilo.
mulonga
river
milonga.
munzi
village
miunzi.
(r) MANUFACTURED OBJECTS CONNECTED WITH HUMA;>
muyaizio
brush
PI. miyaizio.
mufunko
walking-stick
mifunko.
mulangu
bell
milangu.
musinza
sou-p
misinza.
musamu
medic me
misamu.
musidi
gup. powder
misidi.
mutetele
flute
mitetele.
muvwi
arrow
mivvvi.
CLASS 3.
i-, ma-,
This class has i- in tha singular and ma- in the plural.
Probably the i- is an abbreviation of di-, which is found in a few
words, and which form is retained in the pronoun, e.g. :
dino tooth PI. meno.
diso eye meso.
Some nouns of this class are augmentative, i.e. these pre-
fixes give the idea of greatness, but such words are few in
number, e.g. :
idundu a high hill PI. malundu.
itanda a big log matanda.
indomba a big rock mandomba.
ijuni a big bird mayuni.
THE NOUN
The words of this class include the following :
(a) MANY FRUITS.
ibuyu IM. mabiiyu.
inji rniyi.
inego manego.
ikunka makunka.
inkononga mankononga.
intondo inantondo.
(b) PARTS OF
FLAT.
diso
isaya
ichende
igoyoyo
ibele
ikanda
ijanza
TIM: MODV WHICH AHI-: HARD, OR
BAR]',
OK
eye
check
testicle
trachea
udder
skin
PI.
meso.
masaya.
machendc.
inagoyoyo.
mabele.
makanda.
manza.
(c) THINGS ix NATURE WHICH ARE HARD.
ibwe stone PI. mabwe.
indomba rock mandomba.
isamu tree masamu.
isokwc grass masokwc.
ikwa bark makwa.
(d) ARTIFICIAL
isumu
i jamb a
OBJECTS WHICH ARE HARD OR FLAT.
spear PI. masumu.
hoc
mamba.
CLASS 4.
bu-, ma-,
This class takes bu- in the singular and ma- in the plural.
With roots beginning with a vowel the singular prefix is bw-.
This class contains
(a) ABSTRACT NOUNS.
buswini
bupampu
bumi
bubi
bubotu
bulombe
truth
wisdom
life
badness
goodness
boyhood
PI. maswini.
mapampu.
maumi .
mabi.
mabotu.
malombe.
1 8 A TONGA GRAMMAR
(b) NAMES OF COUNTRIES.
Butonga Tongaland.
Bupunu Matdbeleland.
Bwila Ilaland.
(c) MANY FLUIDS OR SEMI-FLUIDS.
bukande beer PI. makande.
bugeza strong beer mageza.
buloa blood maloa.
SUB-CLASS 4.
, ma-,
Some words require the concord of this class in the plural,
but have no singular form, e.g. :
manzi water.
mafuta fat.
madidi milk.
SUB-CLASS 46.
bu-, ,
Some words require the concord of this class, but are rarely
if ever used in the plural form, e.g. :
bongo brain.
boya hair.
bwizu grass.
CLASS 5.
ku-, ma-,
Only very few words have these prefixes, so that this class
is not a large one. Probably only three words occur,
kutwi ear PI. matwi.
kulu leg maulu.
kiiboko arm maboko.
SUB-CLASS 50.
ku-, ,
This consists entirely of verbal nouns which are really
verbs in the Infinitive used as nouns, and which require the
concord of this class. The sign of the Infinitive kit- thus
nil. NOUN
beconu-* .1
no plural, e.g. :
kuyanda
luichita
(Icnrrally sprakin-
desire, longing,
work.
in. mis liavo
Before a root beginning with a vowel the classifier will
appear as kw-, or contraction may take place, e.g. :
kwita calling.
kongolola shouting.
CLASS 6.
ka-, In-,
This is largely a diminutive class, and has the prefix ka-
in the singular with tu- in the plural. Before a root beginning
with a vowel, the tu- becomes tw-.
Every word of this class does not denote a diminutive, but
only a relatively small object, e.g. :
kamva
kango
kasindi
kapango
kalabi
kasuwa
kaleba
kanyenyezi
month
thoracic- cavity
heel
proverb
conundrum
island
stay
small when compared
with whole body,
ditto,
ditto.
small when compared
with general speech.
ditto,
small when compared
with surroundings,
small when compared
with work performed,
small when compared
with heavens.
Many nouns may be taken from other classes, stripped
of their prefixes, and given those of this class, thus forming
true diminutives, e.g. :
Class i. mulombe, boy.
2. munda, garden.
3. isamu, tree.
4. bwato, canoe.
7. chintu, thing.
8. impongo, goat.
o. lu bay a. fence.
kalombe, small boy. PI. tulombe.
kaunda, small garden. tunda.
kasamu, small tree. tusamu.
kato, small canoe. ivvato.
kantu, small thing. t untu.
kapongo, small goat. tupongo.
kabaya, small fence. lubnya.
20
A TONGA GRAMMAR
Another diminutive expression may here be noted, viz.
kinga, pi. tunga.
These prefixes may be placed to other nouns, and give a
diminutive idea.
simpongo herd boy PI. basimpongo.
kingasimpongo a small herd boy tungabasimpongo.
sikale squirrel basilake.
kingasikale a small squirrel tungabasikale.
The prefix tit- often means ' ; a small quantity of.
especially used of food, e.g. :
It i<
twanzi
tukande
twinyo
tusinza
a little water.
a little beer,
a little salt,
a little soup.
CLASS 7.
chi-, zi-,
This class consists of words that have the prefix chi- in the
singular and zi- in the plural. With roots having an initial
vowel, zi- becomes zy- for euphony.
The nouns in this class include :
P-itnu language, i.e. Sindebele.
Tonga language.
(a) LANGUAGES.
Chipunu
Chitonga
(6) The word for " thing," and other words associated with
the idea of " a thing for."
chintu thing PI. zintu.
chibonebone window, i.e. thing for seeing zibonebone.
tool, i.e. thing for carving zibezio.
ferry, i.e. place where one zito.
calls for canoe.
lesson, i.e. thing for reading zibalo.
cupboard, i.e. thing for zibikilo.
holding goods.
chilondolwedo storehouse, i.e. place for zilondohvedo.
storing.
chiko stove, i.e. place for cooking ziko.
chiloto dream, i.e. thing dreamt ziloto.
chibezio
chito
chibalo
chibikilo
Tin; NOUN
(f) \VOKDS DENOTING STUBBY OBJECTS.
chipembclc
cliipopwc
chuno
chulu
< hilongo
chipanzi
chiscla
rhinoceros PI.
maize cob
stool
ant heap
earthenware pet
a portion
half
/ijx-mbclr.
zipopwr.
xyuno.
zyulu.
zilongo.
zipanzi.
zisela.
(d) WORDS DENOTING AGE.
chiudi long 1 hue PI. /nidi.
chikulukulu old zikulukulu.
chanakazi worn-out woman xyanakazi.
(e) THE WORD FOR CUSTOM AND OTHER WORDS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE IDEA OF " CUSTOM OR MANNER OF."
chimbo custom PL zimbo.
chizo custom zizo.
chikua manner of European zikua.
chalumi manner of man zyalumi.
chinyama manner of an animal zinyama.
chizike manner of a shire zizike.
CLASS 8.
in-, in-, im-, ini-,
The words of this class have the same form in both singular
and plural. The numbers are only defined by the pronouns
used along with the noun. In the singular these pronouns
are i or ya, and in the plural zl or zya, e.g. :
Ingombe i la chela, The cow is grazing.
Ingombe zi la chela, The cows are grazing.
The initial i is frequently elided or assimilated when following
prepositions. In this class we get words of the following kinds :
(a) MANY ANIMALS.
imbongolo ass PI. imbongolo.
impongo goat impongo.
ingombe cow ingombe.
imbelcle sheep imbelele.
imbizi zebra imbi/i.
imvuvu hippopotamus imvuvu.
inzovii elephant inzovu.
22
A TONGA GRAMMAR
PI. imbeba.
inkuku.
inkanga.
impo.
inkwidimba.
inswi.
inkala.
inswa.
inzi.
inzuki.
imvunyu.
inzyundu.
intaotabwa.
inkumba.
intale.
inzoka.
(b) MANY OBJECTS OF ANIMAL XATUKI:.
ingubo hide clothing PI. ingubo.
insangu hide sandals insangu.
impeta horn trumpet impeta.
mgoma drum of stretched skin ingoma.
inkomo pocket of animal shin inkomo.
intobo hide shield intobo.
intambo hide reins intambo.
imbeba
field mouse
inkuku
fowl
inkanga
guinea fowl
impo
ostrich
inkwidimba
pigeon
inswi
fish
inkala
crab
inswa
flying ant
inzi
fly
inzuki
bee
imvunyu
larva
inzyundu
pupa
mtantabwa
flea
inkumba
snail
intale
crocodile
inzoka
snake
(c) FLESH AND MANY FLESHY PARIS,
meat PI.
forehead
kidney
neck
nose
penis
vein
hump
my am a
inkumu
ins a
ins ing o
impemo
hit on i
insinga
int imda
(d) ANIMAL SENSATIONS.
impeyo
inguso
impuwo
insoni
inkani
inyota
cold
strength
fame
shame
affair, concern
thirst
PI.
intuntumanzi ague, malaria
myama.
inkumu .
insa.
insingo.
impemo.
intoni.
insinga.
intunda.
impeyo.
inguso.
impuwo.
insoni.
inkani.
inyota.
intuntumanzi
THE NO! \\
(6') THE EARTH AXD EARTHLY THINGS.
inyika country PI. inyika.
imbuto x ( '(I corn- imbuto.
impako hole impako.
impunga. . common grass impunga.
imvula rain imvula.
inchelwa clay pipe bowl inchehva.
inkanda black clay ground inkanda.
inganda wa.ttle-and-daub house inganda.
inongo big clay pot inongo.
insima porridge insima.
inzila path inzila.
indongo ground nut indongo.
CLASS 9.
lu-, im- or in-,
Tlic words in this class have the classilier lu- in the singular
and im- or in- in the pluraL Before roots beginning with a
vowel the singular appears as lw-.
The words of this class arc usually those which have the
idea of continuity or succession, e.g. :
Iwimbo hymn, song PI. inyimbo.
lozi bark string ingozi.
lugvvalo letter ingwalo.
ludimi tongue indimi.
Iwizi big river inzi.
luzubo kin inzubo.
Ivvanze sea inganze.
lubaya fence imbaya.
lubalo building wattle inibalo.
lubono wealth imbono.
Iwendo journey inyendo,
SUB-CLASS 9.
lu-, ma-,
.Many words having the prefix In- in the singular take ma-
in the plural, e.g. :
lugwalo letter PI. magwalo.
lutete reed matete.
lutanga pumpkin pateh matanga.
Iwala finger-n&il mala.
A TONGA GRAMMAK
lubua
lubono
luwo
luja
threshing-floor
wealth
breeze
horn
PI. mabua.
mabono.
mauwo.
meja.
It will be observed that a lew words of this class may take
either of the above plural forms.
SUMMARY OF NOUN CLASSES.
Classifiers.
lllustratious.
Class.
Sing.
ri.
Singular.
Plural. Eng. Singular.
i
mu-
ba-
muntu
bantu
person.
mw-
ba-
mwalumi
balumi
man.
la
.
ba-
suntwc
basuntwe
hyena.
sinkondo
basinkondo
enemy.
chimpuku
bachimpuku
deaf person.
ib
mu-
ma-
mukua
makua
European.
1C
ma-
tata
matata
my father.
2
mu-
mi-
muchila
michila
tail.
3
i-
ma-
ikanda
makanda
skin.
di-
ma-
dino
meno
tooth.
4
bu-
ma-
butala
matala
grain store.
bw-
ma-
bwato
mato
canoe.
40
-
ma-
manzi
water.
46
bu-
bongo
brain.
5
ku-
ma-
kutwi
matwi
ear.
5 a
ku-
.
kuchita
work.
kw-
kwita
calling.
6
ka-
tu-
kasimbi
tusimbi
little girl.
7
chi-
zi-
chintu
zintu
thing.
chu-
zyu-
chuno
zyuno
stool.
8
in-
in-
ingombe
ingombe
cow.
im-
im-
impongo
impongo
goat.
9
lu-
im-
lubaya
imbaya
fence.
lu-
in-
ludimi
indimi
tongue.
iw-
in-
Iwendo
inyendo
journey.
9
lu-
ma-
lugwalo
magwalo
letter. '
Iw-
ma-
Iwala
mala
finger-nail.
GENDER OF NOUNS.
In Tonga no change is made in the noun to denote sex, and
gender plays no part in grammatical construction.
THE NO IN 25
Sex may be indicated in the following ways :
i. DIFFERENT WORDS.
Masculine.
Feminine.
Common.
mwalumi man.
mvvanakazi woman.
muntu person.
mulombe boy.
musimbi girl.
mwana child.
muzingili cockerel.
inseke lien.
inkuku fowl.
mwenze bull.
muziazi cow.
ingombe head
of caff I'-.
mugutu sheep rani.
inziazi ewe sheep.
imbelele sheep.
mupulc goat rani.
inziazi ewe goat.
impongo goat.
2. THE ADJECTIVES -pwizi, -ziazi, and -tumbii arc sonic-
times used to denote the female sex, e.g. :
ingombe inziazi cow.
impongo impwizi ewe goat.
munkala mutumbu female dog.
3. THE WORDS BOY AND GIRL ARE ADDED TO THE WORD
CHILD, so AS TO DENOTE SEX IN CHILDREN. E.g. :
mwana mulombe male child.
mwana musimbi female child.
CASE.
There are lour cases in Tonga, viz. Nominative, Accusative,
Genitive, and Vocative.
i. NOMINATIVE.
As in English, a substantive in the Nominative is the subject
of the sentence. Tonga differs, however, in the fact that the
Nominative is always absolute. In every case a pronoun is
inserted between the noun and the verb, e.g. :
Balumi ba beleka, not Balumi beleka,
Lit. Men they work, not Men work.
The position of the Nominative noun may vary, but in
every case the pronoun used comes before the verb, e.g. :
Ba chi beleka abo balumi,
Lit. They still work those men,
For Those men are still at work.
See further note and illustrations under Personal Pronouns.
20 A TONGA GRAMMAR
2. ACCUSATIVE.
The noun in the Accusative is unchanged, but is always
easily recognized in the sentence, e.g. :
Bantu ba bona banyama, i.e. People they saw game.
A noun in the Accusative may be governed by a preposition
instead of a verb.
The prepositions mu, kit and a, are commonly used in this
way, e.g. :
Mulombe wa ka zwa mu nganda, i.e. The boy he has come
from the house.
Mulombe wa ka ya ku Uganda, i.e. The boy has gone fa
the house.
Mulombe udi kede e nganda, i.e. The boy sat at the house.
Mulombe oyo wadi indide a banyena, i.e. That boy passed
with his mother.
Mwalumi wa ka beza a kaleba kakwe, i.e. The man carved
by means of his axe.
Bantu ba la fwa e nzala, i.e. The people will die on account
of hunger.
3. GENITIVE.
This case is applied to a noun from which something else
proceeds or to which it belongs. In English it is usually
expressed by the preposition "of," but in Tonga the particle
varies with each class of noun used, as the following table
shows.
Every noun prefix has its own genitive particle, which is
made up of the vowel a and the dominant consonantal
sound of the class prefix. These simple forms may be lengthened
by the addition of an initial i or nasalized for the copulative
form .
GENITIVE PARTICLES.
Singular. Plural.
Simple. Full. Copulative. Simple. Full. Copulative.
i . wa
iwa
ngwa
ba
iba
mba
i b. wa
iwa
ngwa
a
ia
nga
2. wa
iwa
ngwa
ya
iya
nja
3. dia
idia
ndia
a
ia
nga
4. bwa
ibwa
mbwa
a
ia
nga
5. kwa
ikwa
nkwa
a
ia
nga
6. ka
ika
nka
twa
itwa
ntwa
INK NOUN 27
Singular. Plural.
Simple. Full. Copulative. Simple. Full. Copulative.
7. cha iclia ncli;i zya i/ya nzya
8. ya iya nja /.ya ixya. nzya
<. iwa ilwa ndwa zya izya n/\;i
><". Iwa ilwa ndwa a ia nga
The Simple forms are in most common use, e.g. :
1. Mulombe \va mwami PL Balombe ba mwaini.
2. Muchila wa munkala Michila ya bankala.
3. Ikanda dia muntu Makanda a bantu.
.\. Butala bwa mwam i Matala a mwami.
5. Kutvvi kwa mwana Matwi a mwana.
0. Kasimbi ka mwami Tusimbi twa mwami.
7. Chuno cha mwalumi Zyuno zya balumi.
8. Impongo ya. muntu Impongo zya bantu.
9. Lunyolo Iwa mwalumi Inyolo zya balumi.
The Full forms are used when the noun is understood, as in
Nguwe oyu iwa mwami ngo mupati,
Lit. It is he of the chief he is great.
The Copulative forms are used when the particle is the
predicate of the sentence, as in
Munzi oyu ngwa mwami wangu,
Lit. Village this it is of my chief.
4. VOCATIVE.
This case is confined to a lew words of Class i. Thus in
addressing one's father you use Ndende.
mother me.
elder sang we,
grandmother banene.
fellow wife yaye.
LOCATIVE NOUNS,
Three other classifiers are used with nouns which arc
identical with the prepositions used when illustrating the
Accusative case. At times it is plain that these particles
28
A TONGA GRAMMAR
arc prepositions, but on other occasions there is a concord
running right through the sentence, e.g. :
Munganda mo nda zwa mu la tontola,
Lit. In house from whence I came inside it is cool,
i.e. It is cool inside the house from whence I came.
Kunganda ku munzi nkubotu,
Lit. To house to village is to good,
i.e. It is good at the house in the village.
E nganda adi kukwide,
Lit. At house at swept,
i.e. It has been swept at the house, or around the house.
These particles are frequently used with other locative
expressions, e.g. :
munsi
underneath.
kutala
above.
kunsi
below.
etala
on the top.
ansi
on the ground.
mukati
inside.
mujulu
in the air.
akati
between.
kujulu
above.
munernbo
in front, be/ore.
cjulu
upon.
kunembo
before.
muf \vif\vi
near.
enembo
before.
kufwifwi
near.
musule
behind.
afwil'wi
near.
kusulc
behind.
niunzc
outside.
esule
behind.
kunzc
outside.
mumwi
together.
anze
outside.
kumwi
together.
mutala
beyond.
amwi
together.
When these expressions are used the particles mu, kit, or a
are retained throughout the sentence in agreement with the
other locative used. In these cases mu means " in " ; hu means
" to or towards " ; and a means "on, at. or close bv. "
COPULATIVE PARTICLES USED WITH NOUNS.
In English the copulas used in this connection are two in
number, viz. "it is," and "they are." These expressions
may be used with every noun. In Tonga no such simple
process is to be found. The particles vary with the several
classes of nouns used. The process appears to be simply that
THE NOUN 29
of nasalizing the noun. It may, therefore, be the letter m, or
n, or in some cases a full nasal syllable. When a word begins
with the letter m, no change may take place.
The following table gives the particles in use :
COPULATIVE PARTICLKS.
Singular. Plural.
Class i. (M) ngu or ngo M, mba or mbi.
2. (M) ngu or ngo (M) nje.
,, 3. ndi (M) nga.
4. M, mbo (M) nga.
,, 5. N, nko (M) nga.
6. N, nka N, nto.
,, 7. N, nche N, nze.
8. X, nje N, nze.
ndu nze.
ndu (M) nga.
Illustrations
Class i. Mulombe, or Ngu mulombe, i.e. It is a boy.
PI. Mbalombe, or Mba balombe.
,, 2. Muchila, or Ngu muchila, i.e. // is a tail.
PI. Michila, OY Nje michila.
,, 3. Ndikanda, i.e. It is skin.
PI. Makanda, OY Nga makanda.
4. Mbutala, OY Mbo butala, i.e. It is a grain store.
PI. Matala, or Nga matala.
,, 5. Nkutwi, or Nko kutwi, i.e. // is an ear.
PI. Matwi, or Nga matwi.
6. Nkasimbi, or Nka kasimbi, i.e. It is a girl.
PI. Ntusimbi, or Nto tusimbi.
,, 7. Nchuno, or Nche chuno, i.e. // is a stool.
PI. Nzyuno, or Nze zyuno.
8. Nimpongo, or Nje mpongo, i.e. // is a goat.
PL Nimpongo, or Nzempongo.
,, 9. Ndunyolo, i.e. // is a razor.
PL Nzenyolo.
90. Ndugwalo, i.e. // is a letter.
PL Magwalo, or Nga magwalo.
These particles may also be used to connect the nouns.
3
A TONGA GRAMMAR
When so vised the particle agrees with the second noun
used :
Class i. Nameba oyu ngu mulombe, i.e. This thief is a boy.
,, 2. Inyama eyi ngu muchila, i.e. This meat is the tail.
,, 3. Insangu ndikanda, i.e. The sandal is skin.
,, 4. Chilondolwedo mbo butala, i.e. The store is a grain
bin.
,, 5. Kapapali nkutwi, i.e. The thin plate is the ear.
,, 6. Sikusanzia nka kasimbi, i.e. The washer is a girl.
,, 7. Itanda nche chuno, i.e. The log is a stool.
,, 8. Mupule nje mpongo, i.e. The ram is a goat.
,, 9. Katale ndunyolo, i.e. The small iron is a razor.
The plural forms follow regularly according to the table
given above, and can easily be made up from the particles
already illustrated.
There are corresponding negative expressions which may
be conveniently left to a later period when all copulatives are
grouped together.
A word of warning may be given. If you ask, i; What is
this ? " when pointing to an object, the reply will invariably
contain the copulative particle, which must be removed so as
to obtain the noun in its simple form.
FORMATION OF NOUNS.
In this section we are not strictly concerned with the
primal origin of words, but only with the language as we find
it spoken to-day. At this point we may conveniently turn
aside to note that it may originally have been largely onoma-
poetic. The following examples will illustrate the process of
coining words in the first instance :
inkwecheche
isekwa
simuguluwe
inkuku
inzi
inkwailo
igudyugudyu
so called because the bird calls "kwe-che-che."
,, duck calls "kwa-kwa."
bird calls "gu-lu-we."
fowl calls ' ' ku-ku. ' '
fly hums "zi."
sandals seem to say ' ' kvvai-
kwai " when in use.
trachea seems to say "gu-
dyu-gudyu" when in
the act of swallowing.
THE NOUN >i
imididimn so called because the thunder ><>im<l-. !ilc<- "di-
di."
izio ,, grinding -stones make a
noise like " xi-xi."
indombondo ,, ,, water in the calabash
bubbles when in the act
of smoking, " dombo-
dombo."
The process is still in use, as many modern words certainly
show :
inchoko so called because the brass anklets clang to-
gether, sounding like
"cho-cho."
ingengema ,, ,, tinware clangs with a
noise like "ngc-nge."
chipololo ,, ,, the whistle seems to say
"po-lo-lo."
inswailo ,, ,, file makes a noise like
' 'swai-swai' ' when in use .
ingolovani ,, wheelbarrow says " ngolo-
ngolo " when it is in
'motion.
Many of these onomapoetic words are in frequent use, and
may be either nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Some must be
nouns,, but as such they have neither prefixes nor suffixes, e.g. :
Imvula ya bola waa, i.e. The rain came again, a heavy
down-pour.
\Va dichisa, wa ti mpu, i.e. He suddenly hurt himself,
Lit. He hurt himself, he said, "mpu."
