Chichewa tenses

Chichewa (also but less commonly known as Chinyanja, Chewa or Nyanja) is the main lingua franca of central and southern Malawi and neighbouring regions. Like other Bantu languages it has a wide range of tenses. In terms of time, Chichewa tenses can be divided into present, recent past, remote past, near future, and remote future. The dividing line between near and remote tenses is not exact, however. Remote tenses cannot be used of events of today, but near tenses can be used of events earlier or later than today.

The Chichewa tense system also incorporates aspectual distinctions. Except for the Present Simple, nearly every tense in Chichewa is either perfective (for example, "I went") or imperfective in aspect (for example "I was going", "I used to go"). In the present tense only, there is a distinction between habitual ("I usually go") and progressive ("I am going now").

Another aspectual distinction in Chichewa is that between perfect and past. A perfect tense is one which carries an implication that the result of a past action still holds at the present time, for example "he has come (and is still here)". The past tenses in Chichewa tend to be discontinuous, for example, "he came (but has now gone)". They differ from the English past tense, which is neutral in this regard.

The distinction between one tense and another in Chichewa is made partly by changing the tense-marker, which is an infix such as -ku-, -na-, -ma- etc. added to the verb, and partly by the use of tone. Often two different tenses, such as ndima pí ta "I was going" and ndí ma pí ta "I go", have the same tense-marker but are distinguished by their tonal pattern.

Compound tenses are also found in Chichewa to express more complex meanings, such as ndimatí ndipité "I was about to go" or ndakhala ndíkúpíta "I have been going".

In addition to ordinary tenses, Chichewa also has tenses to express obligation ("I should go"), potentiality ("I might go"), and persistence ("I am still going"). There are also tenses with meanings such as "while I am going", "after I had gone", "before I went", as well as a series of conditional-clause tenses meaning "if..." such as "if I go", "if I had gone", "if I were to go" and so on.

Basic tense formation
The distinction between one tense and another in Chichewa is made partly by varying the tonal pattern (each tense having its own particular tonal melody) and partly by the use of infixes such as -ku-, -ma-, -na-, -a-, -dza-, -ka-, -zi-. These infixes which distinguish the tenses are known as "tense-markers".

Three tenses (the Present Simple, Present Subjunctive, and Present Imperative) have no tense-marker. The Present Simple in most verbs has a near future meaning:
 * ndí-thandiza "I (will) help"
 * ndi-thandizé "I should help"
 * thandiza! "help!"

Hyphens and tonal accent marks have been added for clarity, although they are not used in standard Chichewa orthography.

All other tenses have a tense-marker, which is added directly after the subject-marker. For example, the Present Continuous is made by adding the tense-marker -ku-. There are six possible subject-markers mostly referring to persons:


 * ndi-ku-thándiza "I am helping"
 * u-ku-thándiza "you (sg.) are helping"
 * a-ku-thándiza "he or she is helping"
 * ti-ku-thándiza "we are helping"
 * mu-ku-thándiza "you (pl. or polite) are helping"
 * a-ku-thándiza "they are helping / he or she (polite) is helping"

In modern standard Chichewa there is no difference between the 3rd person singular "he/she" and the 3rd person plural "they" except in the Perfect tense, although there are some dialects such as the Town Nyanja spoken in Lusaka, Zambia, where the 3rd person plural is still βa-, and thus differs from the singular. The singular and plural also differ in the Perfect tense (see below).

Freestanding pronouns such as ine "I", iwe "you", iyé "he, she" are available and may be added for emphasis, but are usually omitted: ine ndikuthándiza "I am helping".

In addition to the above subject-markers mostly referring mostly to persons there are also other subject-markers usually referring to things, animals, or the impersonal "it" or "there" of place or time:
 * i-ku-thándiza "it is helping" (e.g. nkhúku "the chicken")
 * chi-ku-thándiza "it is helping" (e.g. chímanga "maize")
 * zi-ku-thándiza "they are helping" (e.g. mbúzi zangá "my goats")
 * ku-ku-zízira "it is cold"

The Perfect tense is exceptional in that the subject-marker is shortened when followed by the tense-marker -a-. It is also exceptional in that the 3rd person singular has w- instead of a-, and is thus different from the 3rd person plural:
 * nd-a-thandiza "I have helped"
 * w-a-thandiza "you (sg.) have helped"
 * w-a-thandiza "he/she has helped"
 * t-a-thandiza "we have helped"
 * mw-a-thandiza "you (pl. or polite) have helped"
 * a-thandiza "they have helped" (or "he/she (polite) has helped")

Other elements can be added between the tense-marker and the verb-stem, such as aspect-markers and object-markers. For example the object-marker -m(u)- "him" or "her" can be added to any of the above verbs: nd-a- mú -thandiza "I have helped him/her ".

Tonal patterns
The second way in which one tense is distinguished from another in Chichewa is in the use of tones, that is, in the rise and fall in pitch of the speaker's voice. Each tense is associated with a particular tonal melody, and in some cases two tenses which share the same tense-marker can be distinguished by tones.

In their book, The Phonology of Chichewa, Downing and Mtenje identify eight different patterns for positive verbs, in addition to further patterns for negative and relative clause verbs.

Often the same tonal pattern is used by more than one tense. For instance, the Present Continuous, Recent Past, and Imperfect all have a high tone on the syllable following the tense-marker:
 * ndi-ku-thándiza "I am helping"
 * ndi-na-thándiza "I helped (just now)"
 * ndi-ma-thándiza "I was helping"

Another tonal pattern, used in the Present Habitual tense, is to place one high tone on the subject-marker and another on the penultimate syllable:
 * ndí-ma-thandíza "I (usually) help"

The Past Simple (Remote Perfect) has a tone on the tense-marker itself, which in some dialects spreads to the following syllable:
 * ndi-ná-thandiza or ndi-ná-thándiza "I helped"

Some tenses, such as the Potential, are pronounced with every syllable low:
 * ndi-nga-thandize "I can help"

The same tonal pattern is used in every verb. However, when the verb is a short one of one or two syllables only, certain adjustments may be made. For example, in the Present Habitual, the second tone is heard on the final when the verb stem has only one syllable:
 * ndí-ma-werénga "I usually read" (second tone on the penultimate)
 * ndí-ma-dyá "I usually eat" (second tone on the final)

But in certain tenses, a penultimate tone remains penultimate, even if the verb is monosyllabic:
 * s-a-na-píte "he has not yet gone"
 * s-a-ná-dye "he has not yet eaten"

For further details concerning the tonal patterns of verbs of different lengths, see the article Chichewa tones.

In negative tenses different tonal patterns are used. For example, in the negative subjunctive, the tone moves to the penultimate:
 * mu-pité "you should go"
 * mu-sa-píte "you shouldn't go"

Some tenses have two different negative intonations, depending on the meaning. For example, the Simple Past (Remote Perfect) ndi-ná-gula "I bought" has the following negatives with different meanings:
 * sí-ndí-na-gúle (or sí-ndi-na-gúle) "I didn't buy it"
 * si-ndi-na-gúle "I haven't bought it yet"

Certain tenses also have a different tonal pattern when used in a positive relative clause. For example, the potential tense is normally toneless, but in a relative clause it acquires a tone on the first and penultimate syllables. The tone of an object-marker such as -tí- below is lost:
 * a-nga-tí-fotokozere "they can explain to us"
 * (améné) á-nga-ti-fotokozére "who can explain to us"

Not all tenses change their tonal pattern in a relative clause. Negative tenses do not change, and those positive tenses which already have a tone on the first syllable do not change.

In addition to the tones added to the verb by the tonal pattern of the tense, some verb-stems and certain suffixes have their own tone, which is heard on the final syllable. This tone is not heard, however, in tenses such as the Present Habitual where the tonal pattern places a tone on the penultimate syllable. The distinction is also lost in the subjunctive, where the tonal pattern places a tone on the final even in low-toned stems:
 * nda-thandiza "I have helped"
 * nda-thamangá "I have run"
 * ndí-ma-thandíza "I usually help"
 * ndí-ma-thamánga "I usually run"
 * ndi-thandizé "I should help"
 * ndi-thamangé "I should run"

Another factor affecting the tones of a verb is that when a verb is followed by an object or a place-argument, the tone usually spreads:
 * mú-ma-khála "you stay"
 * mú-ma-khálá kuti? "where do you live?"

Aspect-Markers
Following the tense-marker it is possible to add one or more aspect-markers, which are infixes which modify the meaning of the tense. There are four commonly used aspect-markers, which when combined are usually added in the order: -ma-, -ka-, -dza-, -ngo-. A fifth aspect-marker ba(a) is less commonly found.

-ma-
-Ma- can be used in its own right as a tense-marker to make the imperfect tense:
 * Ndimathándiza "I was helping" (with tone on the syllable following -ma-)

It can also be added to other tenses or to the infinitive to make the aspect habitual:
 * Usachíte "don't do", vs. usamáchíté "don't keep on doing"
 * Ndikagula "if I buy", vs. ndikamágúlá "whenever I buy"
 * Ndíthándiza "I'll help", vs. ndímathandíza "I help regularly"
 * Kuthándiza "to help", vs. kumáthandíza "to help regularly"

It is not combined with the perfect tense, or with any of the tenses with -na-, -naa- or -da-, -daa-, since these tenses are always perfective in aspect.

