Oshikwanyama/Ohema iwa

Chapter 10

Ohema iwa
Quick Tip


 * For Americans: “Pants” means “underwear” in Namibian English. Say “trousers” to refer to the things you wear on your legs. 

Exercise 1
''Label the drawing on the previous page. Use words from the above list, or ask some friends. ''

Grammar Corner: Adjectives

To tell the truth, Oshikwanyama lacks adjectives. Because states of being can be expressed with verbs, adjectives are less necessary in daily usage. However, you will still hear them.

Once again, adjectives have their own set of concords that must agree with noun prefixes. Fortunately, they are nearly identical to the counting prefixes.

Here is a table. Prefixes that differ from counting prefixes are italicized.

So:

Some common adjectives, other than the colors, include the following:


 * "Big" is usually expressed with the past tense of the verb kula (to grow). Thus, "big goat" is oshikombo sha kula. 
 * "Many goats" is said oikombo ihai pu (goats that don't finish).

For other nouns, you will need to choose the right subject concord.

Grammar Corner: More Adjectives

Note that all the previous adjectives are abstract – for example, only blue things exist in the world, not blue itself. Concrete adjectives, those that relate a noun to something else that exists in the world, are formed a bit differently.

The dress is for oomeme, so we use the possessive prefix to link the two nouns together.

Exercise 2
''Translate the following phrases from English into Oshikwanyama. ''

Grammar Corner: Comparisons

Just as Oshikwanyama tends to use verbs where English would have adjectives (e.g. “happy”), it uses verbs to express comparative (e.g. “happier”) and superlative (e.g. “happiest”) forms. Both the comparative and the superlative form use the verb dule (surpass, exceed). To use the comparative form, combine [stative concord] + dule with whatever attribute you want to compare, e.g.

Exercise 3
Lombwele nge, oto djala shike nena?

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