This latter construction is very frequently used, and following
the verb kit ti, the word mpu, etc., must be used substantively.
Nouns are most frequently formed from verbs, but they may
be derived from other nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. This
being so, the rules following will be better understood after
the study of the verb, but are inserted here so that all matter
relating to the noun may be continuous.
The operation is performed in various ways. A noun
classifier may or may not be prefixed, and the verb ending
may or may not be changed. When a classifier is prefixed,
care must be taken to use one which agrees with the desired
idea. If we desire to make a personal noun the prefix will
& A TONGA GRAMMAR
be mu-, ba-. si-, etc. Manufactures and other physical objects
connected with human life will take mu- or mi-, etc., and right
through the remaining classes.
The following methods of formation may be noted :
I. FORMATION OF PERSONAL NOUNS FROM VERBS.
i. By prefixing mu- and ba- to the verb, and changing the
final vowel, e.g. :
ku iya, to teach. mwiyi, teacher. PI. biyi.
ku beza, to carve. mubezi, carver. babezi.
ku yaka, to build. muyaki, builder. bayaki.
2. By prefixing si- or sia- to verb root or to infinitive form,
e.g. :
ku bumba, to mould, siabumba, potter. PL basiabumba.
ku yamba, to paddle, sikuyamba, paddler. basikuyamba.
3. By prefixing nama- to verb root, e.g. :
ku luka, to weave, namaluka, a weaver. PI. banamaluka.
ku kwila, to cry aloud, namakwila, a crying child. PL
banamakwila,
4. By prefixing si- to the relative form of the verb, e.g. :
ku dya, to eat. ku dida, to eat on behalf of.
sikudida, collector acting on behalf of his master. PL basi-
kudida.
ku dinda, to watch. ku dindila, to watch for.
sikudindila, a waiting person. PL basikudindila.
5. By prefixing si- to the causative form of the verb, e.g. :
ku chisa, to be painful, ku chisia, to injure.
sikuchisia, one who hurts. PL basikuchisia.
6. By prefixing mu- or ba- to the causative form of the verb,
and changing the final vowel, e.g. :
ku sima, to be perfect, whole, or ripe.
ku simia, to make perfectly clear, to give evidence.
musimii, a witness. PL basimii.
ku embela, to herd. ku embezia, to compel to herd.
mwembezi, herd boy. PL bembezi.
7. By prefixing si- to the reciprocal form of the verb, e.g. :
ku bona, to see. ku bonana, to see each other.
sikubonana, one seeing a second person. PL basikubouana.
THE NOl'X 33
.. prefixing inn- or /></- to Native for in of (lie \vrb. and
elian^ing the final syllable, e.g, '.
ku futula, to save. ku futiika, t<> In sa. <</.
imifutusi, oin- xti.nt. I'l. bafutiisi.
9. l'>y prefixing s/- to the intrusive form o! the veil*
ku amba. lo speak. ku ambisia. t >/><(ik tntly.
sikuanil)isia. a truth-speaker. IM. ba^ikuambisia.
id. By prefixing si- to the reversive form of the verb.
ku anga, to tie. ku angununa, to untie.
sikuangununa, a relcatcr. PI. basikuangununa.
ku dima, to dig. ku dimuna, to reap.
sikudimuna, a reaper. PI. basikudimnna.
i i . By prefixing si- to the repetitive form of the verb, e.g. :
ku biala, to sow ku bialula, to resow.
sikubialula, one reso-ii'ing. PI. basikubialula.
ku enda, to go. ku endenda, to wander.
sikuendenda, a wanderer. PI. basikuendenda.
i 2. By prefixing si- to reflexive form of verb, <?.#. :
ku jaya, ^o Ai7/. ku dijaya, to commit suicide.
sikudijaya, a suicide. PI. basikudijaya.
13. By prefixing mil- to passive form of verb and changing
final vowel, e.g. :
ku yanda, to love. ku yandwa, to be loved.
mnyandwi, one loved. PI. bayandwi.
II. FORMATION OF IMPERSONAL Xouxs FROM YKKHS.
i. By prefixing inn- or mi- to the verb and changing the
final vowel, e.g. :
ku yeya, to think. muyeyo, thought. PI. miyeyo.
ku ibuluka, to recollect, mubuluko, recollection. PI. mi-
buluko.
_'. 1 >y prefixing mu- or mi- to causative form of the verb
and changing the final vowel, e.g. :
ku yaila, to sweep. ku ynizia, to make sweep.
muyaizio, a brush. PI. miyaizio.
ku laya, to command. ku laizia, to give instruction.
mulaizio, a command, an order. PI. milai/io.
This may be contracted to mulazio, PL mila/do.
c
34 A TONGA GRAMMAR
3. By prefixing i- or ma- to perfect form of verb and
changing the final syllable, e.g. :
ku zavula, to tear. zavwide, torn.
izavwiza, rag. PI. mazavvviza.
4. By prefixing bu- or ma- to the verb and changing the
final vowel, e.g. :
ku dima, to dig. budimo, dug field PI. madimo.
ku mena, to grow. bumena, yeast, malt, mamena.
ku pampuka, to be wise, bupampu, wisdom. mapampu.
ku yuma, to be hard. buyumu, hardness. mayumu.
> By prefixing bu- or ma- to the causative form of the verb
and changing the final vowel, e.g. :
ku bija, io be bad. ku bisia, to make bad.
bubisi, bad or raw food. PI. mabisi.
6. By prefixing ha- or tit- to the verb and changing the
final vowel, e.g. :
ku laba, to tell a riddle, kalabi, a conundrum. PI. tulabi.
ku tenda, to cut. katendu, a slice. tutendu.
7. By prefixing chi- or zi- to the verb and changing the final
vowel, e.g. :
ku jika, to cook. chiko, stove. PI. ziko.
ku lota, to dream. chiloto, a dream. ziloto.
ku zia, to grind. chizio, a grinding stone, zizio.
8. By prefixing chi- or zi- to relative form of the verb and
changing the final vowel, e.g. :
ku fula, to smith. ku fulila, to smith for.
chifulilo, a smithy. PI. zifulilo.
ku jika, to cook. ku jikila, to cook for.
chijikilo, a kitchen. PL zijikilo.
9. By prefixing chi- or zi- to the causative form of the verb
and changing the final vowel, e.g. :
ku pila, to sacrifice. ku pizia, to sacrifice.
chipizio, a sacrifice. PI. zipizio.
ku dila, to cry. ku dizia, to mourn.
chidizio, expression of grief . PI. zidizio.
Till- NOUN 35
10. By prefixing ini- or in- to the verb. The final part may
or may not be changed, e.g. :
ku nyota, to thirst. inyota, thirst.
ku tuntuma, to tremble. intuntuman/i, ague, malaria.
ku kumba, to rub. inkumba, snail.
ku bungana, to assemble, imbungano, assembly.
j i . By prefixing hi- to the verb and changing the final
vowel, e.g. :
ku cnda, to walk. 1 \vendo, journey.
ku gwala, to write. lugwalo, letter.
ku nyola, to share. lunyolo, razor.
12. By using the kit of the infinitive as a true classifier, t'.g. :
ku bona, to sec. kubona, sight.
kubonwa, being seen.
kubonana, mutual seeing.
kubonya, showing.
kuboneka, visibleness.
kubonesia, clear vision.
]1J. FORMATION OF PERSONAL NOUNS FROM OTHF.R NOUNS.
1 . By prefixing si- or sia-, e.g. :
manu, wisdom, cunning, simanu, a wise person.
buya, kindness. sibuya, a kind man.
malelo, food. simalelo, master.
inguso, strength. singuso, a strong man.
It may here be noted that many proper nouns are formed
from other nouns in this way. A person may be called by
names such as :
Sialusaka from Jusaka, forest.
Siabwizu ,, bwizu, grass.
Siankuku ,, inkuku,/ow/.
Simeja ,, meja, horns.
2. By prefixing ba-, e.g. :
malelo, food. bamalelo, mistress.
3. By prefixing na-, e.g. :
buya, kindness. nabuya, a kind woman.
4. By prefixing bina-, e.g. : instead of using a worn an V,
personal name she is invariably addressed as " The mother ot
36 A TONGA GRAMMAR
So-and-so," i.e. if Bene is a girl's name, her mother will be
called Binabene.
5. By prefixing ban a-, e.g. :
mwami, chief. banamwami, chief's ivife.
6. By prefixing muna-, e.g. :
Leza, God. munaleza, man of God.
Mwemba, chief of that mnnamwemba, man of Mivemba.
name.
mwami, chief. munamwami, man of the chief.
7. By prefixing the diminutive kinga-, e.g. :
simpongo, goal-herd. kingasimpongo, small goat herd.
8. By prefixing the diminutive ka- or tu-, e.g. :
mulombe, boy. kalombe, small boy. PI. tulombe.
9. By prefixing mudi- or mwadi-, e.g. :
inganda, house. mwadinganda, householder.
munzi, village. mwadimunzi, head of village.
munda, garden. mudimunda, owner of garden.
mugutu, sheep ram. mudimugutu, owner of ram.
jo. By prefixing mnka-, e.g. :
mwana, child. mukamwana, wife of son.
mwami, chief. mukamwami, wife of chief.
irruntu, person. mukamuntu, wife of another.
IT. By prefixing si ana, e.g. :
sulwe, hare. sianasulwe, a deceiver, i.e. like
the hare, which is proverbial for
deception.
IV. FORMATION OF IMPERSONAL NOUNS FROM OTHER NOUNS.
1 . By prefixing mil- or ba-, e.g. :
ichende, testicle. muchende, bull. PI. bachende.
2. By prefixing the augmentative i- or ma- t e.g. :
muyuni, bird. ijuni, big bird. PI. mayuni.
3. By prefixing bn- or ma-, e.g. :
mwami, chief, bwami, chieftainship. PI. mami.
TI u; Not N 37
4. By prefixing ha- or In-, e.g. :
chintu, thing. kantu, small filing. PI. tuntu.
isamu, tree. kasamu, small tree. tusarau.
5. By prefixing the diminutive kinga-, e.g. :
sikale, squirrel. kingasikale, small squirrel.
6. By prefixing chi- or zi-, e.g. :
inyama, meat. cliinyama, manner of animal.
7. By prefixing china-, e.g. :
Zambesi, rivet- of that name. Chinazambesi, language of
the Zambezi.
Y. FORMATION OF PERSONAL NOUNS FROM ADJECTIVES.
1. By prefixing mu-, e.g. :
-kadi, angry. mukadi, angry person.
2. By prefixing simit-, siamu-, or siasimu-, e.g. :
-bi, bad. simubi, a bad person.
-lamfu, long. siamulamfu, a tall person.
-lema, heavy. siasimulema, a dullard.
VI. FORMATION OF IMPERSONAL NOUNS FROM ADJECTIVES.
By prefixing in-, e.g. :
-ziazi, female, childbearing. inziazi, ewe, heifer.
VII. FORMATION OF PERSONAL NOUNS FROM ADVERBS.
By prefixing si-, e.g. :
insiku, long ago. sinsiku, an ancient.
Vlll. FORMATION OF IMPERSONAL NOUNS FROM ADVERBS.
By prefixing cha- or zya-, e.g. :
kumbadi, aside, zyakumbadi, secrets.
38 A TONGA GRAMMAR
IX. FORMATION OF COMPOUND NOUNS.
These are made up of one or more parts of speech. They
are really phrases or sentences put together so as to conveni-
ently name a person or thing, e.g. :
siazibakutanta, an expert climber.
mwanamukamwanawangu , my grandchild.
siakumusida, the one who dug him a hole.
bamunasimunyanga, those who wear an abundance of beads.
sikumusindikila, a fellow-traveller.
simukwatwama, my fellow-wife.
FOREIGN NOUNS.
With the advent of civilized life, many new ideas and
objects have been introduced. These have necessitated new
words. In some cases old words have been vested with a larger
and wider meaning. In other cases there was nothing in the
language upon which to hang the new thought. In these
instances new words have been introduced which have been
given the correct type of classifier proper to them. We need
only cite the following :
1. New institutions : prison, intolongo.
2. Coins : sixpence, isikisipense.
3. Common objects : lent, itentc.
.j. Clothing: SOCKS, masokesi.
5. Time : Sunday, Insondo.
6. Ecclesiastical terms ; baptism, lubapatizo.
THE ADJECTIVE
oi ALITATIVE ADJECTIY1 S
As in English, we get quite a number of adjectives of this
type. The following examples will suffice :
-yumu, hard. -tetete, soft.
-yumu, dry. -tete, moist.
-botu, good. -bi, bad.
-cheche, young. -kulukulu, old.
-lemu, heavy. -uba, light.
-lamfu, long. -fwifwi, short.
-pati, big. -nini', small.
It must be immediately noted that these are root-words,
and need prefixes so that they may be completed. The
prefixes used with adjectives are identical with those of the
noun classes, and each adjective may take any one or all of
the thirteen noun classifiers. Im- and in- are not interchange-
able. Generally speaking, the particular adjectival root used
takes the same prefix as the noun which it qualifies, the only
exception being in Classes 8 and 9. The adjectival prefixes
arc :
Singular. Plural.
1. mu- ba-
2. mu- mi-
3. i- nia-
.}. bu- ma-
5. ku- ma-
'). ka- tu-
7. chi- /A-
8. im-, in- im-, in-, />
M. hi- zi-
ga. hi- ma-
39
40 A TONGA GRAMMAR
The adjective " big " may therefore appear in the following
forms : mupati, bapati, mipati, ipati, mapati, bupati, kupati,
kapati, tupati, chipati, zipati, impati, and lupati. In use with
nouns they will appear as follows :
1. mulombe mupati, a big boy. PL balombe bapati.
2. muchila mupati, a big tail. michila mipati.
3. ikanda ipati, a big skin. makanda mapati.
4. butala bupati, a big grain bin. matala mapati.
5. kutwi kupati, a big ear. matwi mapati.
6. kasimbi kapati, a big girl. tusimbi tupati.
7. chuno chipati, a big stool. zyuno zipati.
8. impongo impati, a big goat. impongo zipati-
<). lunyolo lupati, a big razor. inyolo zipati.
()d. lugwalo lupati, a big letter. magwalo mapati.
The only remaining difficulty seems to be in Class 8. How
shall one decide whether to use im- or in- in the singular, and
cither of these or zi- in the plurals ?
The rule is that im- is used with all adjectives whose roots
begin with b, p, or/., e.g. : imbotu, impati, imfwifwi. If the
adjectival root begins with any other letter, in- is used, e.g. :
injumu, dry; intete, wet ; indemu, heavy; inguba, light;
indamfu, long; inini, small. Some consonantal changes take
place which will occasion but little difficulty.
In the plural the im-, in-, or zi- form may be interchange-
able. It is equally correct to say impongo inyingi or impongo
/ingi, many goats. Probably the plural prefix zi- is in most
frequent use.
In English we frequently find qualitative expressions other
than truly adjectival constructions. Such forms are fre-
quently used in Tonga, so much so that a statement may
often be made in quite a variety of ways.
The following may be noted :
1. AN ADJECTIVE MAY BE USED SUBSTANTIVELY.
E.g. The learned say so. Bapampu ba amba obo. In this
sentence an adjective is used substantively.
2. THE ADJECTIVE is USED PREDICATIVELY.
E.g. The man is good, (a) Mwalumi mubotii.
(b) Mwalumi udi mubotu.
(c) Mwalumi wa bota.
TIIK \D !!.( I IYK
In each case the meaning is the same, viz. the man i^
good.
(a) This is the purely adjectival construction.
(b) This form shows the insertion of a personal pronoun
to which has been suffixed the particle ~di. Every
personal pronoun may be used in this way, the shorter
being for sentences in the present and the longer
for the past tense.
(c) This gives the same idea by means of the verb from
which the adjective has been derived. Similarly the
following adjectives may be noted :
-y u mil may be used in the verb form yuma.
-tctc ,, ,, ,, teta.
-botu ,, ,, ,, bota.
-bi ,, ,, ,, bija.
-1cm u ,, ,, ,, lema.
-lamfu ,, ,, ,, lampa.
-fwifwi ,, ,, fwimpa.
When the short pronouns with the suffix -di are used, we
shall get the following forms in the present tense :
udi
udi
didi
budi
kudi
kadi
7. chidi
8. idi
9. ludi
ga. ludi
badi.
idi.
adi.
adi.
adi.
tudi.
zidi.
zidi.
zidi.
adi.
Mulombe udi mupati.
Muchila udi mupati.
Ikanda didi ipati.
Butala budi bupati.
Kutwi kudi kupati.
Kasimbi kadi kapati.
Chuno chidi chip at i.
Impongo idi impati.
Lunyolo ludi lupati.
Lugwalo ludi lupati.
Balombe badi bapati.
Michila idi mipati.
Makanda adi mapati.
Matala adi mapati.
Matwi adi mapati.
Tusimbi tudi tupati.
Zyuno zidi zipati.
Impongo zidi zipati.
Inyolo zidi zipati.
Magwalo adi mapati.
1J A TON<;A (iKAMMAR
If the predicate is in the past tense, the long form of pro-
noun is used with the suffix -di, e.g. :
1. wadi badi.
2. wadi yadi.
3. diadi adi.
4. bwadi adi.
5. kwadi adi.
6. kadi twadi.
7. chadi zyadi.
8. yadi zyadi.
9. Iwadi zyadi.
otf. Iwadi adi.
I.e. Mulombe wadi mubotu, The boy was good, etc.
When the adjectival idea is obtained by the verb, a pronoun
links up the substantive with it. The longer pronouns arc
used in these instances :
1. wa ba.
2. wa ya.
3. dia a.
4. bwa a.
5. kwa a.
6. ka twa.
7. cha zya.
8. ya zya.
(.). Iwa zya.
9#. Iwa a.
}. THE ADJECTIVE is ix A RELATIVE CLAUSE.
E.g. I want a boy who is good, Xda yanda mulombc u but a.
In such sentences as these the verb follows the short
pronouns :
1. u ba.
2. u i.
3. di a.
4. bu a.
5. ku a.
6. ka tu.
7. chi zi.
8. i zi.
9. hi /i.
IK*, hi a.
Till- AI\|K< TIVI- i;,
It is rasy to make illustrations USJUL; thrx- !niin>. Tli<-
oiu- most commonly used will be the word " water."
man/i a pia, hot icatcr, i.e. ,V<//:T ii'hich is hot.
manxi a tontola, cold water, i.e. :satcy which is cold.
The adjectival form manxi mapia is Tonga for " fresh
water," and this construction is never used for "hot water."
4. SOMETIMES THE PERFECT FORM or THE VERB is USED
WITH AN ADJECTIVAL SENSE.
E.g. the verb ku lulama, to be straight. The perfect is luleme.
(a) Muntu u luleme, a righteous person.
(b) Muntu udi luleme, the person is righteous.
The pronouns used need no further comment. The u is
the simple form of pronoun, and the second form has the
suffix.
5. A NOUN MAY ALSO BE USED WITH AN ADJECTIVAL SENSE.
E.g. (a) Inzila eyi mbutezi, This road is slippery.
(b) Si yandi inzila iya butezi, / do not want a slippery
road.
In (a) an abstract noun is used with a copulative particle,
which may be the nasal letter or the full copulative as
previously given (page 29).
In (b) a pronoun is given in its full form, i.e. the long
pronoun, to which the vowel i has been prefixed. According
to the noun classes used, the pronouns would be as follows :
1. iwa iba.
2. iwa iya.
3. idia ia.
4. ibwa ia.
5. ikwa ia.
6. ika itwa.
7. icha i/.ya.
8. iya i/.ya.
9. ilwa i/.yn.
9#. ilwa ia.
'.. PKKSONAL Nm'xs HI;<.IXNIX<, WITH Si AKK
I SED ADJKCTIVELY.
E.g. This person is strong, Muntu oyu ngu singuso.
44 A TONGA GRAMMAR
7. A RELATIVE CLAUSE OR SENTENCE MAY BE USED 10
GIVE THE ADJECTIVAL IDEA.
E.g. I want a strong man, Nda yanda mwalumi u le nguso.
I At. I want a man who has strength.
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.
No such simple rule for forming the comparative and
superlative degrees can be given as the one of adding -er and
-est as in English.
Various methods may be noted :-
1. By the use of logo, very.
muntu mupati, a big person.
niuntu mupati, a very big person.
muntu mupati logo logo, a very very big person.
muntu mupati logo logo logo, a very very very big person.
2. By the use of the verb ku inda, to surpass.
Muntu oyu mupati ku inda oyo, i.e. This person is big to
surpass that, or This person is bigger than that.
3. By the use of the verb ku inda and another verb denot-
ing the quality under comparison.
Muntu oyu u la inda oyo ku ku lampa, i.e. This person
surpasses that to be long, or This person is taller than
that.
4. By the use of the verb ku inda and the indefinite numeral
onse, all.
Muntu oyu mupati ku inda bonse, i.e. This person is big to
surpass all, or This person is the biggest of all.
5. By the use of kudi.
Muntu oyu mupati kudi oyo, i.e. This person is big to that,
or This person is bigger than that.
6. By the use of kudi and the numeral onse.
Muntu oyu mupati kudi bonse, i.e. This person is big to
all, or This person is the biggest of all.
7. By reduplication.
This process gives the idea of " somewhat," "fairly," "mode-
rately," etc., e.g. :
Muntu mupatipati, a moderately big person.
THE ADJECTIVE
45
Similarly one frequently finds such adjectives as :
-siasia, grey, somewhat black.
-lubatuba, yellowish, somewhat white.
-salalasalala, pink, somewhat red.
-botubotu, fairlv good.
-ubauba, fairly light, not very heavy.
-yumuyumu, somewhat hard, tough rather than brittle.
8. The superlative idea is often given by the addition of
special particles. We have already noted some, and said that
they may be used substantively, adjectivally, or adverbially.
Those of the latter type are used with verbs and are fre-
quently derived from them. Of those which give the super-
lative idea we may note the following adjectives and the par-
ticular particles which they take :
The Adjective -tuba lakes bu.
mbete.
-salala
-subila
-pati
-yumu
-tete
-pia
-tontola
-luleme
nyeche.
salala.
tchu.
byamu.
pilibili.
tele.
tcheke,
gwende.
pin.
zwi.
zwiti.
ntamu.
nkantamuntamu,
mbi,
nti.
kampatila.
du.
tchwa.
tchwatchwati.
nta.
tete.
piyai.
kasu .
tontolo.
siko,
twese.
lula.
I" A TONGA GRAMMAR
E.g. Muniu a la tuba bu, The person is exceedingly white.
Mulambou tubambete, Whiting which is perfectly white.
etc. etc.
QUANTITATIVE ADJECTIVES.
3. CARDINAL NUMERALS.
One is -mwi.
Two ,, -bilwe or -bill.
Three ,, -tatwe.
Four ,, -ne.
I 7 ice ,, -sanwe.
These are used like all other adjectives, and need com-
pletion by prefixes. In the formation of these prefixes the
vowel o is used, and the consonantal sound of the classifiers,
except in Classes i and 2 singular.
bo-,
yo-.
o-.
c-.
o-.
to-,
zyo-.
zyo-.
zyb-.
o-
In use, therefore, we shall get the following expressions :
Mubombe omwi. Balombe bobilwe, botatwe, bone,
bosanwe.
Muchila omwi. Michila yobilwe, yotatwe, yone, yosanwc.
Ikanda diomwi. Makanda obilwe, otatwe, one," osanwe.
Butala bomwi. Matala obilwe, otatwe, one, osanwe.
Kutwi komwi. Matwi obilwe, otatwe, one, osanwe.
Kasimbi komwi. Tusimbi tobilwe, totatwe, tone,
tosanwe.