-ka-
The meaning of -ka- is usually "go and...".
 * adákágula pétulo "he went and bought some petrol"

Sometimes it can mean "go in order to":
 * tidzápemphera "we will pray" vs. tidzákápemphera "we will go and pray"

In combination with the Present Simple tense it makes the Contingent Future (see below): "perhaps he'll help me (if I ask him)."
 * mwína ákándithandiza.

-dza-
The infix -dza- has various meanings. The first meaning is "come and...":
 * dzaonéni! "come and see!"

With an Infinitive or Subjunctive after a verb of coming, it can mean "in order to":
 * kuthándiza "to help" vs. ndabwera kudzáthandizá "I have come to help".

The second meaning is or "at a later time, in future":
 * zikadámúvuta "it would have caused him problems" vs. zikadádzámúvuta "it would have caused him problems later"

When combined with the Present Simple tense, it converts it to the Remote Future:
 * ndídzáthandiza "I will help" (tomorrow or later)

-ngo-
The aspect-marker -ngo- means "just". As it is derived from the Infinitive, the tone, as in the Infinitive itself, goes on the syllable following -ngo-, and the final vowel is always -a, never -e:
 * Ndimafúna "I wanted", vs. Ndimángofúna "I just wanted".

-ba-
Another much less commonly used aspect-marker is -ba- or -baa-, which can be added to the present tense, subjunctive, or imperative. Mchombo gives this example: "You go ahead, while I (continue to) complete this job."
 * Inu tsogolani, ine ndíbámalízá ntchítoyi.

Downing and Mtenje call this aspect the "continuative", and write the infix as -báa. The similarity in meaning suggests that it may derive from the idiom ndíyamba ndámálizá "I'll begin by finishing".

For examples of this aspect-marker used with the subjunctive and imperative, see below.

Time and aspect of tenses
Chichewa makes distinctions which are sometimes not found in other languages, for example, the distinction between near and remote past, or between perfective and imperfect aspect. Some tenses, such as the toneless -ka- tense, are used only to make conditional or temporal clauses.

Near and remote tenses
Certain tenses in Chichewa, such as those with -ná-, -nká- and -dzá-, are used for events remote in time, while others are used mainly for events of today (including last night). However, although the remote tenses are never used for events of today, the opposite is not true. As one scholar Jack Mapanje puts it: "Although traditional and other grammarians have latched on to the idea of immediate, near or remote past or future time, this is not a hard and fast rule for our languages. Usually the decision as to how immediate, near or remote past or future time is from the speech time is dependent on subjective factors."

Present Simple
The Present Simple tense is formed without any tense-marker, but with a tone on the subject-prefix: ndíthandiza "I will help". In a verb of three or more syllables, the first tone often spreads, making ndíthándiza.

The Present Simple of the verb -li ("is") is irregular, in that it has no tone on the subject prefix: ndili "I am". But the tone on the first syllable is heard when the verb is used in a relative clause.

The Present Simple tense can be both perfective and imperfective in aspect. When the Present Simple is perfective, the meaning is usually immediate future (see below): "I'll carry the bags, don't trouble yourself."
 * Ndínyamula katúndu, musavutíke.

It can sometimes, however, be used perfectively referring to the present, for example in stage directions in a play: "The tailor comes out of the shop."
 * Télala átuluka m'sitólo.

It is also possible for the Present Simple to have an imperfective meaning. This was common in early Chichewa, but avoided today, as these two versions of the Bible illustrate: "The wind blows where it will." "The wind blows where it will (lit. usually blows to where it is wanting)."
 * Mphépo íomba pomwé ífuna. (1922 translation)
 * Mphépo ímaombéra komwé íkúfúna. (1998 translation)

With a non-dynamic verb such as "I love", "I know", "I want", "I believe", "I hope" and so on, the Present Simple can be used even today with present meaning: "I believe (I hope) you are well."
 * Ndíkhúlupirira muli bwino.

However, even with these verbs, it is more common these days to use the Present Continuous or Present Habitual instead.

Negative Present Simple
The Negative Present Simple tense (with tones on the first two syllables) can be used for the negative of a stative verb: "I don't know how to drive a car."
 * Ine síndídziwa kuyéndetsa gálímoto.

At other times it has a habitual meaning, and some authors consider it as being the negative of the Present Habitual. In the following example, the Present Habitual is used for the positive, but the Present Simple for the negative: "We eat sour-plums but we don't eat bitter-apples."
 * Nthénjere tímadyá koma nthúla sítidya.

With negative monosyllabic verbs, the present continuous is sometimes used, even though the meaning is habitual: "Many Malawians don't drink alcohol."
 * Amaláwi ámbíri sákumwá mowa.

However, sámwá and sámámwá are also possible here.

When the negative present simple has a future meaning, the tones change, and in common with other future tenses it has a single tone on the penultimate: si-ndi-thandíza "I won't help".

In relative clauses, both negative and positive, the tones are the same as in ordinary statements.

Present Habitual (-ma-)
The Present Habitual tense (ndí-ma-thandíza "I help, habitually") is formed by adding -ma- to the Present Simple tense. The tones are on the subject-marker and penultimate; the first tone never spreads. In relative clauses the tones do not change.

The Present Habitual is typically used for situations in the present which are repeated habitually or which are continuous and expected to continue indefinitely: "When it rains, the rivers get full." "I live in Lilongwe."
 * Mvúlá ikagwa, mitsínje ímadzála.
 * Ndímakhálá ku Lilongwe.

As noted above, the negative of this tense usually omits -ma-. However, the infix -má- (with a tone) can be added especially if the meaning is emphatic: "I never complain".
 * Síndímádandaulá.

The tense-marker -ma- appears to derive from an earlier -mba-. (-mba- is also used as a habitual marker in the Malawian variety of Chisena.) Kanerva (1990) records forms like ndíímaphíika "I cook", showing a long vowel in the first syllable in the Nkhotakota dialect; however, other dialects have a short vowel.

Present Continuous (-ku-)
The Present Continuous (or Present Progressive) tense uses the tense-marker -ku-, with the tone on the syllable immediately after -ku-: ndi-ku-thándiza "I am helping". The negative also has a tone in the same place: sí-ndí-ku-thándiza "I am not helping". (Since -ku- can also mean "you (sg.)", these words, with the intonation ndíkúthandiza and sindikuthandíza, can also mean "I will help you" and "I won't help you".)

It is used much like the English present continuous for temporary situations which are not expected to continue for long. It can also be used, as in English, for events which are already planned, e.g. "I'm going to Zambia next week" or which are still incompleted but under way: "I'm going to the market." (now) "I'm going home tomorrow." "He's building a kitchen at his house."
 * Ndikupítá ku msika.
 * Ndikupítá kwáthu máwa.
 * Iyé akumángá khítchini kwáwo.

This tense is used in a wider range of contexts than the English equivalent, since it is also often used with stative verbs such as "know", "want", "remember", "believe", "expect", "think", "see": "Do you think that I don't know?" "What do you mean?"
 * Ukugániza kutí síndikudzíwa?
 * Ukuthánthauza chiyáni?

It is also used for performative verbs, such as ndikulónjeza "I promise", although some older speakers use the Present Simple in such contexts.

In some contexts the Present Continuous can be used where English uses the Perfect Continuous: "Since the devaluation of the currency things have been getting difficult."
 * Chigwetséreni ndalámayo zinthu zikuthína.

The longer form of this tense, ndinalí kuthándiza or ndínalí kuthándiza, mentioned in some older books, is not often used nowadays, the simpler form being much more common.

Present Frequentative (-kumá-)
A frequentative version of the Present Continuous tense can be made by combining the tense-marker -ku- with the aspect-marker -má-. It is generally used for situations which the speaker disapproves of. Again, the addition of -ma- is emphatic. The tones are on -ma- and the penultimate: "They are always causing a disturbance with radios."
 * Akumásokoséra ndí máwáilesi.

Present Persistive (-kada-)
This tense is formed with the tense-marker -kada-, -kana-, or -daka- and a single tone on the penultimate syllable: ndikadathandíza or ndidakathandíza "I am still helping". (This tone moves to the final in monosyllabic verbs.) It is most often used with the verb -li "be". With other verbs the tendency is to replace this tense with the suffix -be "still": ndikuthándizábe "I am still helping", but this suffix is not available with the verb -li, since ndilíbe has a different meaning, namely "I do not have". "The girl is still suffering." "Wages are still low."
 * Mwanáyo akadavutíka.
 * Malipiro akadalí wótsíka.

Sometimes the tense-marker -kada- is shortened to -ka-.

Another way of expressing "still" is a form in chi-...-re, but this is used only for a few verbs. The verb has a tone on the penultimate: "She's still in bed." "I found the taxi still waiting."
 * Ali chigonére.
 * Taxí ndináyípézá ílí chiyimíre.

For the participial form of the persistive tense, see below.

Perfect tense
A perfect tense is usually defined as one which indicates the continuing present relevance of a past situation. Thus the use of the Perfect tense in the sentence "I have lost my penknife" indicates that the penknife is still missing.

Several different typical uses of perfect tenses are distinguished in linguistics textbooks: the Perfect of Result (e.g. "I have lost my penknife"); the Experiential Perfect (e.g. "Bill has been to America (at least once)"); the Perfect of Persistent Situation (e.g. "I've been waiting for hours"); and the Perfect of Recent Past (e.g. "I've seen her this morning"). All of these uses can be found in the Chichewa Perfect.