Chuno chomwi. Zyuno zyobilwe, zyotatwe, zyone,
zyosanwe.
Impongo yomwi. Impongo zyobilwe, zyotatwe, zyonc,
zyosanwe.
Eunyolo lomwi. Inyolo zyobilwe, zyotatwe, zyone,
zyosanwe.
Lugwalo lomwi. Magwalo obilwe, otatwe, one, osanwe.
TJII AI>.|K(Tl\ I. ,7
In actual counting the process adopted is this. The left
hand is closed. With the little finger opened and raised to
the lips we count one, the next finger is two, the middle fm-r
is three, the index finger is four, and the thumb is live.
If the process is continued beyond this the thumb of the
right hand is six when the two thumbs are placed together.
When the index finger of the right hand is added it means
seven, each additional linger means an additional number until
ten is reached by placing the two palms together.
In enumeration the same process is adopted :
Six is musanu a kamwi, i.e. 5 and i.
Seven ,, musanu a tubili, i.e. 5 and .>.
Fight ,, musanu a tutatu, i.e. 5 and 3.
Xine ,. musanu a tune, i.e. 5 and 4.
Ten ,, ikumi.
The roots of the four digits being -tnwi, -bili, -tain, and -tie.
In use the word '" musanu " is fixed, and the additional
units take the shorter pronoun forms as prefixes for the
respective nouns used :
j. u- ba-.
3- di-
4. bu-
> ku-
6. ka-
7. chi-
8. i-
9. lu-
Ort. hi-
a-,
a-,
a-,
tu-
zi-.
r /\-.
/A-.
a-.
Balombc musanu a unuvi,
Michila musanu a uniwi,
]\Iakanda musanu e dimwi,
Matala musanu a bumwi,
Matwi musanu a kuinwi,
Tusimbi musanu a kamwi,
Zyttno musanu e chimwi,
Impongo musanu e imwi,
Inyolo musanu a lumwi,
Magwalo musanu a lumwi,
six boys,
six tails,
six skins,
six grain bins,
six ears.
si.v girls,
six stools,
six goats,
six razors,
six letters.
We should here note that a connective is frequently placed
between the noun and the word for "five," i.e. the numeral is
48 A TONGA GRAMMAR
used predicatively. The connectives are the short pronouns
with the suffix -di or the copulative particles. In this way we
get these expressions :
Balombe badi musanu a umwi or Balombe mbasanu a umwi.
Michila idi musanu a umwi ,, Michila njisanu a umwi.
Makanda adi musanu e diinwi ,, Makanda ngasanu e dimwi.
Matala adi musanu a bumwi ,, Matala ngasanu a bumwi.
Matwi adi musanu a kumwi ,, Matwi ngasanu a kumwi.
Tusimbi tudi musanu a kamwi ,, Tusimbi ntusanu a kamwi.
Zyuno zidi musanu e chimwi ,, Zyuno nzisanu e chimwi.
Impongo zidi musanu e imwi ,, Impongo nzisanu e chimwi.
Inyolo zidi musanu a lumwi ,, Inyolo nzisanu a lumwi.
Magwalo adi musanu a lumwi ,, Magwalo ngasanu a lumwi.
For "seven," "eight," and "nine" we get the following
expressions with words of the various noun classes.
Balombe musanu a babili a batatu a bane.
Michila musanu e ibili e itatu e ine.
Makanda musanu a abili a atatu a ane.
Matala musanu a abili a atatu a ane.
Matwi musanu a abili a atatu a ane.
Tusimbi musanu a tubili a tutatu a tune.
Zyuno musanu e zibili e zitatu e zine.
Impongo musanu e zibili e zitatu e zine.
Inyolo musanu e zibili e zitatu e zine.
Magwalo musanu a abili a atatu a ane.
The same process of inserting a connective may be adopted
as that just described.
Ten is ikumi.
Twenty is makumi obilwe, i.e. two tens.
Thirty is makumi otatwe, i.e. three tens.
Forty is makumi one, i.e. four tens.
Fifty is makumi osanwe, i.e. five tens.
Sixty is makumi musanu e dimwi, i.e. five tens and one ten.
Seventy is makumi musanu a abili, i.e. five tens and two tens.
Eighty is makumi musanu a atatu, i.e. five tens and three tens.
Ninety is makami musanu a ane, i.e. fire tens and four tens.
Hundred is mwanda.
From this is will be observed that an expression like 99 is a
very complex one in Tonga. It could only be given as " five
tens and four tens, also with five and four units."
TIN-: A))|l,( I 1\ I <.
Ten ptp!< i> Bantu badi ikumi or Ikumi dia bantu
l : .!e,'cn people is Bantu badi i!;umi a unnvi, or Ikun'i dia bantu
di la uimvi.
/'uv//r people is Bantu badi ikiuni a. babili.
I'hirteeu people is Bantu badi ikumi a batatu.
I'li't'iily people is I '.ant 11 badi niakumi obiluv, or Makunii
obilwe a bantu.
I'lrirtv people is .1 Jan tu badi niakumi otaluv, <>r Makuini
ntatwe a bantu.
Thirty-one people is Bantu badi makumi otatwe a la umwi.
Thirtv-five- people is 1-Jantu badi makumi otatwe a la musanu.
Thirty-six people is Bantu badi makumi otatwe a la musanu a
umwi.
Thirty-seven- people is Bantu badi makumi otatwe a la musanu
a babili.
Fifty people is Bantu badi niakumi osamvc.
Fifty-one people is Bantu badi makumi osamve a la umwi.
Sixty people is Bantu badi makumi musanu e diniwi.
Sixty-one people is Bantu badi makumi musanu c dimwi a la
umwi.
Si. vtv-fjve people, is Bantu badi makumi musanu c dimwi a la
basanu.
Seventy people is Bantu badi makumi musanu a abili.
\iu-c-tv people is Bantu badi makumi musanu a anc.
\'inrt\'-nine people is Bantu badi makumi musanu a anc a la
musanu a bane.
Ninety-nine sheep is Jmbelele zidi makumi musanu a ane a la
musanu e zine, or Makumi musanu a ane e mbelele zi la
musanu e zine.
Hundred is Mwanda or Ikumi dia makumi.
Two hundred is Mianda y obilwe.
Three hundred is Mianda yotatwe, etc.
In theory, therefore, it would be possible to count up to nine
hundred and ninety-nine in Tonga with a certain amount of
ease, but the cumbrous method is impracticable.
Beyond these numbers we come to the "uncountable,"
" many," " numerous," " like sand," " like earth," '.' like ants,"
etc., and so get the expressions manimani, isabasaba, busidibi,
chulu, ivu.
2. ORDINAL NUMERALS.
These are as follows :
First is -tanzi.
50 A TONGA GRAMMAR
Second is -bill.
Third ,, -tatu.
Fourth ,, -ne.
Fifth ,, -sanu.
These are connected with the nouns by the Genitive
particles (see page 26).
First. Second. Third. Fourth. Fifth.
Mulombe wetanzi wabili watatu wane wasanu.
Muchila wetanzi wabili watatu wane wasanu.
Ikanda dietanzi diabili diatatu diane diasanu
etc. etc. etc. etc.
Beyond five we revert to the Cardinal form for the digits I to 5.
Sixth is wa musanu a -mwi.
Seventh ,, wa musanu a -bili.
Eighth ,, wa musanu a -tatu.
Ninth ,, wa musanu a -ne.
Tenth ,, we kumi.
E.g. Mulombe wa musanu a umwi, i.e. the sixth boy.
Mulombe wa musanu a bili, i.e. the seventh boy.
Mulombe wa musanu a tatu. i.e. the eighth boy.
Mulombe wa musanu a ne, i.e. the ninth boy.
Mulombe we kumi, i.e. the tenth boy.
Sometimes the Ordinal stands at the beginning of a sentence,
and then it has the prefix i-.
E.g. Ibwetanzi mbu bwangu, the first is mine.
Ichetanzi nche changu, the first is mine.
The form is, of course, determined by the class of noun to
which the phrase relates.
3. NUMERALS USED ADVERBIALLY.
Once is kamwi.
Twice ,, tubili.
Three times ,, tutatu.
Four times ,, tune.
Five' times ,, tusanu.
Six times ,, musanu a kamwi.
Seven times ,, musanu a tubili.
Eight times ,, musanu a tutatu.
Nine times ,, musanu a tune.
Ten times ,. ikumi.
mi-: \iji:< TINT,
'
4. l.NDI.llMll N'lMKKALS.
These are such as "some," "other," "little, " k\\
all," " only," which had better be given in tabular form.
One.
Sonic. Every.
T.
umwi
bamwi umwi a umwi.
2.
umwi
imwi umwi a umwi.
}.
dimwi
amwi dimwi e dimwi.
4-
bumwi
amwi bumwi a bumwi.
5.
kumwi
amwi kumwi a kumwi.
6.
kamwi
tumwi kamwi a kamwi.
7-
chimwi
/imwi chimwi e chimwi.
8.
imwi
/imwi imwi e imwi.
9-
lumwi
/imwi lumwi a lumwi.
9a
. lumwi
amwi lumwi a lumwi.
A nothcY.
Other. Little of. l-'cw.
i.
umbi
bambi muche bachc.
2.
umbi
imbi muche michc.
3-
dimbi
ambi dichc machc.
4-
bumbi
ambi buche machc.
5-
kumbi
ambi kuchc machc.
().
kambi
tumbi kachc tuche.
7-
chimb i
/imbi chiche ziche.
8.
imbi
/imbi inche ziche.
0.
lumbi
/imbi luche /iche.
9*
. lumbi
ambi luche mache.
Whole. All. Only. Merely.
I.
ist Person
tonse endike atulike.
2nd Person
nonse odike amulike.
]i'd Person
bonse adike abalike.
2.
onse yonse aulike eyilike.
3-
dionse onse edilike alike.
4-
bonse onse abulike alike.
5-
konse onse akulike alike.
6.
konse tonse akalike atulike.
7-
chonse zyonse echilike ezilike.
8.
yonse zyonse eyilike ezilike.
9-
lonse zyonse alulike ezilike.
9
.
lonse onse alulike alike.
5 2 A TONGA GRAMMAR
Illustrations need scarcely be given, or at least they can
easily be made if we give a sample only :
Mulombe umwi wi inka, umwi wa chala, One boy goes,
one remains.
Halombe bamwi ba ka bona kale, Some boys have seen
already.
Na a /wa mulombc umwi. wa sika umbi. \\'hen one boy-
had gone, another arrived.
Halombe bamwi ba ka sika, junza ba /o /a bambi,
Some boys have arrived, to-morrow others will come.
Jsamu dia wa, iidibotu, ndiche bio idi boledc, The tree
has fallen, it is a good one, a small part only is rotten.
Mu lusaka olu masamu mache adi luleme, In this
forest few trees are straight.
riiuno chonse cha ka mana, The whole stool is finished.
Zyuno zyonse zya ka mana, All the stools are finished.
ISdinic nda ka chita echi endike, / have done this alone.
Bantu be za, umwi a umwi u jisi isumu diakwe, The
people came, every one having his spear.
LOCATIVE ADJECTIVES.
The three locative prefixes may be used with adjectives, as
the following sentences show :---
Omuno munganda mubotu, Here in the house it is good.
A mu kale mouse mukati mu lubaya, Sit everywhere inside
the fence.
THE PRONOUNS
T.\ T Tonga we find the following kinds of Pronouns : Personal,
Substantive, Possessive, Interrogative, Reflexive, Demonstra-
tive, and Relative.
There are no forms to denote sex.
There are different forms for singular and plural ; for first,
second, and third persons ; and also third personal pronouns for
use with the various noun classes.
PERSONAL PRONOUNS.
The following is a table of Personal pronouns :
SINGULAR.
PLURAL.
Class. Person. Nominative. Accusative. Nominative. Accusative.
ku
mu
bu
6.
IS*.
nda, ndi, n,
ndadi
2nd
u, wa
udi, wadi
yd
u, wa, a
udi, wadi
yd
u, wa
udi, wadi
di, dia
didi, diadi
bu, bwa
budi, bwadi
ku, kwa
kudi, kwadi
ka
kadi,
chi, cha
chidi, chadi
ku
ka
chi
53
tu, twa
tu
twadi
mu, mwa,
mu
mudi, mwadi
ba
ba
badi
i, ya
idi, yadi
L
a
a
adi
a
a
adi
a
a
adi
tu, twa
tu
tudi, twadi,
zi, zya
/idi, /yadi
zi
54
A TONGA GRAMMAR
SINGULAR.
PLURAL.
Class. I'ersoH. Nominative. Accusative, Nominative. Accusative.
i, ya
idi, yadi
lu, Iwa
ludi, Iwadi
lu, Iwa
ludi, Iwadi
zi, zya
zidi, zyadi
zi, zya
zidi, zyadi
a
adi
Localities :
mu, mwa, mudi
ku, kwa, kudi
a. adi
ist per. sing. Nominative form nda is the one in most fre-
quent use. E.g. Nda bona, / see.
The form ndi is used when euphony demands a change,
and is also always used in the perfect indicative form of verb,
e., Ndi bwene, I have seen.
The forms n and m are used in some imperatives, and with
the present subjunctive, e.g. Mbone, That I may see ; Nkale,
That I may sit.
ist per. sing. Accusative form ndi is in general use. The
final i may be elided or assimilated for euphonic reasons, e.g.
Ba ndi buzia, They told me ; Ba nd'ita, They call me.
The forms m and n are most frequently used with verbs
in interrogative sentences, e.g. Mfutuke ime na ? Shall I be
saved ?
2nd per. sing. Nom. forms u and wa are identical with those
in the third person. The context decides which personal
pronoun is being used.
Wa is used in expressions which have a past or aorist sense,
along with particles like ku , ka, e.g. Wa ka bona, You saw.
U is used with future tense, e.g. U yo bona, You will see.
3rd per. sing. Nom. forms wa and u are used as above, and
need no further comment, except to note that wa is used after
the nouns which form the subjects of sentences.
A is the pronoun form of the subjunctive and imperative
moods, e.g. A bone, Let him see.
ist per. plur. Nom. form tn is used with the future tense,
'e.g. Tu yo bona, We shall see.
THE PRONOUNS 55
The form twa is used with past or aorist, e.g. Twa bona,
We saw.
2nd per. plur. Nom. form mn is used with future tense,
e.g. Mu yo bona, You will see.
The form -mwa is used with past or aorist, r.g. Mwa bon;i.
You saw.
3rd per. plur. Nom. form ba is used with all tenses, and is
also the particle used after the plural noun subject of a sentence,
The forms with the suffix -di may be emphatic. When
used with u t mu, tit, these have a progressive idea. When used
with wa, twa, mwa, these have a past tense.
The accusative pronouns are always placed between the
subject of the sentence and the verb, never after the verb as
in English, e.g. Nda mu bona, I saiv him.
Pronouns of Classes 2 to 9. Whenever a noun is the
subject of a sentence, it is always followed by a personal
pronoun as already noted. These pronouns are as shown in
the table. The short forms in the nominative are used with
the present and future tenses, and the longer ones with the
past and aorist. All the nominative forms may take the
suffix -di. The accusative pronoun forms are always used as
shown without any variant.
The following illustrations may be noted :
Muchila wa ka lampa. Ndu u bona, The tail is long.
I saw it.
Kutwi ku la chisa. Nda ku bona, The car is painful.
I saw it.
Lugwalo Iwa ka mana. Nda hi bona, The letter is
finished. I saw it.
The locatives mu, ku, and a again appear as pronouns.
They may take these forms or the expanded ones mwa, kwa,
mudi, kudi.
E.g. Munganda mu la tontola, In the house it is quiet.
Mwa sia munganda, It is dark in the house.
Mudi sofwede mouse munganda, It is dirty everywhere
in the house.
SUBSTANTIVE PRONOUNS.
Sometimes a pronoun is used substantively instead of the
noun, and in this case we get two personal pronouns used
together. These have different forms. The latter one used
56 A TONGA GRAMMAR
would be one of the personal forms already noted. The former
or substantive one would take one of the following forms :
(a} SIMPLIO FORM.
Class.
Person. Singular.
Plural.
r.
ist ime, / myself.
is we, we ourselves.
2nd uwe, thou thyself
inywe, you yourselves.
3rd alakwe, he himself
abalabo, thev themselves.
2.
$rd aulao
eyilavo.
3-
ediladio
alao.
4-
abulabo
alao.
5-
akulako
alao.
6.
akalako
atulato.
7-
echilacho
ezilazyo.
8.
eyilayo
ezilazyo.
9-
alulalo
ezilazyo.
Qa.
alulalo
alao.
locatives :
amulamo.
akulako.
alao.
E.g. Ime nda ka abila zintu zimwi, /, / have divided among them
some things.
Alakwa wa ka tobela musule, He, he has followed afterwards.
Ediladio dia ke bila izuba, It, it has set the sun.
Amulamo omo mwa sia, Over there also it was dark.
Akulako oko kwa bota, Over there also it was good.
(b) INDICATIVE
FORM.
Class.
Person .
Singular.
PI it ml.
i.
is/
ndime, it is I
ndiswe, it is we.
2nd
nduwe, it is thoit
nd inywe, it is yon.
y*
nguwe, it is he
mbabo, it is they.
2.
3^
nguo, it is it
njiyo, it is they.
3-
ndidio
ngao.
4-
mbubo
ngao.
5-
nkuko
ngao.
6.
nkako
ntuto.
7-
nchicho
nzizyo.
8.
njiyo
nzizyo.
9-
ndulo
nzizyo.
oa.
ndulo
ngao.
THE PRONOUNS 57
Locatives :
mu mo.
nkuko.
mpao.
These are affirmative and indicative pronouns pointing out
something or somebody, indicating the author of an action or
means by which it is done.
When these forms are used with the prepositions "from,"
"to," "at," these latter take the form mitdi, kudi, adi.
Each of the above pronouns is changed to the negative by
prefixing the particle e-.
The following examples may be noted :
Xdimc nda ka chita obo, It is I who did so.
1 Uganda ya ka yakwa a mbabo, The house was built by
them.
A mu bole kudi ndime, Come back to me.
Endime si ambide obo, // is not I, I have not spoken in
this way.
(c) PREPOSITIONAL FORM.
Class. Person. Singular. Plural.
1. ist mbede, me tubcde, us.
2nd ubede, thee mubede, you
^rd abede, he babede, them.
2. ^rd ubede ibede.
3. dibede abede.
4. bubede abede.
5. kubedc abede.
(3. kabede tubedc.
7. chibede zibede.
8. ibede zibede.
0. lubede zibede.
y#. lubede abede.
Locatives :
mwabede.
kwabede.
mpabede.
The above forms are verbal. The latter part -bede is the
perfect of the verb " to be." In this way if we get a sentence
such as, Ka ya nko babede, it really means, Go to where thev
58 A TONGA GRAMMAR
are, yet in daily use it often has the intention only of Go to
them.
(d) CONJUNCTIVAS FORM.
Class. Pa-son. Singular. Plural.
i. ist ambe, / also, with me aswe, we also, with us
2-nd aye, thon also, even thee anywe, you also, even
you.
yd awe, it also, with it abo, they also, with them.
2. yd ao, it also, with it eyo.they also, with them.
3. edio ao.
4. abo ao.
5. ako ao.
6. ako ato.
7. echo ezyo.
8. eyo ezyo.
9. alo ezyo.
<>. alo ao.
These all have the conjunctive particle a or a modified
form for euphony.
They may all be used in either nominative or accusative.
The nominatives have the meaning, '-and I," "I also,"
"even it," "even I," "it also," etc.
The accusatives have the meaning "with me," "with it."
The following examples may be noted :
Ambe nda ka yaka, And I also, I have built.
Nda ka bola awe, / have returned with him.
Ezyo impongo zi la chela, They also, the goats, they are
grazing.
No wa bola ku munzi, u bole ezyo, When you return to
the village, you will return with them.
The Conjunctival form of substantive pronoun may be
emphasized by the addition of -bo. We therefore get the
following forms :
is/ person ambebo aswebo.
2nd ,, ayebo anywebo.
yd ,, ayebo abalabo.
E.g. Kansyo u inke uwe, ambebo ndi inka, If you go, I also,
I go, i.e. Jf you go I go also.
THE PRONOUNS 59
POSSESSIVE PRONOr.XS.
The following is a table of Possessive pronouns :
Class.
Person. Singular.
Plural.
j.
ist - -ngu, my, mine
-esu, our, ours.
-2nd -ko, th\>, thine
-nu, your, yours.
$rd -kwe, his, JUTS, its
-bo, their, their*.
2.
yd -o, its
-yo, theirs.
3-
-dio
-o.
4-
-bo
-o.
5-
-ko
-o.
6.
-ko
-to.
7-
-cho
-zyo.
8.
-yo
-zyo.
9-
-lo
-zyo.
<K*.
-lo
-0.
As the form shows, these need completion by a prefix.
The prefixes used are the Genitive particles (page 26).
It is somewhat difficult at first to realize the use of this pro-
noun, probably because in English the words "its," or " their "
are used in the third person, no matter what noun is being
linked up. It will be well at once to learn that the possessive
formula is not pronoun -j- noun as in English, but noun-|-
possessive, or, to be more explicit, noun possessed + correspond-
ing genitive particle + possessive pronoun agreeing with its
possessor, i.e.
His houses House of him.
The cow and her calf = Cow and child of her.
i.e. substantive, conjunction, noun possessed, genitive particle,
pronoun agreeing with possessor.
In Tonga, Ingombe a mwana weyo.
Similarly, we get the following illustrations :
Mulombe wangu, My boy.
Mulombe wako, Your boy.
Mulombe wakwe, His bay.
Balombe bangu, My boys, etc.
Muchila a boya bwao, The tail and its hair.
Michila a boya bweyo, The tails and their hair.
Ikanda a boya bwedio, The skin and its hair.
Makanda a boya bwao, Skins and their hair.
6o
A TONGA GRAMMAR
Butala a zidyo zyabo, The grain bin and its grain.
Matala a zidyo zyao, Grain bins and their grain.
Kutwi a mudimo wako, The ear and its work.
Matwi a midimo yao, Ears and their works.
Kasimbi e nchoko zyako, The girl and her bracelets.
Tusimbi e nchoko zyato, Girls and their bracelets.
Chuno a maulu echo, The stool and its legs.
Zyuno a maulu ezyo, Stools and their legs.
Impongo a chata cheyo, The goat and its kraal.
Impongo a chata chezyo, Goats and their kraal.
Lunyolo a butale bwalo, The razor and its iron.
Jnyolo a butale bwezyo, Razors and their iron.
Lugwalo a makani alo, The letter and its affairs.
Magwalo a makani ao, Letters and their affairs.
LOCATIVE POSSESSIVES.
Singular.
1 . mwangu
mwako
mwakwe
2. mwao
3. mwedio
4. mwabo
5. mwako
6. mwako
7. mwecho
8. mweyo
9. mwalo
ga. mwalo
These are formed by the locative forms mwa, kwa, and a
being prefixed to the possessive pronouns.
mwangu, in of mine, mwako, in of yours, mwakwe, in of his or
hers, its.
kwangu, to of mine . kwako, to of yours, kwakwe, to of his,
etc.
angu, at of mine. ako, at of yours. akwe, at of his, etc.
These are used with a meaning something like this
inside one, inside one's home, in it.
towards one, towards one's home, towards it.
at one, at one's home, at it.
by mu. Prefixed by ku.
Plural. Singular. Plural.
mwesu kwangu kwesu
mwanu kwako kwanu
Prefixed by a.