In English, the use of the Perfect is incompatible with a time adverb referring to a time completely in the past (e.g. "yesterday"). However, this is not necessarily the case in all languages; in Spanish, for example, the Perfect is compatible with an adverb such as ayer "yesterday". As will be seen below, Chichewa may also combine the Perfect with a past time adverb.

The Perfect Simple tense in Chichewa is formed as described above with the tense-marker -a-, e.g. nd-a-gula "I have bought (some)". It is toneless, unless the verb-stem itself has a tone (e.g. nd-a-topá "I am tired"). There is no exact negative, although a particular intonation of the negative past with the tone on the penultimate only is often regarded as the equivalent of a negative Perfect (si-ndi-na-gúle "I haven't bought it yet").

Perfect of result
As with the English Perfect, the Perfect tense is often used as a perfect of result, usually referring to very recent events: "Oh no! My phone's been stolen!" (implying that it is still lost)
 * Máyo! Sélula yángá yabedwa!

Unlike the English Perfect, it is possible to combine it with an adverb of time such as "at ten o'clock": "We found him at ten o'clock."
 * Tamúpézá pa téni koloko.

Perfect of experience
As in English also it can be used as a Perfect of experience to describe something which has happened once or more and which may happen again: "I've been back to Chitipa three times."
 * Ndapitánsó ku Chitípa katátu.

Adding the suffix -po gives the meaning "at times" or "sometimes": "I myself have at times seen people doing this."
 * Ine ndaonápo anthu ákúchíta izi.

Perfect with present meaning
A usage of the perfect tense unfamiliar in English but common in other Bantu languages such as Swahili is to express a present state resulting from a recent event. For example, "he is wearing a suit" is expressed in Chichewa as "he has put on a suit"; "he is sitting on a chair" is expressed as "he has sat down on a chair"; "I am tired" is expressed as "I have become tired", and so on. "He's wearing a suit." (literally "he has put on a suit") "Those mangoes are ripe." (lit. "have ripened") "I am tired." (lit. "I have become tired") "She's sitting in the kitchen (right now)" "How is it possible?" "This money is (too) little." "There are (too) many people." "How is living in a grass-roofed house different from living in one with a tin roof?"
 * Wavala súti.
 * Mangó aja apsa.
 * Ndatopá.
 * Wakhala m'khítchini.
 * Zatheká bwánji?
 * Ndalámazi zachepa.
 * Anthu achuluka.
 * Kukhála m'nyumbá zá údzú ndí zámálata kwasiyaná bwánji?

To express the past version of such situations ("he was wearing a suit") the Recent Past or Remote Past is used.

Perfect continuous meaning
The Perfect tense of the verb -khala ("stay" or "be") either by itself or combined with another verb is used as the equivalent of the English Perfect Continuous to express a situation which began some time ago but which is still continuing now: "I've been here for five months." "We've been working since Monday." "He has been standing for many hours."
 * Ndakhala pano (kwá) miyezí isanu.
 * Takhala tíkúgwíra ntchíto kuyámbira Lólémba.
 * Akhala chiimíre kwá máólá ámbíri.

The construction using forms such as takhala tíkúgíra is not mentioned in any of the early writers on Chichewa grammar and so is perhaps a recent development in Chichewa.

Relative clause intonation of Perfect
The relative clause intonation of the Perfect Simple has a tone on the first syllable (which may link or spread) and another on the penultimate (which may shift).

It may be used as an adjective: "Last year (lit. the year which has finished)." "Last month (lit. that month which has gone)."
 * Chaká chátha.
 * Mwezí wápítáwo.

It can also be used as a noun, with the noun it describes being understood: "The deceased (person)." "The (person) sitting on the chair is who?" "This (radio station) which you have opened is Z.B.S.", i.e. "You are listening to the Z.B.S."
 * Wámwáliráyo.
 * Wákhálá pampando ndaní?
 * Mwátsékuláyi ndi Z.B.S.

Thirdly it can be used in a construction with any tense of the verb yamba "begin" to mean "begin by doing": "Eat some nsíma first, then let's talk." (literally, "begin (when) you have eaten nsíma") "Before we say anything else, let's start by seeing the girl."
 * Yambani mwádyá nsíma, tikambirané.
 * Tísadanéne chína chílíchonsé tiyambé támúoná munthuyo.

-ná- and -dá-
The Remote Perfect (or Past Simple) tense (e.g. ndinábwera or ndidábwera "I came") uses the tense-marker -ná- or -dá-. The difference is partly regional, since -dá- is heard mainly in parts of the Central Region, especially in the area around Lilongwe, while -na- is used in the Southern Region. Since the first President of Malawi, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, wished to standardise the language and to make the Central Region variety the basis of that standard, -da- was chosen as the correct form to be used in written Chichewa for this tense. Banda is said to have declared: "The real Chichewa is what is spoken by the villagers in Dowa, Lilongwe, Dedza, Salima; in the Southern Region, Namkumba's area in Fort Johnston." Thus -da- has come to be used as the standard form in written Chichewa, and books describing the language for Malawian schools allow only -da- as the Remote Perfect tense-marker. Colloquially, however, -ná- seems to be more common, and is the form given for this tense in the majority of publications describing Chichewa grammar. In the older 1922 translation of the Bible, -na- is more commonly used than -da- (although -da- is used occasionally), whereas in the more recent translation of 1998, -da- is the usual past tense marker except for the Recent Past.

The tone is on the tense-marker itself. In longer verbs in some dialects this tone spreads forward one syllable: a-ná-landira / a-ná-lándira "he/she (has) received". In relative clauses, the tones are on the first syllable and penultimate: á-na-landíra or á-ná-landíra "(he who) received".

This tense is sometimes referred to as the "Past" or "Simple Past". However, the descriptions given by several authors make it clear that, except in its use in narrative, it should be classified as one of the perfect tenses, since like the Perfect it usually carries the implication that the effect of the action still holds. Watkins calls it the "Remote Past With Present Influence". It refers to events of yesterday or earlier.

Remote Perfect of result
One common use is as a perfect of result, referring to an event which happened before today, but whose result is still true at the time of speaking: "He came some time ago (and is still here)." "He went home (supposes that he did not turn back)." "He has eaten (and is not now hungry)"
 * Anábwera.
 * Adápita kumudzi.
 * Adádya.

It can be used with a past time adverb such as "yesterday" or "last year". "When this happens the 'perfect meaning' of the utterance is not lost" (Mapanje). "He died last year."
 * Anáfa chaká chátha.

As Watkins noted, this is the appropriate tense to use to describe the creation of the world, since the result of the creation is still evident: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
 * Pachiyámbi Mulungu adálenga kumwambá ndí dzíkó lápánsí.

The Remote Perfect can also be used with adverbs such as masíkú ano "these days" and "pano "at present" to describe a change that has come about, but not recently: "These days football has changed a lot." "Nowadays these things have become rare."
 * Masíkú ano mpira unásintha kwámbíri.
 * Pano zidáchepa.

Remote Perfect of experience
Like the Perfect, it can also be used experientially. In this sense, often -po or -ko is added to the verb. "I have lived in Africa twice." "I met this man once only." "Chibambo has taught in various secondary schools."
 * Ndinákhala ku África kawíri.
 * Ndidákumana náye mwamúnayo kamódzi.
 * A Chibambo adáphunzitsápo m'sukúlú zá sékondale zósíyanásiyaná.

Remote Perfect in narrative
Another use is in narrative: "I was walking in the forest. Suddenly I stepped on a snake."
 * Ndinkáyéndá m'nkhalangó. Mwádzídzidzi ndidáponda njóka.

The narrative Remote Perfect is typically used for the action in novels and short stories and in narratives such as the 1998 Bible translation. In this usage, it has the meaning of a simple past tense, and the implication that the result of the action still holds does not apply.

Negative of the Remote Perfect
The negative of this tense has the final vowel -e. There are two different intonations with different meanings. The second of these, which has a tone on the penultimate syllable only, serves as the negative of the perfect tense: "I didn't go." "I haven't gone."
 * Síndínapíte.
 * Sindinapíte.

The second of these intonations is also used when the Remote Perfect is used experientially: "I have never been."
 * Sindinapítépó.

The first of these intonations has tones on both the negative prefix sí- and the subject marker. In the 3rd person singular and plural, the syllables sí-á- usually coalesce to sá-: "He didn't come." "He hasn't come yet."
 * Sánabwére.
 * Sanabwére.

In monosyllabic verbs the intonations are as follows: "He didn't eat." "He hasn't eaten yet."
 * Sánadyé.
 * Sanádye.

Since the negative of the Recent Past is rarely used in modern Chichewa, the Remote Perfect negative is used instead. When negative, therefore, this tense can refer to events of today as well as events in the more remote past.

Relative clause intonation
When used in a relative clause, the intonation of the verb changes, with one tone on the first syllable (which may spread) and one on the penultimate, which is shifted to the final when the verb has two syllables or one. An object-marker, if present, loses its tone except if the verb is monosyllabic. "We received this letter which you wrote."
 * Tidálandira kálata iyi iméné múdalembá.
 * Sákudzíwa chomwé chína mú pha mchemwalí wákéyo. "He does not know what killed his sister."

Past tenses
The past tenses in Chichewa differ from the perfect tenses in that they generally describe situations which were true in the past but of which the results no longer apply at the present time. Thus Maxson describes the Recent Past and the Remote Past as both implying that the situation has been "reversed or interrupted by another action". According to Watkins, the Remote Past tense would be appropriate in a sentence such as "Jesus Christ died (but rose again)"; whereas it would not be appropriate in the sentence "God created the world" since it would imply that the creation was cancelled and "a second creator did a more enduring piece of work". Similarly, according to Kulemeka, the Recent Past would be inappropriate in a sentence such as "our cat died", since it would imply that the act of dying was not permanent but would allow the possibility that the cat could come to life again at some future time.

These two tenses, therefore, appear to differ from the English past tense (which is neutral in implication), and would seem to belong to the category of past tenses known in modern linguistics as discontinuous past. Just as the Perfect and the Past Simple both carry the implication that the action had an enduring effect which continues to the present time, so the Recent Past and Remote Past carry the opposite implication, that the action was not permanent but was reversed or cancelled by a later action.

The Recent Past tense can also be used for narrating events that occurred earlier on the day of speaking. (The use of the Perfect tense for narrative as described by Watkins is now apparently obsolete). However, for narrating a series of events of yesterday or earlier, the Remote Perfect tense is used.

Recent Past (-na-)
The Recent Past is made with the tense-marker -na-. The tone comes on the syllable immediately after -na-: ndinathándiza "I helped (but...)".

For the Recent Past tense, -na- is preferred. -da- is regarded as incorrect by Malawian teachers for events of today, but is sometimes heard colloquially.

The Recent Past is most often used for events of today, but it can also be used of earlier events. Although it can be used for simple narrative of events of earlier today, it usually carries the implication that the result of the action no longer holds true: "He went to Zomba, but he has come back." "I (had) put it in my pocket (but it isn't there now)." "He came just now (but has gone away again)."
 * Anapítá ku Zombá, koma wabweráko.
 * Ndinaíká m'thumba.
 * Anabwéra.

With the same verbs in which the Perfect tense describes a state in the present, the Recent Past describes a state in the recent past: "He was wearing a suit" (literally, "he had put on a suit"). "He was sitting nearby." "Were you carrying anyone else in the car, sir?"
 * Anaválá súti (= Analí átáválá súti).
 * Anakhálá pafúpi.
 * Kodí bambo, munanyámula munthu wína áliyensé m'gálímoto?

It can also be used, however, as a simple past tense for narrative of events of earlier today: "I was walking in the forest. Suddenly I stepped on a snake."
 * Ndimayéndá m'nkhalangó. Mwádzídzidzi ndinapóndá njóka.

Although the tenses with -na- are usually perfective, the verb -li "be" is exceptional since the Recent Past and Remote Past in this tense usually have an imperfective meaning: "I was very pleased."
 * Ndinalí wókóndwa kwámbíri.

A negative form of this tense (síndínafótókoza "I didn't explain", with a tone following na, and with the ending -a) is recorded by Mtenje. However, the negative seems to be rarely if ever used in modern standard Chichewa, and it is not mentioned by most other writers. Instead, the negative of the Remote Perfect (síndínafotokóze, with tones on the first and penultimate, and with the ending -e) is generally used.

Remote Past (-dáa- / -náa-)
For the Remote Past tense, some dialects use -naa- and others -daa-. In some books, such as the 1998 Bible translation, Buku Loyera, this tense-marker is always spelled -daa-, but in other publications the spelling -na- or -da- is used, so that only the context makes it clear whether the Past Simple or the Remote Past is intended.

There are tones on the 1st, 2nd, and penultimate syllables. The first tone or the second tone can be omitted: ndi-ná-a-gúla; ndí-na-a-gúla "I (had) bought (but...)". This tense is a remote one, used of events of yesterday or earlier. The a of the tense-marker is always long, even though it is often written with a single vowel.

As might be expected of a tense which combines the past tense marker -na- or -da- and the Perfect tense marker -a-, this tense can have the meaning of a Pluperfect: "Inside the passport they had stamped a visa." "A large crowd followed him, because they had seen amazing signs."
 * Mkatí mwá chítupamo ádâdíndá chilolezo.
 * Khamú lálíkúlu lidámtsatira, chifukwá lídáaóná zizindikiro zózízwitsa.

It can also be used to describe a situation in the distant past, using the same verbs which are used in the Perfect tense to describe a situation in the present: "A fat woman was standing outside; in her hand she was carrying a packet of beer." "I found certain girl sitting on the sand; she was wearing a chitenje."
 * Kunjáko kúdâyíma máyi wónénepa. Mmanja ádanyamúla páketi yá mowa.
 * Ndidápézá msúngwana wína átátámbalalá pamchenga. Ádâválá chitenje.

The same meaning is often expressed with a compound verb: adáli átávála chitenje (see below for examples.)

Another common use of this tense is as a discontinuous past, expressing a situation in the past which later came to be cancelled or reversed: "I received some coupons but I sold them." "Her friends tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen." "The sheep was lost (but has been found)." "He was born blind (but has regained his sight)."
 * Ndídáalandírá makúponi koma ndidágulitsa.
 * Anzáke ádáamulétsa, iyé sádamvére.
 * Nkhósa ídáatayíka.
 * Ádáabádwa wósapénya.

Imperfect tense (-ma-)
The usual Past Imperfective tense, or simply the Imperfect tense, is made with the tense-marker -ma-. The tones are the same as for the Present Continuous and the Recent Past, that is, there is a tone on the syllable immediately after -ma. The negative also has a tone after -ma-: síndímathándiza "I wasn't helping". This tense can refer either to very recent time or to remote time in the past:

The imperfect sometimes has a progressive meaning: "Forgive me. I was doing wrong." "Ha! Was I dreaming?" "At that time where were you coming from?"
 * Ndikhúlúlukiréni. Ndimalákwa.
 * Haaa! Kodí ndimalóta?
 * Ntháwi iméneyo umachókera kuti?

It can also be used for habitual events in the past: "In class we used to sit together."
 * M'kalási timakhálira limódzi.

The negative also has a tone on the syllable following the infix -ma-, as well as one on si-: "I didn't know that you had arrived."
 * Síndímadzíwa kutí mwafika.

Remote Imperfect (-nká-)
Remote Imperfect or Remote Past Imperfective is formed with the tense-marker -nka-. There are tones on nká and on the penultimate: ndinkáthandíza "I was helping/ used to help". It refers to events of yesterday or earlier. Since the Past Imperfective with -ma- can be used of both near and remote events, whereas -nka- can be used only for remote ones, the -nka- tense is perhaps less commonly used.

This tense is used for both habitual events in the distant past, and progressive events in the distant past: "Last year he used to go to school, but this year he just stays at home." "I was walking in the forest."
 * Chaká chátha ankápítá kusukúlu, koma chaká chino amángokhála.
 * Ndinkáyéndá m'nkhalangó.

The tense-marker -nká-, which is pronounced with two syllables, is possibly derived from the verb muká or mká 'go'.

Present Simple as future
The Present Simple, as noted above, is often used for events in the near or immediate future: "I'll give you a ring when I arrive."
 * Ndíyimba fóni ndikafika.

Usually it refers to events of today, but it can also be used for tomorrow or even later times: "We'll meet tomorrow." "You'll be fine tomorrow, I promise."
 * Tíkúmana máwa.
 * Máwa úkhala bwino. Ndikulónjeza.

The negative of this tense has a single tone on the penultimate syllable: "I'm not going to go to the wedding."
 * Ine sindipíta kuukwati.

-dzá-
For events in a "general or more distant future (not today)" the Future Tense with -dza- is used. Some dialects put a tone on the first two syllables (e.g. ndídzáthándiza "I will help"); more frequently authors report a tone on -dzá- only (ndidzáthandiza); Downing & Mtenje (2017), pp. 163–4. In longer verbs the tone of -dza- may spread to the following syllable. "One day I too am going to be a reporter." "What are you going to do when you leave school?" "I will love you all my life." "What are they going to eat at harvest time?"
 * Tsíku lína nánénsó ndidzákhala mtolankháni.
 * Ukamaliza sukúlu udzápangánji?
 * Ine ndídzákúkondá moyo wánga wónse.
 * Ádzádyá chiyáni nyengo yókólola?

In the negative, as with most negative future tenses, there is a single tone on the penultimate (in monosyllables the tone is heard on -dzá-). All other tones earlier in the word are deleted. Often the meaning of this negative tense is "will never": "We will never forget him."
 * Ife sitidzamuiwála.

Adding -nso to this tense gives the meaning "never again": "From that time on I swore that I would never again fall in love."
 * Kuchókera pomwépo ndidálumbira kutí sindidzágwánsó m'chikóndi.

-ká-
Another future tense is formed with -ka-, with the same tones as -dza-. It usually refers to events in the near future. Maxson characterises this tense as follows: "The sense sometimes seems to be that the action will take place in relation to or dependent on something else. It might presuppose an unspoken conditional clause." The name "Contingent Future" was suggested by Henry (1891), as opposed to the -dza- Future, which he called the "Indefinite Future". "You'll find me at work (when you come)." "You'll find the keys with the security guards (if you go there)." "Perhaps he'll help me (if I ask him)."
 * Mukándípezá kuntchíto.
 * Makíyi mukáwápezá ndí álónda.
 * Mwína akándithandiza.