Singular. Plural.
angu csu.
ako ami.
mwabo kwakwe kwabo
akwe abo.
mweyo kwao kweyo
mwao kwedio kwao
ao eyo.
edio ao.
mwao kwabo kwao
abo ao.
mwao kwako kwao
ako ao.
mwato kwako kwato
ako ato.
mwezyo kwecho kwezyo
mwezyo kweyo kwezyo
mwezyo kwalo kwezyo
mwao kwalo kwao
echo ezyo.
eyo e/vo.
alo ezyo.
alo ao.
THE PRONOUNS 61
E.g., Omuno mvvangu ta mu kvve mudimo, Inside my home
there is no work.
U zi tole kwako ezi impongo, Take, these goats to your place.
Onse akwe ta kwe manda mabotu, There are no good houses
at his place.
Munzi mubotu logo. T\va ka kede mumbadi imva<>,
77 75 a very good village. \\'e sat hv the side of if.
Tola chuno kunganda. U chi bike kumbadi kwe\n. / akt
this stool to the house. Put if bv its side.
KM. i. UK I'OSSKSSIVHS.
Sometimes possessive pronouns are affixed to nouns so
as to make one word. The following examples ma}- be noted :
mwanangu, inv child,
mwanako, vour child,
mwanakwe, his child,
mwanesu, our child, i.
mwananu, your child,
mwanabo, their child,
.c. mwana wangu.
.e. mwana wako.
.e. mwana wakwe.
. mwana wesu.
.e. mwana wanu.
.e. mwana wabo.
tatesu, our father, i.e. tata wesu.
mulombangu, my boy, i.e. mnlombe wangu.
munkalangu, my dog, i.e. munkala wangu.
muchizangu, my sister, i.e. muchizi wangu.
Often we find the following particles :
-ma, my fellow . . . -nyokwesu, our fellow . . .
-nyoko, thy fellow . . . -nyokwanu, vour fellow . . ,
-nyokwe, or -nyena, his -nyokwanu, your fellow . . .
fellow . . .
E.g. mulutima, my fellow-missionary.
mulombema, my fellow-boy.
mukwatwama, my fellow-wife.
mukazima, my fellow-wife.
musama, my fellow-initiate.
INTERROGATIVE POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS.
The interrogative -ni ? ivhose? is joined with the genitive
' particle to form Interrogative Possessive Pronouns, e.g. :
Whose boy is this ? Mulombe oyu ngu wani ?
Whose children are these ? Bana aba mbi bani ?
Whose stool is this ? Chuno echi nchi chani ?
Whose goats are these ? Impongo ezi nzi zyani ?
62 A TONGA GRAMMAR
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS.
1. Sing, -ni ? PI. -bani ? who ? whom ?
2. Sing, and PI. -nzi ? what ?
3. Sing, and PI. -nyamanzi ? what ?
4. Sing, and PI. -ni ? a>/jos ?
5. Sing, and PL -di ? tfe/> ?
6. Sing, and PL -ngai ? how many ?
1. The suffixes -ni and -bani in use give such expressions
as :
Nduweni ? Who art thou ?
Ngwani ? Who is he ?
Ndinywebani ? Who are you ?
Nbi bani ? Who are they ?
Wa ambulani ? W?7/& whom did you speak ?
Wa pekwani echi ? By whom were you. given this ?
2. The interrogative nzi is principally used with verbs, e.g. :
Wa ka chita nzi ? What has he done ?
Ba amba nzi ? What do they say ?
It is also used in a general sort of way with the particles
chi or ni, to ask the question, What is it ? E.g. Chinzi ? or
Ni nzi ?
3. The suffix -nyamanzi is affixed to the various noun
classifiers or to modified copulative particles in asking the
question, What is it ? What are they ?
Class i. munyamanzi banyamanzi.
2. munyamanxi minyamanzi.
3. dinyamanzi manyamanzi.
4. bunyaman/.i manyamanzi.
5. kunyamanzi manyamanzi
(>. kanyamanzi tunyamanzi.
7. chinyamanzi zinyamanxi
8. inyamanzi zinyamanzi.
9. lunyamanzi zinyamanzi.
9. lunyamanzi manyamanzi.
With the Copulatives we get the following forms :
Class i. ngunyamanzi mbanyamanzi.
2. ngunyamanzi nj inyamanzi.
3. ndinyamanzi nganyamanzi.
4. mbunyamanzi nganyamanzi.
rill-; PRONOUNS <>,5
Class 5. iikunyamanzi nganyamanzi.
6. nkanyamanzi ntunyamanzi.
7. nchinyamanzi nzinyamanzi.
8. ninyamanzi nzinyamanzi.
9. ndunyamanzi nzinyamanzi.
*/. ndunyamanzi nganyamanzi.
.(. The Interrogative Possessive Pronoun -ni has been
previously treated. (Page 61.)
5. The suffix -di ? which ? is used when one is desirous of
deciding between one thing and others of the same kind. The
suffix is added to the short form of the personal pronoun or
the above forms of copulative particle as used with the
interrogatives.
Wa langula m until udi ? ) T1 . 7 , . ,. , , ,
Xgudi muntu ngo wa langula ? \ }V hlch * erson dld ^" seek '
Wa beza chuno chidi ? | TI - 7 , , ,. ,
Nchidi chuno ncho wa beza ? f hlch Sl l dld yOH carve '
6. The Interrogative -ngai ? is prefixed with the particles
used with the numerals, and also with the above forms of
copulatives.
Bantu bongai ? Mbangai bantu ?
Tusimbi tongai ? Ntungai tusimbi ?
Impongo zyongai ? Nzingai impongo ?
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS.
The Reflexive Pronoun -di is prefixed to a verb. This
form is used for all numbers, persons, and noun classes. Thus
we get such expressions as :
Nda dijaya, / killed myself.
X'da dianga, / tied myself.
Ba dibika, They placed themselves.
Masamu ta dieifci, Trees do not bring themselves.
Impongo zya dichezia, The goats grazed themselves.
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS.
The following is a table of Demonstrative Pronouns :
This. These. That. Those. Yonder. Yonder.
1. oyu aba oyo abo udia abaya
2. oyu eyi oyo eyo udia idia
A TONGA GRAMMAR
This. These.
edi aya
obu aya
oku aya
aka otu
echi ezi
eyi e/i
olu ezi
olu ava
mu. omuno
kti. okuno
a. a no, awa
That.
Those.
Yonder.
Yonder.
edio
ayo
edia
adia
obo
ayo
obuya
adia
oko
ayo
okuya
adia
ako
oto
akaya
otuya
echo
ezyo
echi a
ezia
eyo
ezyo
idia
ezia
olo
ezyo
udia
ezia
olo
ayo
udia
adia
omo
omiya
oko
okuya
awo
adia.
These pronouns need no explanation. This and these are
used to denote things close at hand ; that and those to denole
those further away or those previously referred to ; and vondcr,
to things which are more remote still, c.c. :
This.
That.
Yonder.
Mulombe oyu.
Mulombe oyo.
Mulombe udia.
Muchila oyu.
Muchila oyo.
Muchila udia.
Ikanda edi.
Ikanda edio.
Ikanda eclia.
Butala obu.
Butala obo.
Butala obuya.
Kutwi oku.
Kutwi oko.
Kutwi okuya.
Kasimbi aka.
Kasimbi ako.
Kasimbi akaya.
Chuno echi.
Chuno echo.
Chuno echia.
Impongo eyi.
Impongo eyo.
Impongo idia.
Lunyolo olu.
Lunyolo olo.
Lunyolo udia.
Lugwalo olu.
Lugwalo olo.
Lugwalo udia.
These.
Those.
Yonder.
Balombe aba.
Balombe abo.
Balombe aba) a.
Michila eyi.
Michila eyo.
Michila idia.
Makanda aya.
Makanda ayo.
Makanda adia.
Matala aya.
Matala ayo.
Matala adia.
Matwi aya.
Matwi ayo.
Matwi adia.
Tusimbi otu.
Tusimbi oto.
Tusimbi otuya.
Zyuno ezi.
Zyuno ezyo.
Zyuno ezia.
Impongo ezi.
Impongo ezyo.
Impongo ezia.
Jnyolo ezi.
Inyolo ezyo.
Inyolo ezia.
Magwalo aya.
Magwalo ayo.
Magwalo adia.
The copulative particles may be prefixed to these forms, so
that we get the following expressions :
THE PRONOUNS
This.
These.
Thai.
Those.
Yondei .
Yonder.
I .
ngoyu
mbaba
ngoyo
inbalio
ngudia
ml>al>a\ a
2.
ngoyu
njeyi
ngoyo
njeyo
ngudia
njidia
3-
ndedi
ngaya
ndedio
ogayo
ndedia
ngadia
4'
mbobu
ngaya
mbobo
ogayo
mbobuya
ngadia
5.
nkoku
ngaya
nkoko
ngayo
nkokuya
ngadia
(>.
nkaka
ntotu
nkako
ntoto
nkakaya
ntotu y a
7-
nchechi
nzezi
nchecho
nzezyo
nchechia
nzezia
8.
njeyi
nzezi
njeyo
nzezyo
njidia
nzezia
9-
ndolu
nzezi
ndolo
nzezyo
ndudia
nzezia
<>.
ndolu
ngaya
ndolo
ngayo
ndudia
ngadia
E.g.
Ngoyu
mulombe
t i_
, This is
\r 7 - .
the boy.
. * A 1. - I
Ngudia mulombe, Yonder is the boy.
Nchechi chuno, This is the stool, etc.
We sometimes get another form ct the pronouns this and
these, as follows :
Kxacilv this.
nno
uno
edino
obuno
okuno
akano
echino
ino
oluno
oluno
J'l.varfly these.
bano
mo
ano
ano
ano
otuno
ezino
ezino
ezino
ano
These forms may be emphatic or may give the added idea,
on this, this here, on these, these here.
More frequently these are found with the copulatives, so
that we get the following expressions :
It is here. These are here.
This is :'.'. These are they.
Here it is. There they arc.
Nguno. Mbano.
Nguno. Njino.
Ndedino. Ngano.
Mbobuno. Ngano.
Nkokuno. Ngano.
Nkakar.o. Ntotuno.
Nchechino. Nzezino.
E
00 A TONGA GRAMMAR
8. Njino. Nzezino.
g. Ndoluno. Nzezino.
.rf. Ndoluno. Ngano.
The Locative Demonstratives, as shown in the table o
Demonstratives, are used in this way, e.g. :
Munganda ormmo, ta mu kwe kudya, In this house there
is no food.
Munganda omo, ta mu kwe kudya, In that house there is
no food.
Munganda omuya, ta mu kwe kudya, In yonder house
there is no food.
Jit a echi okuno ku Uganda, Bring this here to the house.
Tola echi oko ku nganda, Take this there to the house.
Tola echi okuya ku Uganda, Take t/iis yonder to the houtc.
Bika ano, Put it here.
Bika awa, Put it hen'
Kala a\vo, Sit there.
Kala adia, Sit yonder.
From these illustrations it will be easily seen that the niu-
f 01 in implies in, the ku- form implies to, and the a- form implies
at or on. This means that you could not say, Eta ano, nor
yet could you say, Bika okuno.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS.
The following is
a table of
Relative
Pronouns
:
First
Form.
Second
Form.
Third
Form .
Sing.
PL
Sing.
PI.
Sing.
PI.
I. U
ba
iwa
iba
ngo
mbc
2. U
i
iwa
iya
ngo
njc
3 . di
a
idia
a
nde
nge
4. bu
a
ibwa
a
mbo
nge
5. ku
a
ikwa
a
nko
nge
6. ka
tu
ika
itwa
like
nto
7. chi
zi
icha
izya
nche
nzye
8. i
zi
iya
izya
nje
nzye
9. lu
zi
ilwa
izya
ndo
nzye
9. lu
a
ilwa
a
ndo
nge
mu. mo
mo
ku. ko
nko
a. a, mpa mpo
NIK I'KO.MM tfS 67
1 . When the subject of the relative clause represents the
antecedent noun, we use the first form of the Relative Pronoun
on all occasions, except when the verb is in the past or aorist
tenses.
2. \\hcn the subject of the relative clause represents the
antecedent noun, and when the verb is in the past or aorist,
we use the second form.
i. \Yhen the subject of the relative clause does not
represent the antecedent noun, we use the third form, e.g. :
1 . Ngoyu mulombe n enda ambe, This is the boy who goes
with me.
2. Ngoyu mulombe iwa ka sikide ambe, This is the boy
who arrived with me.
\. Molombc oyu ngo nda enda awe mubotu, This boy with
whom I walked is good.
Using locatives, we get such expressions as :
Bika echi omo mo wa chi jana, Put this there where you
found it.
Ko ya okuya nko nda ka zwa, You go yonder from whence
I have come.
THE VERB
TONGA verbs generally end in -a. The exceptions arc :
1. Negative finals in -i.
2. Perfect finals in -e.
3. Subjunctive, Imperative, and Potential finals in -e.
4. Verb to say, ku ti.
The simplest form of the Verb is found in. the second person
singular of the present imperative. When the final vowel is
removed from this form, we get the verb root, and it is to this
root form that additions are either prefixed or suffixed.
VERBAL SPECIES.
There are nine species of verbs, all being derivative forms
secured by adding to, or changing the final part of the regular
verb.
i . THE RELATIVE SPECIES.
These may be called the applicative. The change gives a
prepositional meaning to the verb. We may say that it adds
the words for, to, on behalf of, or about to the original meaning
of the verb.
The Relative is formed in the following ways ;
(a) By affixing -ina or -ena to verbs ending with -no- or -ma.
E.g. ku tina, to squeeze. ku tinina, to squeeze foy.
ku fugama, to kneel. ku fugamina, to kneel to.
ku lema, to be heavy. ku lemena, to be heavy upon.
The form -ina follows verb roots containing a, i or u.
The form -ena follows verb roots containing c or o,
(b) By affixing -Ha or -ela to verbs.
Tin-: YKKT, o
E.g. ku amla, / .</><.<</,. leu ambila, .Y *p t 'u/; to.
ku In-ya, A> citr\'i'. ku bo/da, to r</; . v /"/
l:u let a, /c bring. ku letela, to bring to.
ku jika, to eoo. ku jikila, to cook for.
u) IJy affixing -widrt to some disyllabic and most poly-
syllabic verbs ending in -la, -na, and similar syllables.
E.g. ku tenda, to cut. ku tendwida, to cut for.
ku langula, to search. ku langwida, to search for.
ku agimuna, to .//r. ku angunwida, to untie for.
(d] By affixing -^rm to forms of verbs ending in -sia, -zia.
/!.!*. ku njizia, to put. in. ku njizizia, to put in for.
ku bisia, to destroy. ku bisizia, to destroy for.
(e) By affixing -<frt to modified form of monosyllabic verbs.
J''.g. ku dya, to m/. ku dida, to eat for.
ku za, to come. ku zida, to co? /or.
ku nywa, to drink. ku nyvvida, to drink for.
Concerning the use of this relative suffix we may note that :
i. Intransitive verbs become transitive.
] ? ..g. Nda kalala, / am angry.
Xda mu kaladila,. / am angry with him.
2. Transitive verbs take two objects, one direct and the
other indirect.
E.g. Wa bezela mwatni chuno, He carved a stool for the chief.
3. The Active form of the verb with this suffix may be
made Passive by inserting w before the final vowel.
E.g. ku beza, to carve.
ku bezela, to carve for.
ku bezelwa, to be carved for.
4. Some verbs have two relative forms.
Ji.g. ku amba, to speak, ku ambila, to speak to.
ku ambidila, to speak on behalf of.
ku komba, to pray, ku kombila, to pray to.
ku kombidila, to pray on behalf of.
ku dinda, to watch, ku dindila, to z^ato/i /or.
ku dindidila, to z&w/c/* o-w behalf of.
2. THE CAUSATIVE SPECIES.
These verbs express the idea of causing, helping, making, or
compelling a thing to be done.
7<> A TONGA GRAMMAR
The Causative is formed in the following ways :
(a) By affixing 1 -zla to verbs ending in -la, -ii^a, -uda, -ici,
or -ya.
E.g. ku dila, to cry. ku dizia, to make cry.
ku langa, to behold. ku lanzia, to make behold.
ku tonda, to taboo. ku tonzia, to make taboo.
ku sia, to be black. ku sizia, to blacken.
ku jaya, to kill. ku jazia, to make kill.
(b) By suffixing -sia to verbs ending with -ka, -nka, -iito.
E.g. ku buka, to arise. ku busia, to awaken.
ku sinka, to obstruct. ku sinsia, to make obstruct.
ku tanta, to climb. ku tansia, to make climb.
(c) By affixing -ia or -ya to verbs ending with -na, -la, -ba,
-sa, -ma, -mpa, -mba.
E.g. ku bona, to sec. ku bony a, to make s<-( .
ku chita, to do. ku chitia, to make do.
ku taba, to support. ku tabya, to make support.
ku chisa, to be painful, ku chisia, to make painful '.
ku yuma, to be dry. ku yumia, to make dry.
ku ampa, to touch. ku ampya, to make touch.
ku amba, to speak. ku ambya, to make speak.
These must only be regarded as general rules, and many
exceptions will be found.
E.g. ku fwamba becomes iwanzia or Jwanzanya quite as
frequently as fwambya.
ku zunda becomes zundya, not zunzia,
A verb may be changed from Intransitive to Transitive by
the addition of a causative suffix.
E.g. Nda buka, I arise. Xda mu busia, / awakened him.
3. THE RECIPROCAL SPECIES.
These verbs express mutual action, the doing of something
together.
The Reciprocal is formed by the addition of the suffix -na.
E.g. ku bona, to see. ku bonana, to see each other.
ku sula, to hate. ku sulana, to hate each other.
ku swana, to approach, ku swanana, to approach each
other.
THE VERB 71
.j. THE STATIVE SPECII.%
The verbs in the Stativc species give tin- idi-;i <>! lu-int; in a
state or condition. They are formed by affixing -ha.
r..g. ku tiola, tit break. ku lioka, In be in <t byk< >>
condition.
ku dunsula, to break. ku dunsuka, to be in a broken
condition.
ku andula, to split. ku anduka, to be in a split
condition.
5. THE CAPABLE SPECIES.
Verbs in this species corespond to those in English ending
with -able, i.e. the action of the verb is capable of being done.
These verbs are formed by the addition of the suffix -ika or -e ka.
E.g. ku yanda, to love. ku yandika, to be lovable.
ku bona, to see. ku boneka, to be visible.
ku sula, to hate. ku sulika, to be hateable.
6. THE INTENSIVE SPECIES.
The verbs in this species have the same idea as the simple
verb, but intensified, as the name implies. This means that
the change adds the idea of properly, well, urgently, truthfully,
greatly, clearly, carefully, etc.
These verbs are formed by changing the final vowel to
c or i and affixing -sia.
E.g. ku suma, to sew. ku sumisia, to sew properly.
ku bamba, to arrange. ku bambisia, to arrange well.
ku chita, to do. ku chitisia, to do urgently.
ku amba, to speak. ku ambisia, to speak truthfully.
ku yaka, to build. ku yakisia, to build greatly.
ku bona, to see. ku bonesia, to see clearly.
ku bala, to read. ku balisia, to read carefully
7. THE REVERSIVE SPECIES.
The verb of this species give the reverse idea to that of the
simple verbs. In English we secure this by prefixing un-, e.g.
tie, untie. Reversive verbs are formed by affixing -ula, -una,
or -ununa.
E.g. ku jala, to shut. ku jula, to open.
ku dima, to dig. ku dimuna, to reap.
ku anga, to tie. ku angununa, to untie.
72 A TONGA GRAMMAR
S. Tin: KKIT.TITIVE SPECIES.
As the name implies, these verbs have the idea of repetition,
or doing over again. They are the equivalent of English
verbs with the prefix re-, e.g. make, remake. In Tonga they are
formed by affixing -ulula after the final vowel has been removed.
E.g. ku chita, to make. ku chitulula, to remake.
ku yaka, to build. ku yakulula, to rebuild.
ku biala, to sozv. ku bialulula, to resow.
9. THE PERSISTENT REPETITIVE SPECIES.
These verbs have the idea of doing over and over again,
doing persistently, continuously. This idea is obtained by
reduplicating the verb.
E.g. ku pala, to scrape. ku palapala, to scrape persistently.
ku enda, to walk. ku endenda, to walk on and on.
NOTE. Instead of a root verb one may be taken out of
any of these species, and although it already has one added
suffix, an additional one may be affixed belonging to another
species. These need occasion no difficulty.
VOICE.
As in English, we have verbs in both Ac : ive and Passive
Voice to denote whether the nominative is the performer of
the action or the person upon whom the act is performed.
Active : Nda uma, I beat.
Passive : Nda umwa, / am beaten.
The Passive is formed by affixing -ikwa or -wa. Verbs
eliding in -sia, -zia, -T<Y, take -ik-wa after removing the final
vowel.
E.g. ku bisia, to make bad. ku bisikwa, to be made bad.
ku njizia, to put in. ku niizikwa, to be put in.
ku pwaya, to crush. ku pwayikwa, to be crushed.
Other forms take -wa.
E.g. ku jata, to hold. ku jatwa, to be held.
ku yaka, to build. ku yakwa, to be built.
We may here note that the Passive is frequently followed
by the preposition by.
Eg: The earth u~as orated bv Cod, Jriyikn ya lengwn a Leza.
73
MOOD.
The moods ;uv exactly equi\ alent to those used in English.
1. Indicative, lor mere statement.
2. Potential, to express possibility.
3. Subjunctive expresses purpose. This mood implies the use
of "so that," " in order that," which may or may not be written.
4. Imperative expresses command or entreat) 7 .
5. Infinitive is the simple form of the- verb, and is preceded
by kit. It is equivalent to a noun, but partakes of the nature
of a verb because it may take a direct object.
TENSE.
Tense denotes the time to which the assertion denoted by
the verb refers. The names sufficiently denote them. Ail
tenses are obtained by the auxiliary particles noted below
except the Perfect, in which the verb form is changed.
The Perfect is formed in the following ways :
j. Final -a changed to -ide or -ede.
E.g. jaya, to kill, becomes jayide.
gonka, to cut off, becomes gonkedo.
2. Final -ala becomes -ede.
E.g. kala, to sit, becomes kede.
lala, to recline, ,. lede.
jala, to shut, ,, jede.
3. Final -ana becomes -ene.
E..g. jana, to find, becomes jene.
,. Final -ama becomes -enie.
E.g. lulama, to be straight, becomes Inlemc.
5. Final -ata becomes -ete.
E.g. kwata, to marry, becomes kwete.
(>. Final -itla becomes -ide.
E.g. jula, to open, becomes jwidc.
7. Final -zia becomes -zizie.
E.g. njizia, to place within becomes njizizie.
Some verbs have two Perfect forms, which may be used
intcrchangably, e.g. :
bona, to see, has bonede and bwene
jana, to find, ,, janide ,, jene
zwata, to clothe, ,, zwatide ,, zwete
kala, to sit, ,, kalide ,, kede
ima, to stand, ,, imide ,, imvwi
74 A TONGA GRAMMAR
NUMBER AND PERSON.
The 'verb form undergoes no change for either number or
person. The pronouns used with the verb do vary for both,
and it is by the pronouns used that we decide those of the verb.
NEGATIVE.
Verbs may be marked off as being in the negative by the
use of negative particles or by the negative final vowel ?', or
by both.
AUXILIARY PARTICLES.
1. la is used in the imperfect future.
2. ka is used in indicative mood to denote past, in potential
mood to denote possibility, and in Imperative Mood as the
equivalent of "let."
3. ta is used as the equivalent ol " not, "except in first and
second persons.
4. chi is used to express continuous action.
5. ku is used to express a sort of unfinished idea.