The future tense-marker -ka- is not to be confused with the aspect-marker -ka- "go and", which can be used combined with various tenses, for example: "I'll go and get it from the bank."
 * Ndikátenga pa bánki.

-zi-
Another future tense can be made with the tense-marker -zi-, with tones on the initial syllable and penultimate. This usually refers to a situation in the near future, and has an imperfective meaning: "The train will be leaving soon."
 * Sitíma ízinyamúka.

In the negative, the tones are on -zi- and on the penultimate syllable: "He will not be representing Malawi again."
 * Sazíyimíránsó Maláwi.

In some dialects, -zi- in this tense and the Imperfect Subjunctive becomes -dzi-.

-zidza-
The -zidza- Future is an imperfective tense referring to events that will regularly take place in the distant future. The tones are on the initial syllable (which may spread) and the penultimate: "What sort of work will it be? How much money will I be getting?"
 * Idzákhala ntchító yánji? Ndízidzalandírá ndaláma zingáti?

The tense-marker -zika- is sometimes used in place of -zidza-, perhaps with the implication that the events will take place elsewhere: "We will be going to eat pumpkins."
 * Tízíkádya maúngu.

These two tenses, -zidza- and -zika-, can also be used in temporal clauses referring to future time (see below).

-madza-
Another tense referring to events in the distant future is -madza-, which means "it will usually happen". The tones are on the initial and penultimate syllables: "When a person is arrogant and overconfident it will usually happen that one day he will be brought down to earth." "Something that flies generally has one day when it will usually happen that it will come down to land."
 * Munthu wódzítukumúla ndí wódzíthémbá tsíkú líná ámadzamutsítsa.
 * Chówúlúká chímakhála ndí tsíkú limódzi lomwé chímadzatéra.

Present Potential (-nga-)
The Present Potential is made with the tense-marker -nga- and the final vowel -e-. It is toneless, unless the verb-stem itself has a tone.

Although sometimes referring to the present, this tense more often refers to something that might happen in the future. It can be translated "can", "could", "may", or "might": "Could you help me?" "Could I borrow your bike?" "Ride the bike carefully, in case you crash into a tree." "I am scared that he might hit me."
 * Kodí mungandíthandize?
 * Ndingabwerekéko njíngá yánû?
 * Yendetsani bwino njingá, mungagunde mténgo.
 * Ndikuópa kutí angandímenye.

The negative has tones on the tense-marker and penultimate: sindingáthandíze "I can't help"; there is an alternative pronunciation: síndíngathandíze. "I can't agree to that."
 * Sindingávomerézé ziménezo.

The relative clause form of this tense has tones on the first and penultimate syllables: "There is nothing he can do."
 * Palíbe chomwé ángachíte.

Frequently this tense is used with the verb -tha "be able": "You can go home."
 * Mungathe kupítá kwánu.

The aspect-marker -dza- can be added to this tense: angadzáthandize "he might one day help".

In conditional clauses referring to a hypothetical situation in the future, -nga- can mean "would". (See below.)

Perfect Potential (-kadá-)
This tense is made with -kadá-, -kaná-, or -daká-. There is a tone on the second syllable of the tense-marker. The meaning is "I would have done", "I could have done". "I would have helped."
 * Ndikadáthandiza.

The negative is síndíkadáthandiza "I would not have helped". "He had no option but to run away." (Literally, "he couldn't have done differently.")
 * Sákadáchitira mwína koma kutháwa

Sometimes the aspect-marker -ma- is added to this tense to make it imperfective. It adds an extra tone on the penultimate: "I would be helping; I could have been helping". "They are depriving us of the opportunity to do small businesses which we Malawians could have been doing ourselves."
 * Ndikanámathandíza.
 * Akutíphangirá mwayi wóchítá malónda áng'ónoang'óno améne tíkanamachíta ife Amaláwi.

The aspect markers -ká- and -dzá- may also be added: ndikadádzáthándiza "I would have helped later". "He knew that if anything were to happen, it would cause him problems later."
 * Adádziŵa kutí ngati chílichonsé chíkadachitíka, zikadádzámúvuta.

Further information is given under Conditional Clauses below.

Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive has no tense-marker; the final vowel changes to -e, which has a tone, for example ndithandizé "I should help". When an object-marker is added to the subjunctive, there is another tone following the object-marker, e.g. mundifótokozeré "please explain to me". In shorter verbs the tones are: mundithándízé "please help me", mundipátse "please give me", muzídye "please eat them".

The subjunctive usually expresses "either an order, or a wish, or an invitation to do something." It can be a polite form of the imperative, or be used as the imperative of the 3rd person, or make suggestions for the 1st person: "Please give it to me." "Let him come at once!" (an order, not permission). "Where should we go?" "The Government should do something about it."
 * Mundipátse.
 * Abweré msánga!
 * Tipité kuti?
 * Bóma lichitépó kanthu.

When the aspect-marker -ká- 'go and' is added, there are tones on -ka- and the penultimate: "Let's go and swim!"
 * Tikásambíre!

The negative, which has the negative-marker -sa- after the subject-marker, has a single tone on the penultimate: "He shouldn't come tomorrow."
 * Asabwéré máwa.

The subjunctive can also be used in various subordinate clause constructions, for example to express purpose or a wish or an indirect command: "I lent him the bicycle so that he would arrive quickly." "I want you to come tomorrow." "We told them to sleep." (lit. "that they should sleep")
 * Ndinámubwereká njingá kutí afiké msánga.
 * Ndífuna mubweré máwa.
 * Tinawáúzá (kutí) agoné.

Other clauses where the subjunctive can be used are those where the meaning is "such as", and, as an alternative to an infinitive, after m'maló mótí "instead of": "I won't have time to chat with him." (lit. "such as I may chat") "Instead of mending the bicycle, he has completely broken it."
 * Sindipézá ntháwi yótí ndichezé náye.
 * M'maló mótí akonzé njíngá, waíwononga kweníkwéní.

It can also be used with the relative clause intonation, after ngati "if" and when the meaning is "if it should be the case that...": "If you like this song you are about to hear..."
 * Ngati múkondé nyímbo múmvetseréyi...

Another situation where the subjunctive is used is after ngakhálé 'although': "I'll go whether it rains or not."
 * Ndípita ngakhále mvúla igwé kapená ayí.

Future subjunctive (-dzá-)
If -dzá- is added to the subjunctive it refers to something that should happen or which may happen later. Sometimes it is used in purpose clauses: "I popped them (my shoes) in the car so that I could put them on later when I go into Shoprite." "She wants to come here so that she can see me.
 * Ndinazípónyá m'gálímotomu kutí ndidzáválé pólówa mu Shoprite.
 * Akufúna kubwérá kuno kutí adzándiwóne.

It can express a wish for the future: "One day he wants to show the pictures which he has been taking." "It is the aim of this school to teach those who (it is hoped) in future may help farmers."
 * Ámafúna tsíkú liná adzáonétse zithúnzi zomwé wákhálá ákújámbula.
 * Ndichólínga chásúkúluyi kuphúnzítsá omwé ádzathandizé alimi.

It can also be used for an event which might or might not happen in future: "He hasn't yet decided what he might do when he grows up." "It's impossible that I should be alone on Valentine's Day." "A day will come when you and I may meet each other."
 * Sanatsimikízébé chótí adzáchíté akadzákula.
 * N'zósathéka kutí ndidzákhálé ndékha pa valentine.
 * Tsíku lidzáfika lomwé iwe ndí ine tídzakumané.

A further use is in certain kinds of temporal clauses referring to the future, for which see below.

Subjunctive with -ká-
The aspect-marker -ká- means "go and...". It is often added to the subjunctive to indicate something which is desired to happen or which may happen at another place. It can be used in a purpose clause: "We hurried to join the queue so that we could find some petrol." "My journey was to Chilomoni so that I could meet a certain girl."
 * Tináthamangirá pamzere kutí tikápézé mafúta.
 * Ulendó wángá událi wá ku Chilómóní kutí ndikákumáne ndí msúngwana wína.

It can also be an indirect command or a wish: "I asked her to dance (that we should go and dance)." "Sautso received a message that he should go and meet them." "She wants me to accompany her to Shoprite; there are things she wants to buy there."
 * Ndidámúfunsa kutí tikávíné.
 * Sautso adálandira uthénga kutí akákumáné náwo.
 * Akufúna ndikámperekéze ku Shoprite, pali zótí akágúlé.

It can refer to something which might happen at another place: "I was beginning to think about the things which I might find when I arrived at the village."
 * Ndimayámba kugánízira zomwé ndíkapezé ndikafika kumudziko.

Another use for this tense is in temporal clauses referring to the future, for which see below.

-zí- / -dzí- subjunctive (necessitative)
An imperfective form of the subjunctive is made by adding the tense-marker -zi-. There are tones on -zí- and on the penultimate. It is referred to by Downing and Mtenje as the "necessitative" tense. The final vowel is -a: ndizíthandíza "I should be helping".

This tense can express an obligation that should be carried out regularly or at all times, or as a "habit or general requirement": "You must (always) respect your parents."
 * Muzílemekézá makóló anú.