6. na is used in many negative expressions.
7. bit is used to give the sense " habitually," " con-
tinually," " frequently."
AUXILIARY VERBS.
Many verbs are used as auxiliaries. Before giving a full
conjugation of the verb it will be well to note these, so that
they need not find a place in the regular conjugation, although
they are very frequently used. Linked with another verb in
the infinitive, it is often equally expressive, accurate, and
grammatical to use one of these auxiliary verbs, and for a be-
ginner it is far more easy than some part of the verb which is
not in everyday rise.
The following verbs may be noted, and seeing that all are
used with the strong verb ;i sit," the added meaning will be
clear. This is not by any means a complete list of such verbs,
but sufficiently long to show their common use :
ku amba, to say. Nda amba ku kala, / want to sit.
leu bala, to carry. Nda bala ku kala, / just sat only.
ku bija, to be bad. Nda bija a ku kala, / cannot sit.
THE VERT, 75
ku bula, to lack. Xda hula ku kala, / d>d not sit.
ku bweda, to return. X'da bweda a ku kala, f sat
ku dila, to cry. Xda dila ku kala, / want to sit.
ku fwamba, to hasten. Xda fwamba ku kala, / sut quickly.
ku gama, to be impudent. Nda gama ku knla, / sat on
heedlessly.
ku jana, to find. Nda jana bu kala, / sat ivell.
ku kachilwa, to be unable. Nda kachilwa ku kala, /
cannot sit.
ku katala, to tire. Xda katala a ku kala, / am tired of
sitting.
ku kondwa, to be glad. Nda kondwa ku kala, / like sitting.
ku konzia, to be able. Nda konzia ku kala, / am able to sit.
ku leka, to cease. Nda leka ku kala, / sat no longer.
ku lumba, to thank. Nda lumba ku kala, I am glad to sit.
ku mana, to finish. Nda mana ku kula, / have finished
sitting.
ku sanguna, to begin. Nda sanguna ku kala, / sat first.
ku ti, to say. Nda ti nkale, / was about to sit.
ku ya, to go. Nda ya ku kala, / am going to sit.
ku yanda, to desire. Nda yanda ku kala, J want to sit.
ku yowa, to fear. X'da yowa ku kala, / am afraid to sit.
ku zibila, to be accustomed. Xda xibila ku kala, / am ac-
customed to sitting.
ku zumina, to assent. Nda zumina ku kala, / will sit, or
stay.
ku zundwa, to be overcome. Xda zundwa ku kala, /
cannot sit.
ku zwa, to com-- nut. Nda zwa a ku kala, I have just been
sitting.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB.
Below we give the conjugation of the verb ku bona, to see,
in the Active Voice.
The Passive need not be given, which would merely be a
reduplication in everything except the actual verbal word
which would have w or kiv inserted.
The English rendering is not given in full, but only the first
person singular placed at the head of each tense. The
additional persons and numbers can easily be mentally inserted.
The Negative is given by the side of the Affirmative, so as
to impress the differences more forcibly.
;<> A TONGA GRAMMAR
It should be noted that the conjugation shows personal
pronouns. We have already pointed out on page 25 that a
pronoun is used between the subject and predicate of every
sentence. The personal pronouns for nouns of Class i are
therefore as used in the conjugation oi kn bona here given.
Other pronouns must be inserted for use with nouns of the
remaining classes.
There is no need to conjugate fully for the third person
.singular and plural of every noun class, if we note that we
need a form of pronoun for the class of noun being used corre-
sponding to the form of the personal pronoun used in this
personal conjugation ; i.e.
1. Where this 3rd per. pron. is short, we use the correspond-
ing short form from table on page 53 for each noun class.
2. Where this per. pron. is long, we need the corresponding
long form given under each noun class.
3. Where the per. pron. has the suffix -di we need the corre-
sponding form with suffix for the various noun classes.
This can best be shown in tabular form giving the 3rd
person pronoun equivalents for each noun class :
55.
Sw#.
P/.
Sing.
PL
Sing.
PL
Sing.
PL
I.
u
ba
udi
bad i
wa
ba
wadi
badi
2.
u
i
udi
idi
wa
ya
wadi
yadi
3-
di
a
didi
adi
dia
a
diadi
adi
4-
bu
a
budi
adi
bwa
a
bwadi
adi
5-
ku
a
kudi
adi
kwa
a
kwadi
adi
6.
ka
tu
kadi
tudi
ka
twa
kadi
twadi
7-
chi
zi
chidi
zidi
cha
zya
chadi
zyadi
8.
i
zi
idi
zidi
ya
zya
yadi
zyadi
9-
hi
zi
ludi
zidi
Iwa
zya
Iwadi
zyadi
Off,
hi
a
ludi
adi
Iwa
a
Iwadi
adi
In use we should, therefore, get such expressions as :
j. Wakala, He sat.
i . Muntu wa kala, The person sat.
(>. Kasimbi ka kala, The girl sat.
i. Udi kede, He sat.
i. Munkala udi kede, The dog sat.
8. Impongo idi kede, The goat sat.
i. Badi chi kede, They had still sat.
8. Impongo zidi chi kede, The goats had still sat.
i. Ba no kala, They will sit.
8. Impongo zi no kala, The goats will sit.
TIM: VKUIJ 77
The negatnes may give a little nu>r:.-. difficulty seeing that
we liavc had no previous equivalents as in the case of pro-
nouns. Remembering that the partu-le.-; Int. ya, c/ii, bu, lid,
kwe, etc., remain constant, \ve arc only concerned with the
initial pronoun forms. We may give them similarly to those
just tabulated :
Class. Singular. Plural. Singular. Plural.
1. ta ta ba te wa te ba.
2. tu ti tc WP. tc ya
3. ta di ta te dia ta a.
.\. ta bu ta I.- bwa ta a.
-,. ta ku ta tc kwa ta a
(). ta ka ta tu te ka te twa.
7. ta chi ta /.i te cha te zya.
8. !.i ta zi te ya te zya.
9. ta hi ta zi te Iwa te zya.
<>/. ta hi ta te hva ta a.
We may illustrate in this way :
i . Mimtu ta na ku chi kala, The person was not still sitting.
8. Impongo ti na ku chi kala, The goat was not still tiffing.
i. Bantu te ba chita, The people did not do.
<). Inyolo tc zya chita, The razors did not do.
i . Bantu ta ba no inka, The people wilt not go.
6. Tusimbi ta tu no iiika, The girls will not go.
8. Ingombe ta zi no inka, The cows will not go.
THE VERB KU BON A.
AFFIRMATIVE. NEGATIVE.
INDICATIVE MOOD.
NOTE. The learner will be well advised at first to con-
centrate on Present, Past, Aorist, Perfect, and Future tenses.
With these well in mind, the Imperfect, Habitual, and
Progressive forms arc easily added to the stock.
PRESENT.
/ see, etc. I do not see, etc.
Nda bona. Si boni.
U bona. To boni.
U bona. Ta boni.
PI. Tu bona. PI. Ta tu boni.
Mu bona. Ta mu boni.
Ba bona. Ta ba boni.
A TONGA GRAMMAR
PRESENT .
/ am seeing, etc.
Xdi mu ku bona.
Udi mu ku bona.
Udi mu ku bona.
PI. Tudi mu ku bona.
Mudi mu ku bona.
Badi mu ku bona.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE.
/ still see, etc.
Nchi bona.
U chi bona.
U chi bona.
PI. Tu chi bona.
Mu chi bona.
Ba chi bona.
PAST IMPERFECT.
/ was seeing, etc.
Nda ku bona.
Wa ku bona.
Wa ku bona.
PI. Twa ku bona.
Mwa ku bona.
Ba ku bona.
IMPERFECT PROGRESSIVE
/ was still seeing, etc.
Xda ku chi bona.
Wa ku chi bona.
Wa ku chi bona.
PL Twa ku chi bona.
Mwa ku chi bona.
Ba ku chi bona.
/ have not yet seen, t-tc.
Si na ku bona.
To na ku bona.
Ta na ku bona.
PL Ta tu na ku bona.
Ta mu na ku bona.
Ta ba na ku bona.
/ still do not see, etc.
Si chi boni,
To chi boni.
Ta chi boni.
PL Ta tu chi boni.
Ta mu chi boni.
Ta ba chi boni.
1 was not seeing, etc.
Si na ku ku bona.
To na ku ku bona.
Ta na ku ku bona.
PL Ta tu na ku ku bona.
'Pa mu na ku ku bona.
Ta ba na ku ku bona.
/ still did not see, etc.
Si na ku chi bona.
To na ku chi bona.
Ta na ku chi bona.
PL Ta tu na ku chi bona.
Ta mu na ku chi bona.
Ta ba na ku chi bona.
IMPERFECT HABITUAL.
/ was repeatedly seeing, etc. 1 have not gone on seeing, etc.
Ndadi ku ya bu bona. Si na ku ya bu bona,
Wadi ku ya bu bona. To na ku ya bu bona,
Wadi ku ya bu bona Ta na ku ya bu bona,
PL Twadi ku ya bu bona. PL Ta tu na ku ya bu bona.
Mwadi ku ya bu bona. Ta mu na ku ya bu bona.
Badi ku ya bu bona. Ta ba na ku ya bu bona.
THE VERB
AORIST.
/ saw, etc.
Nda boiu'.
\Va bona.
Wa bona.
PL Twa bona.
Mwa bona.
!>a bona.
AORIST PROGRESSIVE.
/ still saw, etc.
Xda chi bona.
Wa chi bona.
Wa cbi bona.
PI. Twa chi bona.
Mwa chi bona.
Ba chi bona.
AORIST HABITUAL.
/ have been seeing, etc
Nja bu bona.
U ya bu bona.
U ya bu bona.
PI. Tu ya bu bona.
Mu ya bu bona.
Ba ya bu bona.
PAST, OR PREIERITE.
/ did see, etc.
Xda ka bona.
Wa ka bona.
Wa ka bona.
PI. Twa ka bona.
Mwa ka bona.
Ba ka bona.
PAST PERFECT.
/ did see, etc.
Nche mbwene.
Nko bwene.
Nko bwene.
PI. Nko tu bwene.
Nko mu bwene.
Xko ba bwene.
/ did nut it'f, etc.
Te nda bona.
'I V wa bona.
Te wa bona.
PI. Te twa bona.
Te mwa bona.
Te ba bona.
/ still did not sec, etc.
Si chi boni.
To chi boni.
Ta chi boni.
PI. Ta tu chi boni.
Ta mu chi boni.
Ta ba chi boni.
/ have not been seeing, etc.
Te nda bu bona.
Te wa bu bona.
Te wa bu bona,
PI. Te twa bu bona
Te mwa bu bona.
Tc ba bu bona.
/ did not see, etc.
Si kwe ne nda ka bona.
To kwe no wa ka bona.
Ta kwe na a ka bona.
PI. Ta tu kwe ne twa ka bona.
Ta mu kwe ne mwa ka bona.
Ta ba kwe ne ba ka bona,
/ did not see, etc*
Nke nsi bwene.
Ko ta bwene.
Ka ta bwene.
P). Ka tu ta bwene.
Ka mu ta bwene.
Ka ba ta bwene.
So
A TONGA GRAMMAR
PAST.
/ had seen, etc.
Xda ku bona.
Wa ku bona.
Wa ku bona.
Pi. Twa ku bona.
Mwa ku bona.
Ba ku bona.
PAST PROGRESSIVE.
/ did still see, etc.
Nda ka chi bona.
Wa ka chi bona.
Wa ka chi bona.
PI. Twa ka chi bona.
Mwa ka chi bona.
Ba ka chi bona.
PAST HABITUAL.
I went seeing, etc.
Nda ka ya bu bona.
Wa ka ya bu bona.
Wa ka ya bu bona.
PI. Twa ka ya bu boiui.
Mwa ka ya bu bona.
Ba ka ya bu bona.
PERFECT.
/ have seen, etc.
Ndi bwene.
Udi bwene.
Udi bwene.
PI. Tudi bwene.
Mudi bwene.
Badi bwene.
PLUPERFECT.
/ had seen, etc.
Ndadi ka bwene.
Wadi ka bwene.
Wadi ka bwene.
PI. Twadi ka bwene.
Mwadi ka bwene.
Badi ka bwene,
/ liad no/ \'i't SCCil, Ci-C.
Nke nsi na ku bona.
Ko ta na ku bona.
Ka ta na ku bona.
PI. Ka tu ta na ku bona.
Ka mu ta na ku bona.
Ka ba ta na ku bona.
/ did not still see, etc.
Te nda ka chi bona.
Te wa ka chi bona'
Te wa ka chi bona.
PI. Te twa ka chi bona.
Te mwa ka chi bona.
Te ba ka chi bona.
/ did iiot go seeing, etc.
Te nda ka ya bu bona.
Te wa ka ya bu bona.
Te wa ka ya bu bona.
PI. Te twa ka ya bu bona.
Te mwa ka ya bu bona.
Te ba ka va bu bona .
1 have not seen, etc.
Si bwene.
To bwene.
Ta bwene.
PL Ta tu bwene.
Ta mu bwene.
Ta ba bwene.
/ had not seen, etc.
Si na ka bwene.
To na ka bwene.
Ta na ka bwene.
PL Ta tu na ka bwene.
Ta mu na ka bwene.
Ta ba na ka bwene.
THE VERB
Si
IY.KFECT PROGRESSIVE.
/ had still seen, etc.
Xdadi chi b\venc.
Udi chi bwene.
I Mi chi bwene.
PI. Tudi chi bwene.
Mudi chi bweiv.
liadi rhi IWVIH-.
I Mi'liUKKCT FUTURE.
I am about to sec, rtr.
Xda bona.
U la bona.
U la bona.
PI. Tu la bona.
Mu la bona.
Ba la bona.
/ /tad stilt not seen, etc.
Si chi bwene.
To chi bwcnc.
Ta chi bwene.
PL Ta tu chi bwene.
Ta mu chi bwene.
Ta ba chi bwene.
/ am not about to see, etc.
Si ko bona.
To ko bona.
Ta ko bona.
PI. Ta tu ko bona.
Ta mu ko bona.
Ta ba ko bona.
IMMEDIATE FUTURE HABITUAL.
/ shall go seeing, etc.
No ya bu bona.
U la ya bu bona.
U la ya bu bona.
PL Tu la ya bu bona.
Mu la ya bu bona,
Ba la ya bu bona.
FUTURE (i).
/ shall see, etc.
Ndo bona.
U yo bona.
U yo bona.
Pl.'Tu yo bona.
Mu yo bona.
Ba yo bona.
FUTURE (2).
/ shall see, etc.
Nzo bona.
U zo bona.
U zo bona.
PL Tu zo bona.
Mu zo bona.
Ba zo bona.
/ shall not go seeing, etc.
Si no ya bu bona,
To no ya bu bona.
Ta no ya bu bona.
PL Ta tu no ya bu bona.
Ta mu no ya bu bona.
Ta ba no ya bu bona.
/ shall not see, etc.
Si ko yo bona.
To ko yo bona.
Ta ko yo bona.
PL Ta tu ko yo bona.
Ta mu ko yo bona.
Ta ba ko yo bona.
/ shall not see, etc.
Si zo boni.
To zo boni.
Ta zo boni.
PL Ta tu zo boni.
Ta mu zo boni.
Ta ba zo boni.
S2
A TONGA GRAMMAR
FUTURE (3).
/ shall see, etc.
No bona.
U no bona.
U no bona.
PI. Tu no bona.
Mu no bona.
Ba no bona.
FUTURE (4).
/ am going to see, etc.
Nda ya ku bona.
U la ya ku bona.
U la ya ku bona.
PI. Tu la ya ku bona.
Mu la ya ku bona.
Ba la ya ku bona.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE.
I shall still see, etc.
Ndo chi bona.
U yo chi bona.
U yo chi bona.
PI. Tu yo chi bona.
Mu yo chi bona.
Ba yo chi bona.
FUTURE HABITUAL.
/ shall be seeing, etc.
No ya bu bona.
U ya bu bona.
U ya bu bona.
PI. Tu ya bu bona.
Mu ya bu bona.
Ba va bu bona.
/ shall not see, etc.
Si no boni:
To no boni.
Ta no boni.
PI. Ta tu no boni.
Ta mu no boni.
Ta ba no boni.
/ am not going to see, etc.
Si ko yo ya ku bona.
To ko yo ya ku bona.
Ta ko yo ya ku bona.
PI. Ta tu ko yo ya ku bona.
Ta mu ko yo ya ku bona.
Ta ba ko yo ya ku bona.
1 shall not still see, etc.
Si ko yo chi bona.
To ko yo chi bona.
Ta ko yo chi bona.
PI. Ta tu ko yo cbi bona.
Ta mu ko yo chi bona.
Ta ba ko yo chi bona.
/ shall not be seeing, etc.
Si yi bu bona.
To ya bu bona.
Ta ya bu bona.
PI. Ta tu ya bu bona.
Ta mu ya bu bona.
Ta ba va bu bona.
PRESENT.
/ may see, etc.
Nka bone.
U ka bone.
U ka bone.
PI. Tu ka bone.
Mu ka bone.
Ba ka bone.
POTENTIAL MOOD.
/ may not see, etc.
Si ka boni.
To ka boni.
Ta ka boni.
PI. Ta tu ka boni.
Ta mu ka boni.
Ta ba ka boni.
THE VERB
PJ:TU i < r,
[ should huse seen, > (r.
7 should -not have sent, etc.
Ndi ka bwt-nc.
Si ka bwene.
1 Mi ka bwene.
To ka bwenc.
1 Mi ka bwene.
Ta ka bwcm .
I'l. Tudi ka bweiie.
I'l. Ta tu ka bwenc.
Mudi ka bwene.
Ta mu ka bwenc.
I'.adi ka bwene.
Ta ba ka bwene.
FUTURE.
ft may be I shall sec. etc.
// may not be I shall see, etc.
Xka ka bone.
Si ka ka boni.
U ka ka bone.
To ka ka boni.
TJ ka ka bone.
Ta ka ka boni.
Tl. Tu ka ka bone.
PI. Ta tu ka ka boni.
Mu ka ka bone.
Ta mu ka ka boni.
Ba ka ka bone.
Ta ba ka ka boni.
SrBJUXCTIVE Moon.
PRESENT.
(that) I see, etc.
(that) I see not, dr.
Mbone.
Nsi boni.
U bone.
U ta boni.
A bone.
A ta boni.
PI. Tu bone.
PI. Tu ta boni.
Mu bone.
Mu ta boni.
Ba bone.
Ba ta boni.
PRESENT (2).
(that) I see, etc.
(that) I see not, etc.
Ndi ku bone.
Nsi ku boni.
U ku bone.
U ta ku boni.
A ku bone.
A ta ku boni.
PI. Tu ku bone.
PI. Tu ta ku boni.
Mu ku bone,
Mu ta ku boni.
Ba ku bone.
Ba ta ku boni.
FUTURE.
(that) I may see, etc.
(that) I may not see, etc.
Xka bone.
Nsi ka boni.
( T ka bone.
U ta ka boni.
A ka bone.
A ta ka boni.
PI. Tu ka bone.
PI. Tu ta ka boni.
Mu ka bone.
Mu ta ka boni.
Ba ka bone.
Ba ta ka boni.
8-1
A TONGA GRAMMAR
FUTURE (2).
(that] I may see, etc.
Xka ku bone.
U ka ku bone.
A ka ku bone.
PI. Tu ka ku bone.
Mu ka ku bone.
Ba ka ku bone.
(that) I may >.ot see, etc.
Nsi ka ku boni.
U ta ka ku I: oni.
A ta ka ku boni.
PL Tu ta ka ku boni.
Mu ta ka ku boni.
Ba ta ka ku boni.
SIMPLE.
See.
Bon a.
No plural.
WITH AUXILIARIES (i).
Ke mbona.
Ko bona.
Ka bona.
PI. Ka tu bona.
Ka mu bona.
Ka ba bona.
WITH AUXILIARIES (2).
E mbone.
No bone.
A bone.
PI. A tu bone.
A mu bone.
A ba bone.
FUTURE.
Let me see, etc.
Nka bone.
U ka bone.
A ka bone.
PI. A tu ka bone.
A mu ka bone.
A ba ka bone.
IMPERATIVE MOOD.
See.
U ta boni.
PI. Mu ta boni.
Si boni.
To boni.
Ta boni.
PI. Tu ta boni.
Mu ta bo:.i.
Ba ta boni.
Si boni.
To boni.
Ta boni.
PI. Tu ta boni.
Mu ta boni.
Ba tabon : .
Do not let me see, etc,
Si ka boni.
To ka boni.
Ta ka boni.
PI. Tu ta ka boni.
Mu ta ka boni.
Ba ta ka boni.
INFINITIVE MOOD.
Ku bona, to see. Ku ta boni, not to see.
VERBS WITH INITIAL VOWELS.
Many verbs have initial vowels. The following samples
may be given : ku ana, to tell a tale ; ku ena, to deceive ; ku
ima, to stand ; ku ona, to sleep ; and ku uma, to strike.
Till-: VKKi: s 5
It nut urally iollows that many eupiionii changes will
occur when pronouns and other partirles an- prefixed to the
verb form. We may, therefore, apply some of the rules of
euphony already given.
There is no need to conjugate these 1 additional verbs for all
persons, nor mv-d we give every tense. It: will be sufficient
lo take these samples in rotation and show the changes follow-
ing the use of each particle or pronoun. The complete conju-
gation of each is then very simple :
Pronoun uda with verb, as in ist Sing. I 'res. Indi; alive.
Xda ana., Si ani.
Nde ena. Si eni.
Xdi ima. Si inn.
Nda ona Si oni.
Nda uma. Si umi.
Pronoun wa .ind negative ta, as in 3rd Per. Sing. Pres. Indie.
W'ana. Ta ani.
W'ena. Te eni.
W'ima. Ti imi.
W'ona. Ta oni.
Wu uma. Ta umi.
Particle kit, as in ist Pres. Indie. Sing.
Xdi mu kwana. Si na kvvana.
Ndi mu kwena. Si na kwena.
Ndi mu kwima. Si na kwima.
Ndi mu k'ona. Si na k'ona.
Ndi mu 1- 'uma. Si na k'uma.
Particle chi, as in ist Sing. Pres. Progressive Indicative.
Nchana. Si chani.
Nchena. Si cheni.
Nchima. Si chimi.
Nchona. Si choni.
Nchuma. Si chumi.
Particle bit, as in ist Sing. Imperfect Habitual Indicative.
Ndadi ku yabwana. Si na ku ya bwana.
Ndadi ku ya bwena. Si na ku ya bwena.
Ndadi ku ya bwima. Si na ku ya bwima.
Ndadi ku ya bwona. Si na ku ya b\vona.
Ndadi ku ya bu uma. Si na ku ya bu uma.
86 A TONGA GRAMMAR
Particle wa with negative, as in 3rd Sing. Aorist Indicative,
\Va ana. Te wa ana.
We cna. Te we ena.
Wi ima. Te wi ima.
W'ona. Te w'ona.
Wu uma. Te wu uma.
Particle ha, as in ist Sing. Past or Preterite Indicative.
Nda ka ana. Si kwe ne nda ka ana.
Nda ke ena. Si kwe ne nda ke ena.
Nda ki ima. Si kwe ne nda ki ima.
Nda ka ona. Si kwe ne nda ka ona.
Xda ka uma. Si kwe ne nda ka uma.
Particle si, as in ist Sing. Past Perfect Indicative.
Nchanide. Nke nsi anide.
Nchenede. Nke nsi enede.
Nchimvwi. Nke nsi imvwi.
Nchonede. Nke nsi onede.
Nchumide. Nke nsi umidc.