Just as with the ordinary subjunctive, it can also be used in purpose clauses after kutí "that": "I bought the phone so that I could be keeping in touch with my friends."
 * Fóni ndidágula kutí ndizílumikizáná ndí ánzánga.

Another of its uses is to express a "strong obligation equivalent to an order" (Salaun): "That man should go home!"
 * Munthuyo azípítá kwáwo.

As with the imperfective future, in some regions -zí- can be replaced with -dzí-.

The negative of this tense is expressed not with -zí- but by adding -má- to the negative subjunctive:

"My parents taught me that I should never be cruel to women and that I should always look after my wife."
 * Makóló angá anándíphunzitsá kutí ndisamáchíté nkhanza kwá ámáyi ndipó kutí mkázi ndizímusamála.

Continuative subjunctive (-ba-)
Another kind of subjunctive, much less common than the two described above, is a tense with the aspect-marker -ba- (pronounced -báa-, with a second tone on the penultimate) which means "let's do it while waiting for something else to happen": "The teacher hasn't come yet; let's go and play meanwhile." "Right now, come on, let's have a drink meanwhile." "They told the people that they should carry on making preparations while the chiefs went to inform the senior chief."
 * Mphunzitsi sanafíke; tibâkasewéra.
 * Panopa tíye tibáamwá.
 * Adáwuza anthuwo kutí abâkonzekéra paméne mafúmu ákúkádziwitsa mfúmu yáíkúlu.

It seems possible that -ba- has developed by contraction from the construction yamba "begin" plus the perfect participle described above.

-ta- subjunctive
A form of the verb with -ta- can be used to express sentences of the kind "Let me do it" or "May I do it", referring to an action which the speaker would like to see done at once. There is a tone on the syllable after -ta-. Unlike the more common participial -ta-, there is no tone on the first syllable: "Let me see!" "Let me ask you one thing."
 * Nditaóna!
 * Nditakúfunsáni chinthu chimódzi.

These same three prefixes, zi-, ba-, and ta- can also be added to the imperative, with similar meanings (see below).

Basic Imperative
The imperative is the command form of the verb. In Chichewa its basic form consists of the verb stem and final vowel -a. The suffix -ni is added to make it plural or more respectful. The imperative is toneless unless the verb-stem itself has a tone: "Go and fetch the car!" (familiar, 2nd person singular) "Go well!" (plural or respectful) (root pita) (more polite, using the plural -ni) "Stay well!" (root tsalá)
 * Pita katengé gálímotoyo.
 * Pitani bwino!
 * Tsalání bwino!

If the verb-stem is monosyllabic, however, such as -dya "eat", a supporting i- is added before it: "Please eat some nsíma." (-ko is added for politeness.)
 * Idyaníko nsíma.

An idiom "very widespread" among Bantu languages, according to Meeussen, is that if a series of commands is given, usually only the first is imperative, the second and third being subjunctive. This usually happens in Chichewa too: "Take out your money, put it on the ground, and be off!" "Come and see."
 * Tulutsani ndaláma, muyiké pansí muzípítá!
 * Bwera uoné.

Imperative with object-marker
If an object-marker is added to the basic imperative, the final vowel changes to -e, and the tones are similar to those in the Subjunctive, that is, the tone of the object-marker goes on the syllable which follows, and there is a second tone on the final -e: "Help me!"
 * Ndithándízéni!

But in verbs of one or two syllables, there is a single tone on the penultimate: "Give me!" "Eat it!"
 * Ndipátse! (or simply pátse!)
 * Ídye!

The imperative can be made less direct by adding the suffix -ko, which puts a tone on the syllable before it: "Give me some, please."
 * Pátseníko.

Imperative with other prefixes
The Imperative can also take the aspect-markers ka- "go and" and dza- "come and". In this case although ka- and dza- are toneless, the final vowel becomes -e with a tone: "Go and call your friend." "Come and see!"
 * Kaitané mnzáko.
 * Dzaonéni!

These two are derived from the imperative of the auxiliary verbs mka "go" and -dza "come" plus the subjunctive; so that dzaoné is derived from idza uoné "come so that you may see".

The prefix -ngo- "just" can also be added, with the supporting vowel i. In this case the final vowel is always -a and there is a tone on the syllable after -ngo-: "Just come!"
 * Ingobwérani!

Like the Subjunctive, the Imperative can have the prefixes ta- (derived from the auxiliary verb chita "do" plus the infinitive), ba- "meanwhile", and zi- (imperfective). Ta- is fairly common and is used when the speaker wishes something to be done straightaway or is imploring. It puts a tone on the following syllable: "Please come (now)!"
 * Tabwéra!

This imperative with ta- can have an object-prefix added to it (the final vowel remains -a): "Please put it (the fire) out!"
 * Taúzímăni!

Ba- (pronounced baa) and zi- put a tone on the penultimate syllable (not counting the plural suffix -ni). These are less commonly used: "Carry on warming yourselves in the sun (while I fetch the teacher)." "Keep on reading."
 * Baothérani dzúwa.
 * Ziweréngani!

Negative Imperative
To make a negative command, either the negative subjunctive is used or a form (derived from the negative Infinitive) starting with ósa- (with tones on o- and the penultimate): "Don't eat those bananas." "Don't eat those bananas."
 * Musádye nthochízo.
 * Ósadyá nthochízo.

Adding the aspect-marker -má- to either of these gives the meaning "don't keep on doing..." or "never do". The final vowel of the negative subjunctive is usually -e: "Don't keep on doing stupid things!" "Don't keep telling lies, please!"
 * Usamáchíté zópúsa!
 * Ósamánámátú!

Infinitive
The Infinitive is formed with the prefix ku-, which is proclitic, that is, it puts a tone on the syllable following itself: kuthándiza "to help". The negative is made by adding -sa- after -ku-, and has a single tone on the penultimate: kusathandíza "not to help".

Ordinary uses of the Infinitive
The Infinitive can be used as the subject of a verb, in which case it is translated as a gerund: "Smoking damages the health."
 * Kusúta kúmaonóngá moyo.

It can also be the object of verbs such as "want", "be able", "like", "know how to" and so on: "I want to go." "I can't come." "I know how to type."
 * Ndikufúna kupíta.
 * Sindíthá kubwéra.
 * Ndímadzíwa kuchítá táipi.

With the infix -ka- or -dza- the Infinitive can be used to express purpose, following a verb of going or coming respectively: "I am going home to wash some clothes." "I have come to see you."
 * Ndikupítá kunyumbá kukáchápá zôvála.
 * Ndabwera kudzákúonáni.

But -dza- with the Infinitive can also simply have a future meaning, referring to an event or situation in the distant future: "I don't want to have a lot of children (lit. to be in future with a lot of children)."
 * Síndíkufúna kudzákhálá ndí áná ámbíri.

The infinitive also often has the habitual aspect-marker -má-, which adds an additional tone on the penultimate. "That lady began to visit the house regularly." "She won't be able to keep on paying the fees for me." "The children don't go to school but help their parents." "I used to steal cars and go and sell them in Mozambique."
 * Máyiyo adáyamba kumáfíká m'nyumbá.
 * Sangákwanítse kumándilipirírá fízi.
 * Aná sámápita ku sukúlu koma kumáthandízá azibambo áwo.
 * Ndimabá gálímoto ń'kúmákagulítsa ku Mozambíque.

-má- can also be added in sentences like the following that describe an event which takes place gradually: "If you don't want to wait, you can be on your way." "In that place various young men gradually began arriving."
 * Ngati símúkufúná kudíkira múkhoza kumápítá.
 * Pamalópo padáyamba kumáfíká anyamatá ósíyanásiyaná.

Another idiomatic use of the Infinitive is to represent the second of two verbs in the same tense which have the same subject. The Infinitive is preceded by ndí "and" (or after a negative koma "but"). The word ndí is often shortened to ń: "People harvest maize and roast it." "These thieves broke into a police station and beat up the policemen."
 * Anthu ámakolóla chímanga ndí kúócha.
 * Mbavazi zidáthyola polísi ń'kúményá ápólísi.

There was formerly another idiom of using the prefix na-, ni- or nu- (depending on the class concord) to represent the second of two past or perfect tenses; however, it is not much used in modern Chichewa: "He fell from his bike and broke his leg."
 * Ánagwá panjingá náthyóká mwendo.

Sometimes the Infinitive can be used as a tense in its own right, to create a vivid description: "Wajabu gets the ball, dribbles it, and passes to Keegan." "Brother, they say that the white man stood there and fired his gun, and that witch doctor was just laughing."
 * Wájabu kulándíra mpira, kudyétsá njomba, ndí kúpátsira Keegan.
 * Akutí achimwené mwaná wá mzungu kuíma apo ndí kúíphulitsá mfuti, ng'anga yáchíkúdayo kumángoséka.

The Infinitive can also follow the preposition pa "on", which combines with ku to make po- (with a low tone): "I have had difficulty in getting here."
 * Ndavutiká pobwérá kuno.

Adjectival Infinitive
The Infinitive is frequently combined with á "of" to make a verbal adjective or adverb. The syllables á and ku usually merge to become a high-toned ó, except when the verb is monosyllabic, when they usually remain separate. Thus ákuthándiza "of helping" is shortened to óthándiza, but ákúbá "of stealing" remains unshortened. Since á "of" changes to wá, yá, chá etc. according to the noun it refers to, the verbal adjective changes similarly.

Frequently this form of the Infinitive is used as an adjective or adjectival participle: "The road going (which goes) to Mwanza." "Are you married?" "A beautiful bicycle."
 * Njira yôpítá ku Mwanzá.
 * Ndinu ókwátira?
 * Njingá yókóngola.

It can also be used as a noun, with the noun it agrees with understood: "Clothes." (lit. "(things) of wearing") "Thieves." (lit. "(people) of stealing") "Exit." (lit. "(place) of going out") "The driver of the car." (lit. "(the person) of driving the car")
 * Zôvála.
 * Ákúbá.
 * Pótúlukira.
 * Wóyéndetsa gálímoto.

Another use is in combination with the prefix mwá-, contracted to mó-, to make an adverb: "Rapidly (lit. "in (a manner) of hurrying") "Without any haste."
 * Mófúlumira.
 * Mósafulumíra.

The prefix pó- (with a high tone) can also sometimes be used as an adverb. Pósachédwa usually means "soon" or "after a short time" (literally, "(at a time) of not being delayed"): "He's coming shortly." "Soon the vehicle began to move." "Rain will fall soon."
 * Akubwéra pósachédwa.
 * Pósachédwa gálímoto idáyamba kuyénda.
 * Mvúla ígwa pósachédwa.

Whereas the longer form pósachédwapa usually means "a short time ago". It is often used with the perfect or remote perfect tense: "I saw Hare a few moments ago." "Some people have just entered a moment ago." "He moved away a while ago; he's gone to Thyolo."
 * Pósachédwapa ndaona Kalulú.
 * Éna angolówa pósachédwapa.
 * Adásámukatú pósachédwapa; apita ku Thyólo.

The verb ganiza "think" combined with the zó- form of the Infinitive is a common way of saying "decide to": "I decided to go to the police."
 * Ndináganiza zópíta kupolísi.

The negative Infinitive with ósa- has various uses. It can be a command: "Do not enter."
 * Ósalówa.

At other times it is an adverb: "Without realising."
 * Ósazindikíra.

It can also be a noun: "Blind people."
 * Ósaóna.

The word ósatí (from the irregular verb -ti "say") is frequently used to mean "not": "Women, not men."
 * Akázi ósatí amúna.

Participial tenses
These tenses occur only in dependent clauses. They generally have relative clause intonation, that is, with a high tone on the subject-marker. In their usage they resemble participles in European languages, but differ from them in that they have a personal subject.

-ku-
This tense is resembles a present participle in meaning: ndíkúthándiza "while (I am/was) helping". It is formed like the Present Continuous, but with a tone on the first syllable as well as the third (the two tones link into a plateau). It can refer to the subject, object, or another noun in the sentence: "While I was walking I saw a man climbing a tree."
 * Ndíkúyénda ndinaóná munthu ákúkwérá mténgo.

The verb -li is again an exception, since in this tense it has no -ku-, but merely a tone on the first syllable: "He was very sick when he was a child."
 * Amadwála kwámbíri áli mwaná.

A negative of this tense is sometimes found, made with the negative-marker -sa-, which follows the subject-marker: "Without his realising."
 * Ásakuzíndikira.

The negative is often replaced by the negative verbal adjective starting with ósa-: ósazindikíra "without realising".

-kada-
The Persistive Present with -kada- etc. can also be used in a dependent form, especially with the verb -li. In this case there is also a tone on the initial syllable: "I began when I was still at school."
 * Ndidáyamba ndíkadalí ku sukúlu.

A frequent use is in the phrase pákádalí pano "at the present time" (lit. "it still being now"). "He is not available at present."
 * Sákupézéká pákádalí pano.

-ta-
This tense is formed in the same way, but with -ta- instead of -ku-. The meaning is usually "after doing something": "After getting up, she went to the market." "When he arrived we had already left." (lit. "He found us having left.") "We will finish this work after you've left."
 * Átádzúka, anapítá kumsika.
 * Anatípézá títáchóka.
 * Tidzátha ntchítoyi inu mútáchóka.

Combined with the aspect-marker -ngo-, it can mean "as soon as": "As soon as the boy appeared, all the other boys shouted mockingly."
 * Átángotúlukira mnyamatáyo, anyamatá ónse adákuwa mónyódola.

It can also be combined with the verbs -li and khala "be" to make compound tenses: "When I arrived home, (I found that) he had written two letters." "By now the sun had sunk very low." "At this time of year people have generally finished clearing the fields."
 * Ndítábwérá kumudzi ánalí átálémba makálata awíri.
 * Tsópánó dzúwa linálí lítápéndeka kwámbíri.
 * Ntháwi iméneyo anthu ámakhála átáthá kusósa.

The phrase pantháwiyi n'kutí with -ta- means "by this time': "By this time he had already eaten." "By this time all her friends had already got married." "By this time darkness had come over the place and most of the minibus drivers had finished work."
 * Ntháwiyi n'kutí átádyá kálé.
 * Pantháwiyi n'kutí anzáke ónse átákwátiwa.
 * Pantháwiyi nkutí mdíma útáténgá maló ndipó á míníbasi ámbíri ádalí átáwéruka.

Often this tense is used following a verb of wishing, when the thing wished for is unrealisable: "He wished he could be like his friend."
 * Amalákálaka átákhála ngati mnzáke.

Another use is in conditional sentences (see below).

It appears from Watkins (1937) that the tense-marker -ta- derives from a compound tense formed with the verb -ti "say" which has fused into a single verb. Thus átákhúta "after his hunger was satisfied" derives from an earlier wátí wákhúta.

-sana-
The opposite of -ta- is -sana- or -sada-, which means "not yet having done", i.e. "before doing". It can be used of past or future time: "He wants to plant the seed before the rain comes." "Last night I had gone to bed before my brother came."
 * Akufúna kudzálá mbéwu mvúlá ísanabwére.
 * Dzulo madzuló ndídâkagóna achimwené ásanabwére.

It can be combined with a past tense of -li: "He had not yet married." "They were things such as I had never seen before."
 * Ádalí ásadakwatíre.
 * Zidáli zótí n'kale lónse ndídalí ndísanaziónépó

In contexts such as the following it means "since": "It's been a while since we won the cup." (lit. "time has gone our not having taken the cup") "It's been a long time indeed since I saw him."
 * Papita ntháwi tísanaténgé chikho.
 * Patenga ntháwitú ndísadamuóne.

Temporal clauses
As well as the participial verbs above, temporal clauses in Chichewa meaning "when", "since", and "until" can also be made using conjunctions such as paméne, pomwé or m'méne. The tenses used in these clauses are often idiomatic, differing from those used in similar clauses in English. In most cases the verb in the temporal clause takes the relative clause intonation with a tone on the first syllable.

"When"
The usual conjunction for "when" is paméne, but m'méne and pomwé are also found.

If the main clause describes a situation in the past which was in progress at the time of an event described by a "when" clause, the verb in the "when" clause usually uses an imperfective tense, as in the examples below: "He was getting dressed when I entered (lit. was entering)." "I had already eaten when he arrived (lit. was arriving)." "John was winning the race when he fainted (lit. was fainting)." "When he woke up (lit. was waking up) it was morning."
 * Amavála paméné ndímálówa.
 * Ndídalí ndítádyá paméné ánkafíka.
 * Jóni amapámbana mjáhowo paméné ámákómóká.
 * Mméné ámádzídzimuká událi mmawá.

However, when there are two events, one following the other, the perfect tense is used in the "when" clause: "When he entered, he found his mother was lying on the floor."
 * Paméne ánalówa anápézá kutí amáyi aké agoná pansí.

The phrase apa ndi pomwé means "this is when" or "it was at this point that...": "This is when we got involved and locked them up in jail."
 * Apa ndi pomwé ife tínalowelérápó ndíkúwátsekerá mchitókosi.

Other tenses are possible in temporal clauses; for example, the following, which refer to a future time, use the future subjunctive: "When you see him, your hearts will be satisfied." "There's no phone network so we won't be able to talk to our friends all the time that we'll be there." "You will have eaten by the time I get to your house."
 * Paméné múdzamuóne mitímá yanú ídzákhutira.
 * Kulíbe network yá fóni chońcho sitidzátha kuyánkhula ndí ánzáthu pantháwi yónse tídzakhalé kuméneko.
 * Muúdzákhala mútádyá paméné ndídzafiké kwánu.

The following, also referring to an event in the distant future, use the future continuous subjunctive -zidza-: "He will have finished clearing the field by the time the rain starts." "By the time that uncle of yours gets to know, you will be already settled."
 * Ádzákhala átásósa paméné mvúla ízidzayámba.
 * Mméné malúmé angáwo ázidzadzíwa, inu mudzákhala mútákházikiká.

The following, describing an event later today, uses the continuous subjunctive -dzika-: "By the time you reach home, that friend of yours will have stopped breathing."
 * Mméné údzikafíka kunyumbá mnzákoyo ádzákhala átásíyá kupúma.

"Since"
A way of expressing "since" is to use a nominalised form of the verb beginning with chi- and ending in -íre or -íreni (in some verbs -ére or -éreni). There is a single tone on the penultimate syllable (not counting -ni): "Since getting up I haven't yet had a bath." "Since you began selling, how much profit have you made?"
 * Chidzukíre sindinasámbe.
 * Chiyambíreni kugúlitsa mwapindula mótáni?