Particle nko, as in 3rd Sing. Past Perfect Indicative.
Nko anide. Ka ta ani.
Nkwenede. Ka te eni.
Nko imide. Ka ti imi.
Nko onedc. Ka to oni.
Nko umide. Ka ta umi.
Particle ndi, as in ist Sing. Perfect Indicative.
Ndi anide. Si anide.
Nde enede. Si enede.
Ndi imvwi. Si imvwi.
Nd 'onede Si onede.
Nd'umide. Si umide.
Particle la, as in 3rd Sing. Imperfect Future Indicative.
U la ana. Ta ko ana.
U le ena. Ta ko ena.
U li ima. Ta ko ima.
U lo ona. Ta ko ona.
U la uma. Ta ko uma.
Particle ndo or yo, as in ist Sing. Future Indicative.
Ndo ana. Si ko yo ana.
Ndo ena. Si ko yo ena.
THE VERB
Ndo inia.
Ndo ona.
Ndo uina.
Nasal particle, as in ist S
Ngana.
Ngene.
Njime.
Ngone.
Ngume.
Particle ke and nasal,
Ke ngana.
Ke ngena.
Ke njima.
Ke ngona.
Ke nguma.
Particle nka, as in ist
Nka ane.
Nkene.
Nkime.
Nkone.
Nka ume.
Si ko yo inia.
Si ko yo ona.
Si ko yo uma.
. I 'resent Subjunctive,
Nsi ani.
Nsi eni.
Nsi imi.
Nsi oni.
Nsi u mi.
is in ist Sing. Imperative.
Si ani.
Si eni.
Si imi.
Si oni.
Si umi.
Future Sing. Imperative.
Si ka ani.
Si ke eni.
Si ki imi.
Si k'oni.
Si ka umi.
IRREGULAR VERBS.
A lew verbs with initial vowels, e.g. kwita, to call ; kweza,
to come ; and kwizi, to know, vary still more, and do not follow
the euphonic changes above noted. Because of their greater
irregularity and frequent use, it will be well to give them more
fully. When they closely follow the regular conjugation they
are only given in the first person.
KWITA. KWEZA. KWIZI.
INDICATIVE MOOD.
PRESENT.
Nda ita. Nde za. Ndi zi.
\Vita. U za. U zi.
\V"ita. U za. U zi.
Twita. Tu za. Tu zi.
Mwita. Mu za. Mu zi.
Ba ita. Be za. Be zi.
88 A TONGA GKAMMAR
Ncg.
Si iti. Si zi. Si -/A.
To iti. To zi. To zi.
Ta iti. Te zi. Te zi.
Ta twiti. Ta tu zi. Ta tu zi.
Ta mwiti. Ta mu zi. Ta mu zi.
Ta ba iti. Ta bo zi. Ta be zi.
PRESENT. 7 am . . .
Ndi mu kwitn. Ndi mu ku za. Ndi mu ku ziba.
Udi mu kwita. Udi mu ku za. Udi mu ku ziba.
Udi mu kwita. Udi mu ku za. Udi mu ku ziba.
Tudi mu kwita. Tudi nm ku za. Tudi mu ku ziba.
Mudi mu kwita. Mudi mu ka za. Mudi mu ku ziba.
Badi mu kwita. Badi mn ku za. Badi mu ku ziba.
Neg. / am not yet . . .
Si na kwita. Si na ku za. Si na ku ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE. / still . . .
Nchi ita. Nchi za. Nchi zi.
U chi ita. U chi za. U chi zi.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
vSi chi iti. Si chi zi. Si chi zi.
etc, etc. etc.
PAST IMPERFECT. I was . . .
Nda kwita. Nda ku za. Nda ku ziba.
Wa kwita. Wa ku za. Wa ku ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Si na kwita. Si na ku za, Si na ku ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
IMPERFECT PROGRESSIVE. 7 was still . . .
Ndaku chi ita. Nda ku chi za. Nda ku chi ziba,
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Si na ku chi ita. Si na ku chi /a. Si na ku chi zil-a,
etc, etc, etc,
THE VERB
HABITUAL. 1 was repeatedly . . .
Ndadi ku ya Ndadi ku ) r a bu za. Ndadi ku ya bu
bwita. xiba.
etc. otr. etc.
Ne*.
Si na ku ya Si na ku ya bu za. Si na kn ya bu
bwita. ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
Nda it a-.
\Vi ita.
Wi ita.
Twi ita.
Mwi ita.
Bi ita.
Neg.
Si iti.
etc.
AORIST.
Nde 7/A.
We za.
We za.
Twe za.
Mwe za.
Be za.
Si zi.
etc.
Nda ziba.
Wa ziba.
Wa ziba.
Twa ziba.
M\va ziba.
Ba ziba.
Si zibi.
etc.
AORIST PROGRESSIVE. / still
Nda chi ita.
etc.
Neg.
Si chi iti.
etc.
Nda chi za.
etc.
Si chi zi.
etc.
Nda chi ziba.
etc.
Si chi zibi,
etc.
AORIST HABITUAL. / have been .
Nja bwita. Nja bu za.
U ya bwita. U ya bu za.
etc. etc.
Neg.
Te nda bwita. Te nda bu za.
etc. etc.
Nja bu ziba.
U ya bu ziba.
etc.
Te nda bu ziba.
etc.
PAST or PRETERITE. / did . . .
Nda ki ita Nda ke za. Nda ke zi.
etc. etc.
Neg.
Si kwe ne nda Si kwe ne nda ke
ki ita. za.
etc, etc.
etc.
Si kwe nc nda ke zi.
etc,
A TONGA GRAMMAR
PAST PERFECT. /
Nke iijitide.
Nko itide.
etc.
Nke nzide.
Nko zide.
etc.
Nke nzibide.
Nko zibide.
etc.
Nog.
Nke nsi itide.'
Ko ti itide.
Ka ti itide,
etc.
Nke lisi zide.
Ko te zide.
Ka te zide.
etc.
Nke nsi zibide,
Ko ta zibide.
Ka ta zibide.
etc.
PAST. / had . .
t
Nda kwita.
Wa kwita.
etc.
Nda ku za.
Wa ku za.
etc.
Ndi kwizi.
Udi kwizi.
etc.
Neg.
Nke nsi na kwita. Nke nsi na kit
etc. etc.
za. Nke iibi na kwizi.
etc.
PAST PROGRESSIVE. / did still . . .
Nda ka clii ita. Nda ka chi za. Nda ka chi zi.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Ta nda ka chi ita. Tc nda ka chi za. Te nda ka chi zi,
etc. etc. etc,
PAST HABITUAL. 1 went . . .
Nda ka ya bwita. Nda ka ya bu za. Nda ka ya bwizi.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Te nda ka y a Te nda ka ya bu za. Te nda ka ya bwizi.
bwita .
PERFECT. / have .
Ndi itide.
Wi itide.
Wi itide.
Twi itide.
Mwi itide.
Bi itide.
Ndi zide.
We zide.
We zide.
Twe zide.
Mwe zide.
Bo zide.
Ndi zibide,
Wa zibide,
Wa zibide.
Twa zibide.
Mwa zibide.
Ba zibide.
Neg.
Si itide.
To itidc-.
Ti itide.
Ta twitidc.
Ta mwitide.
Ta bi itide.
HIE VERB
Si zidc.
To zide.
Te zide.
Ta tu zidc.
Ta mu zidc.
Ta be zide.
91
Si zibide.
To zibide.
Tc zibide.
Ta tu zibide..
Ta mu zibide.
Ta ba zibide.
PLUPERFECT. / had . . .
Xdadi ki itidc. Ndadi ke zide. Ndadi ke zibide.
etc. etc. etc,
Neg.
Si na ki itide. Si na ke zide. Si na kc zibide.
etc. etc. etc.
PERFECT PROGRESSIVE. 7 had still . . .
Xdadi chi itide. Xdadi chi zide. Ndadi clii zibide.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Si chi itide. Si chi zide. Si chi zibide.
etc. etc. etc.
IMPERFECT FUTURE.
Ndo ita. Nde za.
U la ita. U le za.
U la ita. U le za.
etc. etc.
Neg.
Si ko ita. Si zo za.
To ko ita. To zo za.
etc. etc.
/ am about to
Nda ziba.
U la ziba.
U la ziba.
etc.
Si ko ziba.
To ko ziba.
etc.
IMMEDIATE FUTURE HABITUAL. 7 shall go . . .
No ya bwita. No ya bu za. No ya bu ziba.
U la ya bwita. U la ya bu za. U la ya bu ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Si no ya bwita. Si no ya bu /a. Si no ya bu ziba,
etc. etc. etc.
92 A TONGA GRAMMAR
FUTURE (i). / shall . . .
Ndo it; i. Ndo za. Ndo ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Si ko yo ita. Si ko yo za. Si ko yo ziba.
etc. etc. etc. "
FUTURE (2). / shall . . .
Nzo ita. Nzo za. Nzo ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
Si zo iti. Si ko zo za. Si zo zibi.
etc. etc. etc.
FUTURE (3). / shall . . .
No ita. No za. No ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Si no iti. Si no zi. Si no zibi.
etc. etc. . etc.
FUTURE (4). / am going to . . .
Nda ya kwita. Nda ya ku za. Nda ya ku ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Si ko yo ya Si ko yo ya ku za. Si ko yo ya ku
kwita. ziba.
. etc. etc. etc.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE. / shall still . . .
Ndo chi ita. No chi za. No chi ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
Neg.
Si ko yo chi ita. Si ko yo cbi za. Si ko yo chi ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
FUTURE HABITUAL. / shall be . . .
No ya bwita. No ya bu za. No ya bu ziba
etc, etc. etc.
THE VERB
Neg,
Si yi bwita. Si yi bu za. Si yi bu ziba.
To ya bwita. To ya bu x;i. To ya bu ziba.
etc. etc. etc.
93
Nk'ite.
U k'ite.
etc.
Neg.
Si k'iti.
etc.
POTENTIAL MOOD.
PRESENT. / may . .
Nke ze.
U ke ze.
etc.
Si ke zi.
etc.
Nka zibe.
U ka zibe.
etc.
Si ka zibi.
etc.
Xdi ki itidc.
etc.
Neg.
Si ki Hide,
etc.
PERFECT. / should have . . .
Ndi ke zide. Ndi ka zibide,
etc. etc.
Si ke zidc.
etc.
Si ka zibide,
etc.
FUTURE. It may be I shall . . .
Nka ka ite. Nka ke ze. Nka ke zibe.
etc.
Neg.
Si ka ka iti.
etc.
etc.
Si ka ke zi.
etc.
etc.
Si ka ke zibi.
etc.
Nkite.
U ite.
A ite.
Twite.
Mwite.
Bi ite.
SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
PRESENT, (that) I . . .
Nze.
Uze.
Eze.
Tu ze.
Mu ze.
Beze.
Nzibe.
U zibe.
A zibe.
Tu zibe.
Mu zibe.
Ba zibe.
94
A TONGA GRAMMAR
Neg,
Nsi iti.
Nsi zi.
Nsi zi.
U ti iti.
U te zi.
U ta zibi.
A ti iti.
A te zi.
A ta zibi.
etc.
etc.
etc.
FriuRji. (thai) 1 -wav . . .
Nka ite.
Nke ze.
Nka zibe.
U ka ite.
U ke ze.
U ka zibe.
A ka ite.
A ke ze.
A ka zibe.
etc.
etc.
etc.
Neg.
Nsi ka iti.
Nsi ke zi.
N.si ka zibi.
etc.
etc.
etc.
IMPERATIVE Moon.
SIMPLE.
Ita.
Kweza.
Ziba.
SECOND.
WITH AUXILIARIES.
Ko ita.
Ko za.
Ko zi.
Plurals.
A mwite.
A mu ze.
A mu zibe.
Ka mvvita.
Ka mu za.
Ka mu zi.
Nga mwite.
Nga mu ze.
Nga mu zibe.
Neg.
To iti.
To zi.
To zibi.
U ti iti.
U te zi.
II ta zibi.
Plurals.
Mu ti iti.
Mu te zi.
Mu ta zibi.
Mu ta ki iti.
Mu ta ke zi.
Mu ta ka zibi.
THIRD.
A ite.
K ze.
A zibe.
Plurals.
Ba ite.
Be ze.
Ba zibe.
Ka ba ita.
Ka be za.
Ka ba ziba.
Nga :ba ate.
Nga be ze.
Nga ba zibe.
Neg.
Ti iti.
Plurals,
Ba ti iti.
Ba ta ki iti.
THE VERB
A to zi.
Ma to zi.
Ba ta ke xi.
A ta xibi.
JJa ta xibi.
Ma ta ka xihi.
TJll- YKKU TO 1 1 AY I-:."
The verb " to have " is very irregular. The verb ku jana,
to find, and its perfect form jene, as well as the perfect form
jisi of the verb ku jata, to hold, are both used for the verb
to have in some of its tenses. Possibly the greatest difficulty
will be occasioned with the form a. This is the locative
at, with. Nda a, which is / am with, is therefore / have. U
la is used for he has. It is really a contraction of U la a,
he is with. The various parts may well be given in detail.
INDICATIVE MOOD.
PRESENT.
J have. I have not.
Nda a. Si kwe.
Wa a. To kwe.
Wa a. Ta kwe.
Twa a. Ta tu kwe.
Afwa a. Ta mu kwe.
Ba a. Ta ba kwe.
PRESENT. (Another Form.)
/ have. I have not.
Xdi la. Si kwe.
U la. To kwe.
U la. Ta kwe.
Tu la. Ta tu kwe.
Mu la. Ta mu kwe.
Ba la. Ta ba kwe.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE.
/ still have. I still have not.
Nda chi la. Si chi kwe.
U chi la. To chi kwe.
U chi la. Ta chi kwe.
Tu chi la. Ta tu chi kwe.
Mu chi la. Ta mu chi kwe,
Ba chi la. Ta ba chi kwe.
96 A TONGA GRAMMAR
PAST PERFECT.
/ had. I had not.
Nda ku jisi. Si na ku jisi.
Wa ku jisi. To na kn jisi.
etc. etc.
IMPERFECT PROGRESSIVE.
I was still having. I was not still having.
Nda ku chi la. Si na ku chi la.
Wa ku chi la. To na ku chi la.
etc. etc.
IMPERFECT HABITUAL
I was repeatedly having. I was not repeatedly having.
Ndadi ku ya bu jisi. Si na kn ya bu jisi.
etc. etc.
AORIST.
/ had. I had not.
Nda jisi. Te nda jisi.
Wa jisi. Te wa jisi.
etc. etc.
PAST, OR PRETERITE.
/ had. I had not.
Nda ka jisi. Si kwe ne nda ka jisi.
etc. etc.
PAST.
/ had. I had not.
Nda ka la. Se nda ka la.
Wa ka la. Te wa ka la.
Wa ka la. Ta a ka la.
Twa ka la. Te twa ka la.
etc. etc.
PERFECT.
/ have had. I have not had.
Ndi jisi. Si jisi.
Udi jisi. To jisi.
etc. etc.
THE VERB 07
PLUPERFECT*
/ had had. I had not liad.
Xdadi ka jisi. Si nu ka jisi.
etc. etc.
PERFECT PROGRESSIVF.
/ had still had. I had still not had.
Xdadi chi jisi. Si chi jisi.
etc. etc.
IMPERFECT FUTURE.
/ shall haf' . I shall not hart-.
Xda jana. Si ko jana.
U la jana. To ko jana.
U la jana. Ta ko jana.
Tu la jana, Ta tu ko jana.
etc. etc.
FUTURE.
1 shall have. I shall not have.
Xdo jana. Si ko yo jana,
U yo jana. To ko yo jana.
etc. etc.
FUTURE.
/ am going to have. I am not going to have.
Xda ya ku jana. Si ko yo ya ku jana.
etc. etc.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE.
/ shall still have. I shall not still have.
Xdo chi jana, Si ko yo chi jana.
etc. etc.
FUTURE HABITUAL.
/ shall be having. I shall not be having.
Xo ya bu jana. Si yi bu jana.
U ya bn jana. To ya bn jana.
etc. etc.
98 A TONGA GRAMMAR
POTENTIAL MOOD.
PRESENT.
/ may ha\:e. I may not have.
Xka jane. Si ka jani,
etc. etc.
PERFECT.
7 should have had. I should not havt had.
Xdi ka jene. Si ka jene.
Udi ka jene. To ka jene.
etc. etc.
SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
PRESENT.
(that] I have. (that] I have not.
Njane. Nsi jani.
U jana. U ta jana.
etc. etc.
FUTURE.
(thai] I may have. (that) I may not have.
Xka jane. Nsi ka jani.
U ka jane. U ta ka jani.
etc. etc.
IMPERATIVE MOOD.
PRESENT.
Jata. U ta jati,
PI. Mu ta jati.
WITH AUXILIARIES.
Ke n j ate. Si jati.
Ko jata. To jati.
Ko jata. Ta jati.
Ka tu jata. Tu ta jati.
Ka mu jata. Mu ta jati.
Ka ha jata. P,a ta jati.
FUTURE.
Xka jate. Si ka jati.
I' ka jate. To kn jati.
THE VERB
A ka jate.
A tu ka jate.
A mu ka jate.
A b;i ka jate.
Ta ka jati.
Tu ta ka jati.
Mu ta ka jati.
Ba ta ka jati.
THE VEHB " TO BE."
Ku ba is the equivalent of to be or to become. This i* con-
jugated regularly, and so needs no separate paradigm. But
there is also the auxiliary verb ku di, to be. This has
already been frequently given in use as a pronoun and also as
the copula in the section on Predicative Adjectives. Many
of the pronoun forms used in conjugating the regular verb
are derived from this verbal particle. For completeness' sake
we therefore give its tense forms.
PRESENT.
/ am. I am not.
Ndidi. Sidi.
Udi. Todi.
Udi. Tadi.
Tudi. Ta tudi.
Aludi. Ta mudi.
P.adi. Ta badi.
I'KKSI.NT PROGRESSIVE.
/ still am. I still am not.
Xchidi. Si chidi,
U chidi. To chidi.
U chidi. Ta chidi.
Tu chidi. Ta tu chidi.
Mu chidi. Ta mu chidi.
Ba chidi. Ta ba chidi.
PAST.
I was. I was not.
Ndadi. Te ndadi.
Wadi. Te wadi.
Wadi. Te wadi.
Twadi. Te twadi.
Mwadi. Te mwadi.
Badi. Te badi.
ioo A TONGA GRAMMAR
PAST. (Another Form.)
Xda kadi. Te nda kadi.
Wa kadi. To wa kadi.
Wa kadi. Ta a kadi.
Twa kadi. Te twa kadi.
Mwa kadi. Te mwa kadi
Ba kadi. Te ba kadi.
THE COPULA
1 .v English the copula is formed by means of the verb
' to be." The Tonga Copula is far more complicated. The
verb ' ; to be " i^ used on some occasions, but more frequently
we get other forms. The whole can best be shown in tabular
form .
THE COPULA IN THE PRESENT.
1 . When a PRONOUN is connected with a PRONOUN, the simple
pronoun has the copulative prefixed and thus becomes equiva-
lent to the Indicative Pronoun.
ndime, It is I. ndiswe, It is we.
nduwe, It is thou. ndinywe, It is you.
nguwe, It is he. mbabo, It is they.
For the Negative form prefix e-
endime, It is not I. endiswe, It is not we.
enduwe, It is not thou. endinywe, It is not you.
cngmve, // is not he. embabo, It is not they.
2. When PRONOUN is connected with NOUN.
(a) We may us 3 the Indicative form of Substantive Pronoun
as Copula.
I am . . . We are . . .
ndime mulombe. ndiswe balombe.
nduwe musimbi. ndinywe basimbi.
nguwe inwalumi. mbabo balumi.
For Negative prefix G- or the following forms may be
used :
ndime sidi . . . ndiswe ta tudi . . .
nduwe todi . . . ndinywe ta mudi . . .
nguwe tadi . . , mbabo ta badi . . .
102 A TONGA GRAMMAR
(b) We may use the Copulative Particles with the nouns of
each successive class.
It is . . . They are , . .
ngu mulombe. mba balombe.
ngu muchila. nje michila.
ndikanda. nga makanda.
mbo butala. nga matala.
nko kutwi. nga matwi.
nka kasimbi. nto tusimbi.
nche chuno. nze zyuno.
nje mpongo. nze mpongo.
ndu nyolo. nze riyolo.
ndu gwalo. nga magwalo.
The Negative of this is secured in three ways :
(a) The Negative form of Indicative Substantive Pronoun
may be used as connective.
It is not . . . They are not . . .
enguwe mulombe. embabo balombe.
enguo muchila. enjiyo michila.
endidio ikanda. engao makanda.
embubo butala. engao matala.
enkuko kutwi. engao matwi.
cnkako kasimbi. entuto tusimbi.
cnchicho chuno. enzizyo zyuno.
enjiyo impongo. enzizyo impongo.
endulo lunyolo. enzizyo inyolo.
endulo lugwalo. engao magwalo.
(b) Negative particle ta with suffix -di may be used.
It is not . . . They are not . . .
ta di mulombe. ta badi balombe.
tu di muchila. ti di michila.
ta didi ikanda. ta di makanda.
ta budi butala. ta di matala.
la kudi kutwi. ta di matwi.
ta kadi kasimbi. ta tudi tusimbi.
ta chidi chuno. ta zidi zyuno.
ti di impongo. ta zidi impongo.
ta ludi lunyolo. ta zidi inyolo.
ta ludi lugwalo. ta di magwalo.
I III, COPULA
(c) The negative particl
sullix -ensi may be used.
A/ /'.s ;/o . . .
to n^i mulombe.
tu ensi muchila.
ta diensi ikanda.
la bwensi butala.
ta kwensi kutwi.
ta kensi kasimbi.
ta chensi chuno.
ti yensi impongo.
ta Iwensi lunyolo.
ta hvensi lugwalo.
ta with (lenitive Particles ami
'iluy aii! not . . .
ta bensi balombe.
ti yensi michila.
ta ensi makanda.
ta ensi matala.
ta ensi matwi.
ta twensi tusimbi.
ta zyensi zyuno.
ta zyensi impongo.
ta zyensi inyolo.
ta ensi magwalo..
3. When a NOUN is connected with a NOUN we use the Copula-
tive Particles, the particle agreeing in class with the second noun,
. . IS . . .
. . ngo . . .
. . ngo . . .
. . ndi . . .
. . mbo . . .
. . nko . . .
. . nka . . .
. . nche ...
. . nje . . .
. . ndu . . .
. . ndu . . .
g. Itanda nche chuno.
Ikanda ndi
i'or Negative Construction
\\ilh suffix -di as in section 2.
. . . is not ...
T. . . . tadi . . .
2. . . . tu di . . .
q. . . ta didi .
3-
4-
T.
6.
7-
8.
u.
oa.
. . . are . . .
. . . mbi . . .
. . . nje . . .
. . . nga . . .
. . . nga . . .
. . . nga . . .
. . . nto . . .
. . . nze . . .
. . . nze . . .
. . . nze . . ,
. . . nga . . .
Matanda nze zyuno.
Makanda nga magwalo.
vo use the negative particle ta
. . . are not . . .
. . . ta badi . .
. . . ti di . . .
. ta di . . etc.
,j. When PRONOUN is connected a'ith ADJIXIIVJ:.
(a) \Vo may use the Indicative form of Substantive Pronoun
and an Adjective having the noun classifier.
/ nm ... We are . . . etc.
Xdime . Ndi- we . . .
104 A TONGA GRAMMAR
nduwe . . . ndinyvvc . . .
nguwe . . . mbabo . . .
Neg.
I am not . . . We are not . . . etc.
sidi ... ta tudi . . .
todi ... ta mudi . . .
tadi ... ta badi . . .
E.g. Ndiswe babotu, We are good.
Sidi mubotu, 7 am not good.
Ta badi babotu, They arc not good.
(h) The Personal Pronoun with suffix -di may be used as
connective coming before adjectives having the noun classifiers.
// /-s . . . They are . . . etc.
ist per. . . . ndi tudi . . .
2nd per. . . . udi mudi . . .
3rd per. . . . udi badi . . .
. . . udi ... ... idi . . .
. . . didi ... ... adi . . .
. . . budi ... ... adi . . .
5. ... kudi ... ... adi . . .
6. . . . kadi ... ... tudi . . .
7. ... chidi ... ... zidi . . .
. ... idi ... ... zidi . . .
(). ... ludi ... ... zidi . . .
y#. . . . ludi ... ... adi . . .
E.g. Ndime ndi mubotu, I am good.
Inywe mudi babotu, You are good.
Kzi zidi zibotu, They are good.
Edi didi ibotu, It is good.
Negative.
ist per. . . . sidi ... . . . ta tudi . . .
2nd per. . . . todi ... . . . ta mudi . . .
3rd per. . . . tadi ... . . . ta badi . . .
2. . . . tu di . , . . . . ti di . . .
3. . . . ta didi ta di . . . etc.
THE CO I TLA
E.g. Nguwe tadi mubotu, He is not good.
Abo ta badi babotu, They (persons) are not good.
Ezi ta zidi zibotu, They (things) are not good.
5. When a NOUN is connected with an ADJECTIVK, we use
the Copulative Particles as prefixes, except where the classifier
begins with m, when the classifier itself is used as a connective.
is . .
nui-
nui-
ndi-
mbu-
nku-
nka-
nchi-
nim-
ndu-
ndu-
. are .
. mba-
. mi-
. ma-
. ma-
. ma-
. ntu-
. nzi-
. nzi-
. nzi-
. ma-
Xegativc.
The negative particles ta . . . di, ta . . . badi, etc., are used with
the Adjective, which is prefixed by the noun classifier.
E.g. Mulombe mubotu, The boy is good.
Zyuno nzibotu, The stools are good.
Michila mibotu, The tails are good.
Mulombe tadi mubotu, The boy is not good.
Zyuno ta zidi zibotu, The stools are not good.
6. When a PRONOUN is connected with a LOCATIVE ADVERB ;
we require the following connectives which are best given in
tabular form :
OMUNO. OKUNO. ANO.
Per. Sing. PI. Sing. PI. Sing.
ist mondi mutudi kondi kutudi mpondi
2nd mudi mumudi kudi kumudi mpudi
3rd in wad i mubadi kwadi kubadi mpwadi
E.g. Ime mondi omuno, / am here in here.
Iswe kutudi okuno, We are here.
tme mpondi ano, / am here.
Nguwe mpwadi ano, He is here.
Mbabo mubadi omuno, They are here.
PL
mputudi
mpumudi
mpubadi
io6
A TONGA GRAMMAK
Negative.
OMUNO.
OKUNO. J
Per. Sing.
PI.
Sing.
PL Sing.
i st simo
tatumo
.<--iko
tatuko nio
2nd tu mo
tamumo
tuko
t'amuko tuo
3rd tamo
tabamo
tako
tabako tao
ANO.
PL
tatuo
tamuo
tabao
. Tamo onuino, He is not here.
Tabao ano, Thev are not hero.
7. When a NOUN is connected with a LOCATIVE ADVERB, \vc
require the following connectives:
OMUXO. OKUXO. Axo.
Sing.
PI.
Sing.
PI.
Sing.
PI.
I.
mwadi
mubadi
kwadi
kubadi
mpwadi
mpubadi
2.
mudi
mwidi
kudi
kwidi
mpudi
mpwidi
3-
mudidi
mwadi
kudidi
kwadi
mpudidi
mpwadi
4-
mubudi
mwadi
kubudi
kwadi
mpubudi
mpwadi
5-
mukudi.
mwadi
kukudi
kwadi
mpukudi
mpwadi
6.
mukadi
mutndi
kukadi
kntudi
mpukadi
mputudi
7-
muchidi
mnzidi
kuchidi
ku/idi
mpuchidi
mpuzidi
8.
mwidi
nm/ id i
kwidi
kuzidi
mpwidi
mpuzidi
9-
muludi
mu z id i
kuludi
kuzidi
mpuludi
mpuzidi
ga.
mnludi
mwadi
kuludi
kwadi
mpuludi
mpwadi
JC.g. Muntu mwadi omuno, The person is here.
Muiitu kwadi okuno, The person is here.
Muntu mpwadi ano, The person is here.
Kasimbi mukadi omuno, The girl is here.
Impongo kwidi okuno, The goat is here.
Zyuno mpuzidi ano, The stools are here.
Negative.
OMUNO.
OKUXO.
ANO.
Sing.
PI.
Sing.
7V.
Sfng.
PL
i,
tamo
tabamo
tako
tabako
tao
tabao
2
tumo
timo
tuko
tiko
tuo
tio
3-
tadimo
tamo
tadiko
tako
tadio
tao
4-
tabumo
tamo
tabuko
tako
tabuo
tao
>
takumo
tamo
takuko
tako
takuo
tao
6.
takamo
tatumo
takako
tatuko
takao
tatuo
7
tachimo
tazimo
tachiko
ta/.iko
tachio
, taxio
THE COPULA
107
8.
Sing.
timo
y. talunio
ga. talumo
tazimo
tazimo
tamo
Sing.
tiko
taluko
taluko
PI.
taziko
taziko
tamo
Sing.
tio
taluo
taluo
PI.
tazio
tazio
tao
E.g. Ikanda tadimo omuno, The skin is 'not here.
Magwalo tako okuno, The letters are not here.
Lunyolo taluo ano, The razor is not here.
Negative (another form). This is obtained by inserting di
after the pronoun in each case.
OMUNO. OKUXO.
ANO.
S*.
PL
Sing.
PI.
Sing.
PL
I.
tadimo
tabadimo
tadiko
tabadiko tadio
tabadio
2.
tudimo
tidimo
tudiko
tidiko
tudio
tidio
3-
tadidimo
tadimo
tadidiko
tadiko
tadidio
tadio
tabudimo
tadimo
tabudiko
tadiko
tabudio
tadio .
5-
takudimo
tadimo
takudiko
tadiko
takudio
tadio
6.
takadimo
tatudimo
takadiko
tatudiko takadio
tatudio
7-
tachidimo tazidimo
tachidiko
tazidiko
tachidio
tazidio
8.
tidimo
tazidimo
tidiko
tazidiko
tidio
tazidio
9-
taludimo
tazidimo
taludiko
tazidiko
taludio
tazidio
taludimo
tadimo
taludiko
tadiko
taludio
tadio
8. When PRONOUN is connected with INTERROGATIVE \vc
place the Interrogative alter the following Pronoun form :
ist per. Ndidi . . . ? Tudi . . . ?
2nd per. Udi . . . ? Mudi . . . ?
3rd per. Udi . . . ? Badi . . ..>
E.g. Badi kudi ? Where arc. they ?
Badi bangai ? How many are they ?
Udi bieni ? How is he ? "
y. When NOUN is connected with INTERROGATIVE.
(a) We place the following connectives between the noun
and the Interrogative :
is . .
udi .
udi .
didi
budi
kudi
kadi
are .
badi
idi .
adi .
adi .
adi .
tudi
loS
A TONGA GRAMMAR
7. ... chidi . . . ?
8. . . . idi . . . ?
9. ... ludi . . . ?
ga. . . . ludi . . . ?
E.g. Bantu badi bongai ?
Impongo zidi kudi ?
. . . zidi . . . ?
. . . zidi . . . ?
. . . zidi . . . ?
. . . adi . . . ?
How many are the people ?
Where are the goats ?
Lunyolo Iwangu ludi kudi ? Where is my razor ?
(b) We may use a form of Copulative Particle having the
suffix -di between the noun and the Interrogative.
. . . are . . . ?
. . . mbadi . . . ?
. . . njidi . . . ?
. . . ngadi . .
. . . ngadi . .
. . . ngadi . .
. . . ntudi . . . ?
. . . nzidi . . . ?
. . . nzidi . . . ?
. . . nzidi . . . ?
. . . ngadi . . . ?
Where are the girls ?
Where are the letters ?
THE COPULA IN THE PAST.
i. When a PRONOUN is connected with a PRONOUN, we use
forms of the particle ka with the suffix -di.
. . . is . . . ?
I.
. . . ngudi . . . ?
2,
. . . ngudi . . . ?
3-
. . . ndidi . . . ?
4-
. . . mbudi . . . ?
5-
. . . nkudi . . . ?
6.
. . . nkadi . . . ?
7-
. . . nchidi . . . ?
8.
. . . njidi . . . ?
9-
. . . ndudi . . . ?
qa.
. . . ndudi . . . ?
E.g.
Tusimbi ntudi kudi ?
Magwalo ngadi kudi ?
ka
E.g. Kadi ndime, It was I.
Kadi nduwe, It was
thon.
Kadi nguwe, It ivas he.
Negative.
Ke ntadi ndimc.
Ka tadi nduwe.
Ka tadi nguwe.
2. When a PRONOUN is connected with a Nouy, we use
. . . di.
I was . . . etc.
ist per. Nda kadi . . .
2nd per. Wa kadi . . .
3rd per. Wa kadi . . .
Ka tudi ndiswe, It was we.
Ka mudi ndinywe, It was you.
Ka badi mbabo, It ivas they.
Ka tutadi ndiswe.
Ka mutadi ndinywe.
Ka batadi mbabo.
We are .
Katudi .
Ka mudi
Ka badi
THE COPULA
109
They were
Ka badi .
Kidi . . .
Kadi . . .
Kadi . . .
Kadi . . .
Ka tudi .
Ka zidi .
Ka zidi .
Ka zidi .
Kadi .
Te twa kadi. . . .
Te mwa kadi . . .
Te ba kadi . . .
Ka ba tadi . . .
Ki tadi . . .
Ka tadi . . .
Ka tadi . . .
Katadi . . .
Ka tutadi . . .
Ka zitadi . . .
Ka zitadi . . .
Ka zitadi . . .
Ka tadi . . .
E.g. Nda kadi mulombe, / was a boy.
Ta ba kadi balombe, They were not boys.
Kadi munkala, It was a dog.
Ka zitadi impongo, They were not goats.
3. When a NOUN is connected with a Noux, we use a Pronoun
with this particle ka and suffix -di.
It was . . .
i . Kadi . . .
Ivudi . . .
3. Ka didi . . .
.\ . Ka budi . .
5. Ka kudi . .
6. Kakadi . .
7. Ka chidi . .
8. Kidi . . .
9. Ka ludi . . .
<K?. Ka ludi . . .
Negative.
ist per. Te nda
kadi
and per. To wa
kadi
3rd per. Ta a kadi .
i. Katadi . . .
2. Ka tadi . . .
3. Ka ditadi . .
4 . Ka butadi .
. .
5. Ka kutadi .
. .
6. Ka katadi .
7. Ka chit ad i .
8. Kitadi . . .
9. Ka lutadi . '
. .
9#. Ka lutadi . .
was . . .
\va kadi
\va kadi
ka didi .
ka budi
ka kudi
kakadi
ka chidi
. were . .
. kabadi
. kidi . .
. kadi . .
. kadi . .
. kadi . .
. katudi
. ka zidi
no A TONGA GRAMMAR
tS. ... kidi ... . . . ka zidi . . .
9- , . . ka ludi ... . . . ka zidi . . .
f)a. . . . ka ludi ... ... kadi . . .
Negative.
1. ... ka tadi ... ... ka ba tadi . . .
2. . . . ka tadi ... . . . ki tadi . . .
. . . ka ditadi ... . . . ka tadi . . .
. . . ka butadi ... . . . ka tadi . . .
etc., as with Pronoun and Noun in 2 above.
K.g. Mulombe kadi nameba, The boy was a thief,
Mulombe ka tadi nameba, The boy ivas not a thief.
4. When a PRONOUN is connected with an ADJECTIVE, we get
the following forms before the Adjective which of course is
prefixed with the noun classifier.
ist per. Che ndi . . . Ka tudi . . .
2nd per. Ko di . . . Ka mudi . . .
3rd per. Ka di . . . Ka badi . . .
Negative.
ist per. Te nda kadi . . . Te twa kadi . . .
2nd per. To wa kadi . . . Te mwa kadi . . .
3rd per. Ta a kadi . . . Te ba kadi . . .
./:.. Che ndi mubotu, / was good.
Ka badi babotu, They were good.
Te twa kadi babotn, We. were not good.
5. When a NOUN is connected with an ADJECTIVE, we use
forms of ha with the suffix -di followed by the Adjective
prefixed by the Noun classifier.
. . . was ... ... were . . .
j . ... kadi ... . . . ka badi . . .
2. ... kudi ... ... kidi . . .
3. ... ka didi ... ... kadi . . .
4. ... ka budi ... ... kadi . . .
5. ... l<a kudi ... ... kadi . . .
f>. . . . ka kadi ... . . . ka tudi . . .
7. . . . ka chidi ... . . . ka zidi . . .
8. ... kidi ... . . . ka zidi . . .
9. . . . ka ludi ... . , . ka zidi . . .
rt. . . . ka ludi ... ... kadi . . .
Negat
Tin-: COIT i. A
ta a kadi ... . . . te ba kadi .
to vva kadi te ya kadi .
tc dia kadi ta a kadi . .
te b\va kadi ta a kadi .
te kwa kadi ta a kadi .
ta ka kadi tc twa kadi
tcchakadi te zya kadi
te ya kadi ... . . . tc zya kadi
ta lu kadi ... . . . te /ya kadi
ta lu kadi . . ta a kadi .
/:.,{*. l.samu ka didi ibotu.. The tree was good.
Lunyolo ka ludi lubatu, The razor was good.
Makanda ta a kadi mabotu, The skins were not good.
Tusimbi tc twa kadi tubotu, The girls ivere not good.
6. When a PRONOUN is connected ivith a LOCATIVE ADVERB,
we require the following connectives :
OMUNO. OKUNO. ANO.
Sing. PL Sing. PI. Sing. PI.
(r) ke nclimo ka tudinio ke ndiko ka tudiko ke ndio katudio
(2) ko dimo ka mudimoko diko ka mudiko kodio kamudio
(3) ka dimo kabadimo kn diko kabadiko kadio ka badio
Negative.
(1) kensimo katutamo ke nsiko ka tutako ke ntao ka tutao
(2) kotamo kamutamo ko tako ka mutako ko tao kamntao
(3) ka tamo ka batamo ka tako ka batako ka tao ka batao
E.g. Ke ndimo omuno, I was here.
Ka badio ano, They were here,.
Ka mutako okuno, Yon weve not hers.
7. When a NOUN is connected with a, LOCATIVE ADVERB, we
require the following connectives :
OMUNO. OKUNO. ANO.
Sing. PI. Sing. PI. Sing. PI.
kadimo ka badimo kadiko kabadiko kadio kabadio
kadimo kidimo kadiko kidiko kadio kidio
ka didimo kadimo ka didiko kadiko ka didio kadio
ka budimo kadimo ka budiko kadiko ka budio kadio
ka kndimo kadimo ka kudiko kadiko ka kndio kadio
H2 A TONGA GRAMMAR
Sing. PI. Sing. PL Sing. PL
(>. ka kadimo ka tuclimo ka kadiko katudiko ka kadio ka
tudio
7. kachidimo ka zidimo ka chid iko ka zidiko ka chid io ka
zidio
8. kidimo ka zidimo kidiko ka zidiko kidio ka
zidio
0. ka ludimo ka zidimo ka ludiko ka zidiko kaludio ka
zidio
f)a. ka ludimo kadimo ka ludiko kadiko kaludio kadio
Negative.
1 . ka tamo ka batamo ka tako ka batako ka tao ka batao
2. ku tamo kitinio ku tako kitiko ku tao kitio
3. ka ditamo katamo ka ditako katako kaditao katao
4. ka butamo katamo ka butako katako ka butao katao
5. ka kutamo katamo ka kutako katako kakutao katao
6. kakatamo ka tutamo ka katako ka tutako ka katao ka
tutao
7. ka chita- ka zitamo ka chita- ka zitako ka chitao ka zitao
mo ko
8. ki tamo ka zitamo ki tako ka zitako ki tao ka zitao
Q. kalutamo ka zitamo ka lutako ka zitako kalutao ka zitao
9#. ku lutamo katamo ka lutako katako ka lutao katao
E.g. Mulombe kadimo omuno, The boy was here.
Kasimbi ka kadiko okuno, The girl was here.
Impongo ka zidio ano, The goats were here.
Balombe ka batamo omuno, The boys were not here.
S. When a PRONOUN is connected with an INTERROGATIVE,
we use the Interrogative after the following Pronoun forms :
jst per. Ke ndadi . . . ? Ka tudi . .
2nd per. Kadi . . . ? Ka mudi .
3rd per. Kadi . . . ? Ka badi . .
E.g. Ke ndadi kudi ? Where ivas I ?
Kadi bieni ? How was he ?
Ka badi bieni ? How were they ?
9. When a, NOUN is connected with an INTERROGATIVE, we
place the following connectives between the Noun and the
Interrogative .
i. ... kadi . . . ? . . . ka badi . . . ?
. kadi . ... kidi . . . ?
Till-: < -.01 TLA
i i
3-
. . . ka didi . . . ':
. . . kadi . . . ?
-I-
. . . ka budi . . . r
. . . kadi . . . >
5-
. . . ka kudi . . . ?
. . . kadi . . . ?
6.
. . . ka kadi . . . ?
. . . ka tudi . . . ?
7-
. . . ka chidi . . . ?
. . . ka zidi . . . ?
8,
. . . kidi . . . ?
. . . ka zidi . . . ?
9.
. . . ka ludi . . . ?
. . . ka zidi . . . ?
'iff.
, . . . ka ludi . . . ?
. . . kadi . . . ?
E.
^'. lialombe ka badi kudi r
Where were the boys
Chuno ka chidi kudi ?
Where was the stool.- 1
Lunvolo ka ludi bieni ?
How was the razor .'
NOTE. The Locative Copulas are frequently heard with
the particle c hi embodied in them to give the idea of still in,
ftill at, etc. These may be given in a complete set as
follows :
OMI NO.
OKU xo.
A NO.
(1) p.
Sing.
mo-
nchidi
PI.
inutu-
chidt
Sing.
ko-
iichidi
PI.
kutu-
chidi
Sing.
mpo-
nchidi
PI.
inputu-
chidi
(2) P.
lllll-
chidi
mumu-
chidi
ku-
chidi
kumu-
chidi
mpu-
chidi
mpumu-
chidi
(3) P.
mwa-
chidi
muba-
chidi
kwa-
chidi
kuba-
chidi
mpwa-
chidi
mpuba-
chidi
2.
mu-
ch idi
m\vi-
chidi
ku-
chidi
kwi-
chidi
mpu-
chidi
mpwi-
chidi
J-
mudi-
chidi
mwa-
chidi
kudi-
chidi
kwa-
chidi
mpudi-
chidi
mpvva-
chidi
J-
mubu-
chidi
mwa-
chidi
kubu-
chidi
kwa-
chidi
mpubu-
chidi
mpwa-
chidi
5-
muku-
chidi
mwa-
chidi
kuku-
chidi
kwa-
chidi
mpuku-
chidi
mpwa-
chidi
6.
muka-
chidi
mutu-
chidi
kuka-
chidi
kutu-
chidi
mpuka-
chidi
mputu-
chidi
/
muchi-
chidi
muzi-
chidi
kuchi-
chidi
kuzi-
chidi
mpuchi-
chidi
mpuzi-
chidi
8.
inwi-
chidi
muzi-
chidi
kwi-
chidi
kuzi-
chidi
mpwi-
chidi
mpuzi-
chidi
9-
mulu-
chidi
muzi-
chidi
kulu-
chidi
kuzi-
chidi
mpulu-
chidi
mpuzi-
chidi
9rt.
mulu-
chidi
mwa-
chidi
kulu-
chidi
kwa-
chidi
mpulu-
chidi
mpwa-
chidi
n
114 A TOAUA <
jKAMMAK
Negative, ist Form.
(i) P. sichimo tatu- sichiko
tatu- .sichio tatuchio
chimo
chiko
(2) P. tuchimo tamu- tuchiko
tamu- tuchio tamuchio
chimo
chiko
(3) P. tachimo taba- tachiko
taba- tachio tabachio
chimo
chiko
2. tuchimo ti- tuchiko
tichiko tachio tichio
chimo
3. tadi- tachimo tadi-
tachiko tadichio tachio
chimo chiko
4. tabu- tachimo tabu-
tachiko tabuchio tachio
chimo chiko
5. taku- tachimo taku-
tachiko tabuchio tachio
chimo chiko
6. taka- tatu- taka-
tatu- takachio tatuchio
chimo chimo chiko
chiko
7. tachi- tazi- tachi-
tazi- tachi- tazichio
chimo chimo chiko
chiko chio
8. tichimo tazi- tichiko
tazi- tichio tazichio
chimo
chiko
9. talu- tazi- talu-
tazi- taluchio tazichio
chimo chimo chiko
chiko
<></.. talu- tachimo talu-
tachiko taluchio tachio
chimo chiko
Negative. (2nd Form.)
OMUNO.
OKUNO.
i. tachidimo tabachidimo
tachidiko tabachidiko
2. tuchidimo tichidimo
tuchidiko tichidiko
3. tadichidimo tachidimo
tadichidiko tachidiko
4. tabuchidimo tachidimo
tabuchidiko tachidiko
5. takuchidimo tachidimo
takuchidiko tachidiko
6. takachidimo tatuchidimo
takachidiko tatuchidiko
7. tachichidimo tazichidimo
tachichidiko tazichidiko
8. tichidimo tazichidimo
tichidiko tazichidiko
9. taluchidimo tazichidimo
taluchidiko tazichidiko
93. taluchidimo tachidimo
taluchidiko tachidiko
ANO.
i. tachidio
tabachidio
2. tuchidio
tichidio
3. tadichidio
tachidio
Till: i < H'CLA
4. tabuehiclio
5. takuchidio
6. takachidio
7. tachichid i< >
8. tichidio
*>. taluchidio
<)((-. taluchidio
tachidio
tachidio
tatuchidio
tazichidio
tazichidio
tazichidio
tachidio
Past 1'orm.
Affirmative. OMUNO.
Sing. ' PI.
ke nchidimo ka tuchidimo
ka muchidimo ko tachimo
ka bachidimo ka tachimo
kichidimo
kachidimo
kachidimo
(0 i
(2) P. ko chidimo
(3) P. ka chidimo
2. kuchidimo
ka dichidimo
ka bu chidimo
ka kuchidimo kachidimo
ka kachidimo ka tuchidimo
ka chichidimo ka zichidimo
kichidimo ka zichidimo
ka luchidimo ka zichidimo
ka luchidimo kachidimo
<K/.
Negative.
Slug. PI.
ke nsichimo ka tutachimo
ka mutachimo
ka batachimo
ku tachimo ki tichimo
ka ditachimo ka tachimo
ka bn tachimo ka tachimo
ka kutachimo ka tachimo
ka katachimo ka tutachimo
ka chita.chin.io ka zitachimo
ka tichimo ka zitachimo
ka lutachimo ka zitachimo
ka lutachimo ka tachimo
OKUXO.
Remove the suffix -mo and replace it by -ko i:i every
instance.
.Vxo.
Jveplace the final suffix -mo by -o.
THE COPULA IN THE FUTURE.
i. When a PRONOUN -is connected with a PRONOUN,
the connective -ku la la, i.e. " it will be."
we use
ist per. Ku la ba ndimc.
2nd per. Ku la ba nduwc.
3rd per. Ku la ba nguwe.
Negative.
ist per. Ta ku ka bi ndime.
2nd per. Ta ku ka bi nduwe.
3rd per, Tea ku ka bi nguwe,
Ku la ba ndiswe.
Ku la ba ndinywe.
Ku la ba mbabo.
Ta ku ka bi ndiswe.
Ta ku ka bi ndinywe.
Ta ku ka bi mbabo.
Ii6 A TONGA GRAMMAR
2. When a PRONOUN is connected with a NOUN.
(a) If the pronoun is impersonal, we use the above con-
nective in both affirmative and negative.
E.g. Ku la ba muntu, It will be a person.
Ta ku ka bi muntu, It will not be a person.
(b) When 'the pronoun is personal or definitely associated
with the noun, we use the following connectives :
It will be . . . They will be . . .
1 . u la ba . . . ba la ba . . .
2. u la ba . . . i la ba . . .
3. di la ba . . . a la ba ...
4. bu la ba ... a la ba ...
5. ku la ba . . . a la ba ...
6. ka la ba . . . tu la ba . . .
7. chi la ba . . . zi la ba . . .
8. i la ba . . . zi la ba . . .
<j. lu la ba . . . zi la ba . . .
9#. lu la ba . . . a la ba ...
T . ta ti a ka bi . . . ta ba ti ba ka bi . . .
2. ta ti u ka bi . . . ti i ti i ka bi . . .
3. ta di ti di ka bi . . . ta a ti a ka bi . . .
I . ta bu ti bu ka bi . . . ta a ti a ka bi . . .
--,. ta ku ti ku ka bi . . . ta a ti a ka bi . . .
6. ta ka ti ka ka bi . . . ta tu ti tu ka bi . . .
7. ta chi ti chi ka bi . . . ta zi ti zi ka bi ...
8. ti ki ti li ka bi . . . ta zi ti zi ka bi . . .
9. ta lu ti lu ka bi . . . ta zi ti zi ka bi . . .
ga. ta lu ti lu ka bi . . . ta a ti a ka bi . . .
E.g. Di la ba isamu, // will be a tree.
Chi la ba chuno, It will be a stool.
Ta ba ti ba ka bi bantu, They will not be people.
(c) The Future Tense of the verb "to be " may be used
as connective.
ist per. Ndo ba . . . Tu yo ba
2nd per. U yo ba . . . Mu yo ba
3rd per. U yo ba . . . Ba yo ba ,
I III-: D >IMT,.\ 117
Negative,
ist per. Si ko yo ba . . . Ta tu ko yo ba . . .
2nd per. To ko yo ba . . . Ta mu ko yo ba . . .
3rd per. Ta ko yo ba . . . Ta. ba ko yo ba . . .
Another form of Negative.
ist per. Si ti mbi . . . Ta tu ti tu bi . . .
2nd per. To ti a bi . . . Ta mu ti mu bi . . .
3rd per. Ta ti a bi . . . Ta ba ti ba bi . . .
Another form of Negative.
ist per. Si kwe ne nsi ka ba . . . Ta tu kvve ne tu ka ba . . .
2nd per. To kwe no ka ba . . . Ta mu kwe ne mu ka ba . . .
3rd per. Ta kwe na ka ba . . . Ta ba kwe ne ba ka ba . . .
Another form of Negative.
ist per. Si ka bi . . . Ta tu ka bi . . .
2nd per. To ka bi . . . Ta mu ka bi . . .
3rd per. Ta ka bi . . . Ta ba ka bi . . .
E.g. Ndo ba nameba, / will be a thief.
Si ko yo ba nameba, / will not be a thief.
Si ti mbi nameba, / will not be a thief.
Si kwe ne nsi ka ba nameba, / will not be a thief.
Si ka bi nameba, / will not be a thief.
(d) The Future Tense of the verb "to be " may be used
with the pronouns of the noun classes to link up the noun.
// will be . . . They will be . . .
1 . u zo ba . . . ba zo ba . . .
2. u zo ba . . . i zo ba . . . .
3. di zo ba . . . a zo ba . . .
4. bu zo ba . . . a zo ba . . .
5. ku zo ba . . . a zo ba . . .
6. ka zo ba . . . tu zo ba . . .
7. chi zo ba . . . zi zo ba . .
8. i zo ba . . . zi zo ba . . .
9. lu zo ba . . . zi zo ba . . .
90. lu zo ba . . . a zo ba . . .
Negati^
i. ta ko yo ba . . . ta ba ko yo ba
tu ko yo ba . . . ti ko yo ba . .
ta di ko yo ba . . . ta ko yo ba . .
ta bu ko yo ba . . ta ko yo ba . .
Ji8 A TONGA GRAMMAR
5. ta ku ko yo ba . . . ta ko yo ba . . .
o. ta ka ko 3-0 ba . . . . ta tu ko yo ba . . .
7. ta chi ko yo ba ... ta zi ko yo ba . . .
8. ti ko yo ba . . . ta zi ko yo ba . . .
0. ta lu ko yo ba . . . ta zi ko yo ba . . .
<0fl. ta hi ko yo ba . . . ta ko yo ba . . .
E.g. Chi zo ba chuno, It will be a stool.
Ta zi ko yo ba zyimo, They will not be stools.
3. When a Xoux is connected with a NOUN.
(a) The form la ba- of the verb ;i to be " with a pronoun
may be used :-- -
. . . will be . . . ... will be . . .
1 . ... u la ba ... . . . ba la ba . . .
2. . . . u la ba . . . . . . i la ba . . .
3. ... di la ba . . . ... a la ba ...
etc., as in section b of 2 above.
(b} The Future of the verb ' ; to be" may be used with
pronouns agreeing with the noun classes.
. . . will be . . . ... will be . . .
i . . . . u yo ba . . . . . . ba yo ba . . .
?. . . . u yo ba . . . . . . i yo ba . . .
.3. . . . di yo ba . . . . . . a yo ba . . .
etc. etc.
4. When a PRONOUN is connected with an APJECTIVE, we use
precisely the same connectives as when connecting a noun.
(See Section 2.)
5. When a NOUN is connected with an ADJECTIVE we use
the following connectives, and the adjective has the noun
classifiers :
. . . will be . . . ... will be .' . .
i . . . . u no ba . . . . . . ba no ba . . .
2. . . . u no ba . . . . . . i no ba . . .
3. . . . di no ba . . . ... a no ba ...
4. . . . bu no ba . . . ... a no ba ...
5. . . . ku no ba . . . . . . a 110 ba . . .
o. . . . ka no ba . . . . . . tu no ba . . .
7. ... chi no ba . . . . . . zi no ba . . .
8. . . . i no ba . . . . . . zi no ba . . .
9. ... hi no ba ... . . . zi no ba . . .
f)i. ... hi no ba ... ... a no ba ...
THE COPULA i i o
Negative.
1. . . . la no yo ba . . . . . . ta ba no yo ba . . .
2. . . . tu no yo ba . . . ... ti no yo ba . . .
3. ... ta di no yo ba ta no yo ba . . .
.\. . . . ta bu no yo ba ta no yo ba . . .
5. ... ta ku no yo ba ta no yo ba . . .
6. , . . ta ka no yo ba ta tu no yo ba . . .
7. . . . ta chi no yo ba ta zi no yo ba . . .
8. . . . ti no yo ba . . . . . . ta zi no yo ba . . .
9. . . . ta hi no yo ba ta zi no yo ba . . .
Off. . . . ta lu no yo ba ta no yo ba . . .
6. When a PRONOUN -is connected with an ADVERB, we use
the same connectives as when connecting a Pronoun and an
Adjective.
7. When a NOUN is connected with an ADVERB, we use the
same connectives as when connecting a Noun and an Adjective.
8. When a PRONOUN is connected with an INTERROGATIVE,
we use the same connectives as when connecting a Pronoun
and an Adjective.
9. When a NOUN is connected with an INTERROGATIVE, we
use the same connectives as when connecting a Noun and an
Adjective.
THE COPULA IN INDIRECT CLAUSES.
In Indirect Clauses the Copula is unchanging.
The Affirmative form is ftufi.
The Negative form is te nsi.
E.g. A kuti mubi, mu ume, // he is bad, hit him.
Nda ula bieni, a te nsi mabotu, How can I buy those
which are not good ?
THE ADVERB
TONGA Adverbs are identical in use with those of English.
They add some qualification to the words with which they are
used, limiting or more fully explaining their meaning.
Adverbs are usually classified as of Time, Place, Manner,
etc.
ADVERBS OF TIME.
The following may be noted :
Wa ka inka kale, He has gone
already.
Twa sika chindi, We arrived Jong
ago.
Sunn nda dim a, To-day I dig.
Xda sunduka ijilo, / started yes-
terday.
Xdo i chita junxa, / mil do it
to-morrow.
U la sika izona, He will arrive
the day after to-morrow.
U la sika izonaedia, He ivill
arrive the second day after to-
morrow.
U yo diokezia ne tu inka, You
will rest when we go.
NOTE. For euphony this Adverb may be used in the form
of na, ni, no, or nu.
masikusiku, very early Wa buka masikusiku, He arose
morning. very early indeed.
junzajunza, forenoon. Junzajunza ndadi kede, I sat
during the forenoon.
isikati, noon. lsik&tidila.bala, At noon it shines.
kale, already.
chindi, long ago.
sunu, to-day.
ijilo, yesterday.
junza. to-morrow.
izona, the day after to-
morrow.
izonaedia, the second
day after to-morrow.
ne, when.
HIK AUVKKIJ 121
i^ogo, afternoon. J>e njila nm chikolo igogo, They
enter school in the afternoon.
inasiku, night. Ta tu beleki masiku, We do not
work in the night.
lunnvi, sometimf. Luinwi b&l&yeya, Sometime they
will think.
lino, now Chita lino, Do it now.
ndidio lino, just -now. Bola ndidio lino, Return imme-
diately.
didi ? ididi ? when ? U yo bola didi ? When will yon
return ?
hibe, frequently. Nda beleka lube, / work continu-
ously.
lube hi be, very frequently. Ndadi ku yaka lube lube, 1
was always building.
inane, until. Kala, mane nda sika, Sit wit 'I I
come.
chi be chindi, after a Chi be chindi imvula i la wa,
time. After a time the rain will fall.
ku kusanguna, w the Ku kusanguna Leza wa ka
beginning. lenga inyika, In the beginning
God created the land.
J:u knmana, in the end. Ku kumana wa zutnina, In the
end he assented.
kunembo, beforetimes. Kunembowadi xide, He had been
previously.
musule, afterwards. Ndo vwima musule, I will hunt
aftcnvards.
ADVERBS OF PLACE.
kule, far, distant. Oyu munzi udi kule, This village
is far.
The suffix -i ? added to verbs is equivalent to where ?
Wa indai ? Where did you pass ?
THE LOCATIVES.
(1) Simple. Mu, in. Ku, to. A, at.
(2) Augmented form. Mwa, mudi, in. Kwa, kudi, to.
Mpa, adi, at.
(3) Contracted form. (This is used in relative clauses.)
Mo, in, from. Ko, to. O, at, on.
122 A TONGA GRAMMAR
(4) Indicative form. Mumo, it is in. Nkuko, it is to.
Mpao, it is on, it is at.
(5) Demonstrative form.
omuno, in here. omo, in there, omiya, in yonder.
okimo, to here. oko, to there. okuya, to yonder.
ano, avva, on here. awo. on there, adia, on yonder.
(6) Demonstrative forms emphasized.
just here. just there. just yonder.
mumo orauno. mumo omo. mumo omiya.
nkuko okuno. nkuko oko. nkuko okuya.
mpano, mpanyawa. mpanyawo. mpanyadia.
(7) Interrogative forms.
mudi ? in where ? kudi ? to where ? ani ? on where ?
(8) Locative with Possessives : -angu, -ako, -akwe, -esn,
-aim, -abo.
mwangu, in mine, kwangu, to mine, angu, at mine, etc.
(9) Locatives with -mwi, one.
mumwi, in one, i.e. together ; kumwi, to one, i.e. together ;
amwi, at one, i.e. together.
(10) Locatives with -mbi, other, different.
mumbi, in a different place ; kumbi, to a different place ;
ambi, on a different place.
(n) Locatives with -onse, -all.
inonse, everywhere inside, konse, to everywhere, from
everywhere, onse, everywhere upon.
These forms may be duplicated, monse monse, konse konse,
and onse onse, everywhere.
(12) Locative Compounds, such as :
mumbadi, by the side.
kumbadi, to the side.
embadi, at the side.
mujwe, from the east.
kujwe, to the east.
kumbo, towards the north.
munsi, underneath.
kunsi, below.
ansi, on the ground.
mujulu, in the air.
kujulu, above.
ejulu, upon.
THE ADVERB 123
mulwilwi, kufwil'wi, a f \vif\vi, pear.
im/.e, outside.
muiala, beyond.
kutala, above.
i'tala, on the- top.
mnkati, between, inside.
kunembo, in front.
nuisnlc, behind.
ADVERBS OF MANNER,
bio, merely.
luzutu, simply.
chali, purposely.
-like, only, see page 5 1 .
Adverbs with prefix clia- :
changuso, forcibly.
chabuya, kindly.
chaluno, swiftly.
chamanu, cunningly.
chakufwambana, hurritfily.
Adverbs with bit- :
mbudi, like, as.
bumbi, differently.
obo, thus, so.
bobo, thus, so.
mbobo, thus, so.
mbubo, it is thus.
Adverbs with ka- :
kabotu, well.
kabi, badly.
kanini, little.
Intensive Species of Verb contains an adverbial idea in
itself, and is equivalent to adding the words intensely, clearJy,
urgently, well, etc.
Adverbial particles when used with some verbs add a
qualification of manner :
mbu. ku fuma nibu, to arise early.
fwepe. ku zula fwepe, to be quite full.
mpu. ku umpuna mpu, to strike forcibly.
ndu. ku snla ndu, to hate strongly.
12 1 A TONGA GRAMMAR
nsu. ku nunka nsu, to small abominably.
go. ka yakwa go, to be built vertically.
nga. kit yakwa nga, to be built well.
ndendendc. ku yakwa ndendende, to be built strongly.
ntamaa. ku mana ntamaa, to be entirely finished.
nto. ku mana nto,
piyai. ku mana piyai, ,, ,, ,,
supu. ku mana supu, ,, ,, ,,
nte. ku kala nte, to sit well.
dendele. ku kala dendele, to sit well.
sunsumanc. ku kala sunsumane, to sit crouchinglv.
mwengu. ku bala mwengu, to shine fiercely.
wi. ku umuna wi, to be perfectly quiet.
chimpamu ku dila chimpamumpamu, to cry
mpamu . sorrowfully.
gwababa. ku anzika gwababa, to hang carefiillv.
Verb derivatives are used adverbially when following the
verb from which they have been formed.
angule. ku angula angule, to take down carefully.
bata. ku batama bata, to be perfectly still.
boinbe. ku bomba bombe, to soften perfectly.
bompelwe. ku bompelwa bompelwe, to be great 1 .)'
astounded.
botie. ku botia botie, to make exceedingly good.
bull. ku budika buli, to be missing altogether.
bulii. ku bulula bulu, to explain explicitly.
bunta. ku buntama bunta, to be exceedingly
sorrowful.
delu. ku delula delu, to shred finely.
donko. ku donkola donko, to bore cleanly.
dunsu. ku dunsula dunsu, to break suddenly.
ebie. ku ebia ebie, to make see clearly.
ezuezu. ku ezuka ezuezu, to faint deathly.
fwinyane. ku fwinyana fwinyane, to shrink ab-
normally.
gambe. ku gamba gambe, to be exceedingly
astonished.
haa. ku asama haa, to open the mouth widely.
jabu. ku jabula jabu, to rest perfectly.
ji. ku jimpa ji, to beat up nicely.
kankama. ku kankamana kankama, to tremble
awfully.
THE ADVERB 125
kantu. ku kantama kanta, to be greatly as-
tounded.
komhvr. ku koudwa kondwc, to rejoice exceed-
ingly.
kota. ku kotaina kola, to bow humbly.
laka. ku lakarna laka, to stare vacantly.
lebu. ku lebuka lebu, to be very weak.
lobe. ku loba lobe, to he entirely lost, to ilrutcn.
mboniboinauc. ku mbomboniena nibombomane, to sink
entirely.
nanala. ku nanamana nanala, to sit lightly.
n^aingai. ku ngaima ngaingai, to glisten dazzling! y,
to be perfectly clean and shining.
ngcnjc. ku ngenjema ngenje, to entirely shed the
bloom.
ngwalamu. ku ngwalamuna ngwalamu, to war
fiercely.
nkankanka. ku kankama nkankanka, to tremble
greatly.
nyanya. ku nyanyamuna nyanya, to awaken,
gently.
nyenemu. ku nyenemu na nyenemu, to release care-
fully.
ndyondyondyo- ku ndyondyomena ndyondyondyondyo,
ndyo. to precipitate profusely.
pungu. ku pungula pungu, to look up intently.
puzu. ku puzuka puzu, to escape entirely.
sampu. ku sampuka sampu, to lose flavour
entirely.
siazie. ku siazia siazie, to leave altogether.
simie. ku simia simie, to greatly harden.
sise. ku sisa sise, to hide completely.
sole. ku sola sole, to try hard.
somo. ku somona somo, to unsheathe suddenly.
suli. ku sulika suli, to drift far or quickly.
supu. ku supuka supu, to cleanse beautifully.
takataka. ku takana takataka, to disperse every-
where.
tandio. ku tandia tandic, to drive away alto-
gether.
tole. ku tola tole, to take once for all.
tondezie. ku tondezia tondezie, to point out
explicitly.
26 A TONGA GRAMMAR
wayu. ku wayuka wayu, to burst out suddenly.
yakuyaku. ku yakununa yakuyaku, to pull down
altogether.
yangalc. ku y angala yangale, to disperse entirely.
yewcle. ku yemuka yewele, to dissolve entirely,
to melt.
yosie. ku yosia yosie, to make greatly afraid.
zilima. ku zilimana zilima, to stare vacantly.
zilo. ku zilika zilo, to look intently.
11 IK PREPOSITION
A PKEPOSLTION is used to join a noun or pronoun to a noun or
other part of speech, so as to indicate some relationship between
them. When joined, the noun and preposition perform the
function of an adverb or adjective. The preposition is said
to govern the noun or pronoun with which it is joined.
Locative Prepositions.
'' Mn " expresses rest within, motion into or out from. It
therefore is equivalent to : in, among, inside of, within, out of,
through, during, etc.
" Ku " expresses rest at, motion to or from. It is equivalent
to : at, by, towards, from, to, etc.
" A " expresses rest upon, motion on to, or from off. It is
equivalent to : on, upon, at, off, from, on to, off, on account of,
because, with, by means of, etc.
Compound, Locative Prepositions.
Many of the Locative Adverbs previously noted on page 12?.
are followed by the simple preposition. They are then used
as pure prepositions. We get the following expressions :
anze a, outside of.
akati ka, between, among, in the middle of.
afwifwi u, near to.
cmbadi a, at the side of.
enembo a. in front of.
ejulu a, above, on the top of.
kumbadi a, by the side of.
kunembo a, in front of.
kujulu ka, above, on the top of.
mukati mu, within, inside of.
mumbadi a, by the side of, in the vicinity of.
Phrase Prepositions.
kambo ka, on account of, because.
mbudi mbo, like, just as.
ku chindi cha, at the time of.
ku chimanga cha, in the stead of.
THE CONJUNCTION
CONJUNCTIONS in Tonga eirc connectives which join sentences
or words. They may be merely copulative or may be adversa-
tive. A subordinate phrase may be linked up by a conjunction
and the conjunction used may be named according to the type
of sentence which it introduces. We may, therefore, have
Consecutive, Conditional, Causal, Comparative, etc.
In addition to the Copulatives already noted, the following
conjunctions arc in common use :
a,
and.
Tola intobolo a masumu, Take the gun
and the spears.
akuba, perhaps.
I, akuba, nguwe wa ka chita obo, Yes,
perhaps he has done so.
ani, but.
Ani mu la chita nzi musule ? But what
shall you do afterwards ?
ansya, unless, except.
Ansya wadima sunu, u zo dya nzi obuya ?
Unless he digs to-day, what will he eat
then ?
ami, whereas.
Nda chi tanga udi mubotu, ami mubi, /
still thought him good, whereas he is evil.
atene, perhaps.
Atene nzo bola, Perhaps I shall return.
ikuti, because.
Si lumbi ikuti wa bisia echi, I am not
grateful because you have spoiled it.
kambunya, also.
Nduwe wa chi tola, kambunya nduwe wa
chi bozia, It is you who took it away,
also it is you who has returned it.
THE CONJUNCTION 129
kansyo, unless, except, if, supposing, unless.
Si ko yo kondwa kansyo to ndi abih
chimwi, / shall not be happy unless you
give me one.
kuti, that, in order that.
Ba mu tola kuti a futuke, They took him
that he might be saved.
lino, now, and, then, just then.
Ku sanguna wa zurnina, lino wa kaka, At
first he consented, then he refused.
mpo, but.
Nda mu buzia, mpo ta mvwi, / told him,
but he did not understand.
nanka, or, whether.
Sa u yanda echi nanka echo ? Do you want
this or that ?
nekubabobo, nevertheless.
Wa fusa adi ndime, nekubabobo nda ku
ambwida, You have sinned against me,
nevertheless I forgive you.
nekudikuti, although, though.
Wa ka chita nekudikuti ndadi ku kasia,
You have done it although I was for-
bidding.
nkabela, and, also.
Wa zwa, nkabela ta chi boli, He has gone,
and he does not return.
The conjunction na . . . ba, either . . . or, neither . . .
nor, has a variable form for each class of noun used and the
pronoun is embodied in it :
ist per. nimba, nor I. netuba, nor we.
2nd per. nuba, nor thou. nemuba, nor you.
3rd per. naba, nor he. nebaba, nor they.
2. nuba, nor it. ni ba, nor they.
3. nediba, naba,
4. nebuba, naba,
5. nekuba, naba,
6. nekaba, netuba,
7. nechiba. neziba,
8. niba, neziba,
9. neluba, neziba,
9a. neluba, naba.
THE INTERJECTION
INTERJECTIONS being mere exclamations do not enter into the
grammatical structure of sentences. Any word almost may be
used in an inter jectional way, so that we cannot hope to give a
complete list of words so used. The following may be noted :
I !
Yes!
Pe !
No /
I! Pe!
No I
A kabi !
No ! Not so !
Ma!
Oh!
Si kwe !
Not I !
Ta kwe !
No !
Zwa!
No!
Sangwe !
Mayo !
Ai !
Thanks I Sir /
Dear me !
Oh!
Wenche !
Please ! Oh I
Ka bi !
Yobo!
Just so !
Good !
Ani!
Well !
Sobo !
To bwene !
Just so !
See!
Chipo ! Mumo !
Mbwina !
Just so !
Here ! Oh I
To mvwide !
Ena!
I ma !
U ma !
Ehe!
Just so !
Really !
Alright !
Really !
That's it !
A!
No!
Akaka!
No, no, no >
Nchonzyo !
Malaa ! or Maloa !
Mpande !
Simwaba !
Kako !
Ye!
Just so !
Truly !
Truly I
Truly !
Truly !
Yes!
PRINTED BY
WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED.
LONDON AND BECCLES.
Xv