The subject of the verb can either be put in front of it or added afterwards with chá: "It's been a long time since that country won the World Cup." "We've been sad ever since our father died."
 * Patenga ntháwi yáítáli dzíkolo chitengére World Cup.
 * Takhala ndí chísóni chimwalilíre chá ábambo áthu.

The same form of the verb with chi...-ire can also mean "still" or "always".

Another way of expressing "since" is to use kuyámbira "to begin from" or kuchókera "to come from", followed by a dependent clause verb: "All these things I have been following since I was a child."
 * Zonsézi ndakhala ndíkúzítsátá kuyámbira ndílí mwaná.

Kuyámbira pomwé or kuchókera pomwé can also be used: "I've been farming this land for 20 years, since the time when my parents passed away."
 * Ndakhala ndíkúlíma mundáwo kwá záká 20, kuchókera pomwé makólo angá ádandisíya.

For a third way of expressing "since", see -sana- above.

"Until"
A common way of expressing "until" is to use the word mpaka or mpakana. This can be followed by an infinitive. The meaning is "to the extent that", "so much so that". The subject of the infinitive can be included: "He and his girlfriend quarrelled so much that eventually the girlfriend ended the relationship." "He took a knife and sharpened it on a stone until he made it gleam."
 * Anákangana ndí bwenzí láké mpakana msúngwánayo kuthétsa ubwenzíwo.
 * Adátenga mpeni náunóla pamwalá mpaka kuchíta kutí waliwali.

In other sentences it is followed by a remote perfect tense with -na- or -da-: "They carried on waiting until it was time to go home."
 * Anádikirábe mpakana ntháwi yówéluka ínakwána.

It may also be followed by the -ta- participial tense, when the meaning is "until after": "Make use of a condom until you know your HIV status."
 * Gwiritsani ntchíto kóndomu mpakana mútádzíwa zá mómwé múlílí.

When referring to an event in future which might or might not happen, a future subjunctive or potential tense is used: "The lady insisted that she would not pay any money or get off the minibus until they reached Chilimba." "People who break the law should be held by the police until such time as they are sentenced in a court."
 * Máyiyo anánénetsa kutí saperéká ndalámayo kománso satsíká míníbasiyo mpakana akáfíké ku Chírimba.
 * Óphwányá malamulo áyenerá kusúngidwa ndí ápólísi mpaka ákaweruzídwe kukhóti.

Another common way of expressing "until" is to use the infinitive kufíkira pomwé "to arrive at the point where": "The marriage went very well until the time when the husband received a strange message."
 * Ukwatiwo udákhala ndíthu kufíkira pomwé mwamúnayo ádagwíra uthénga wódábwitsa.

Conditional clauses
As well as the participial tenses described above, Chichewa also has a series of tenses meaning "if" or "when", which are used as the equivalent of conditional or temporal clauses.

-ka-
The tense -ka-, when it is toneless, can be translated "if" or "when". It usually refers to future time: "I'll ring when I get there." "If I leave him, he'll get sick again." "If you refuse, I shall shout."
 * Ndíyimba fóni ndikafika.
 * Ndikamúsíyá ádzádwalánso.
 * Mukakaná ndíkuwa.

There is no negative, but a negative meaning can be expressed with the verb panda "be without": "If I don't invite him, he won't come."
 * Ndikapanda kumúitaná sadzabwéra.

-kadza-
The same tense with -kadza- refers to a time "far in the future": "When I get rich I shall buy a big house." "If we need you at some future date, we'll call you."
 * Ndikadzálemera ndidzágula nyumbá yáíkúlu.
 * Tikadzákufunani tidzákúyitanáni.

-kama-
This tense means "if ever" or "whenever". Unlike -ka- it refers to past or present time according to context. The tones are on -ma- and the penultimate syllable: "Whenever you talk to me, you make me happy." "Whenever he used to get on a bus, he would always choose one with a good music system."
 * Ukamándilankhúla úmandisangalátsa.
 * Ntháwi zónse akamákwérá bási, iyé ankásánkhá yomwé íli ndí chóyímbira chábwino.

Sometimes, however, -ka- is used in the place of -kama- to refer to a habitual situation: "Whenever he received money, he used to buy the girl a present."
 * Akalandira ndaláma amagúlira msúngwana mphátso.

-kamadza-
To refer to a situation in the future, the aspect-marker -dza- can be added: "She told him that if ever he were passing through Chitakale in future he should stop by at her house."
 * Adámúuza kutí akamádzadútsa pa Chitákálé adzáyímé pa nyumbá yáké.

-ta-
As well as meaning "after", the participial tense -ta- can also have the meaning "if", referring to a hypothetical situation in the future. The main clause will often use -nga- or khoza "be able": "If someone stepped in front of the car, could you brake in time?" "If you were to cut (this root) with your clothes on, what would happen?" "Even if you were to deny it, there's no one who would believe you." "It would be good if you could get here quickly."
 * Pátádútsá munthu, ungathe kumángá buléki?
 * Mútáséma mútávála chíngachitíke n'chiyáni?
 * Ngakhále mútákáná bwánji palíbé ákukhulupiriréni.
 * Chingakhale bwino kutí inu mútáfíka kuno mwámsánga.

Another possibility is to use ndítátí (lit. "if I were to say") with the subjunctive: "If you were to see that lady, you might be surprised."
 * Mútátí mumuóne mkáziyo, múkhoza kudábwa.

-kada- / -kana-
To make a condition about a hypothetical situation in the past, -kada- or -kana- or -daka- is used in both halves of the sentence, with the relative clause intonation in the "if" clause. The main clause has a tone on the second syllable of the infix: "If he had known, he wouldn't have done it." "If I had called him, he would have come." "If you had gone to hospital, you would have got better quickly."
 * Ákadadzíwa sákadáchita.
 * Ndíkadamuitána akadábwera.
 * Múkadapítá ku chipatala, mukadáchira msánga.

A compound expression is also found, using Ndíkadakhála kutí in place of "if": "If I were still at work, I wouldn't be here."
 * Ń'kadakhála kutí ndikadalí pantchíto, síbwenzi ndílí pano.

An "if" clause alone can also mean "should have" or "if only": "You should have told me at once." (lit. "if only you had told me...") "If only he'd listened to his grandparents' advice!"
 * Múkadandiúzá msánga.
 * Ákadamvérá mawú á agógo.

The same tense can be used when wishing for some past hypothetical situation: "He wishes he'd been born somewhere else."
 * Akulákalaka ákanabadwírá kwína.

For a negative condition, the verb -panda ("be without") is used in the "if" clause: "If I hadn't called him, he wouldn't have come."
 * Ndíkadapánda kumúitaná, sákadábwera.

Sometimes, instead of using -kada- in the main clause, the word bwenzi "it would be the case that" or síbwenzi "it would not be the case that" is used, followed by a participial verb: "If you had gone to hospital, you would have got better quickly."
 * Múkadapítá kuchipatala, bwenzi mútáchíra msánga.

The following example, instead of -kada-, uses the present participial tense of -li in the "if" clause: "If it were you, what would you have done?"
 * Múlí inu, mukanátání?

Sentences with -kada- usually refer to the past. However, sometimes if -khala is used, the reference can be to a hypothetical situation in the present: "If it were not for me, where would you be?"
 * Pákadapándá ine, iwe ukadákhala kuti?

The main clause in a hypothetical conditional can also be expressed using the word bwenzi "it would be the case that" followed by a participial tense: "If it were a mongoose (stealing the chickens), we would be seeing its torn off fur."
 * Ádakakhálá nyénga, bwenzi tíkúóna bweyá wáké wósósoká.

"If the midwives were still working, I would have gone there."
 * Ákadakhála kutí azamba akugwírábé ntchíto yawó bwenzi ndítápíta kuméneko.

The negative is sí bwenzi: "If it had been me, I wouldn't have accepted the documents."
 * Ndídakakhálá ine sí bwenzi ndítávómereza zikálata.

-chi-
In some varieties of Chichewa the tense-marker -chi- can be used in the "if" clause in hypothetical conditional sentences referring to present time instead of -kada-:

"If only you would explain!"
 * Uchíngofótokoza

"If that jealousy were dirt, it would be dirt which doesn't feel soap."
 * Kadúkako lichikhala litsiro / Línalí lósámvá sópo.

The form achikhala (kutí) or chikhala kutí can mean "if" in a hypothetical conditional: "I would show you if I had any."
 * Ndikadákúonetsani achikhala ndinalí náwo.

The words bwenzi and síbwenzi followed by a participial tense can be used in the main clause instead of -kada-: "If the police hadn't caught these thieves, it would have brought many problems."
 * Chikhala kutí ápólísi sádagwíre mbavazi, bwezi zítádzétsa mavúto ámbíri.

"Were it not for the traditional doctor, this boy would not be alive."
 * Pachipanda asíng'anga sí bwenzi mnyamatáyu álí ndí moyo.

The use of -chi- in a counterfactual conditional is found in Johannes Rebmann's Dictionary of the Kiniassa Language (entry "Pfomera"), written in the 1850s, in the sentence: ine nikidsiwa, sikapfomerera (modern spelling: ine ndichidziwa, si(ndi)ka(da)vomerera), which he translates: "If I had known it, I should not have assented".

ngati ("if")
Another way of making a condition is to use the conjunction ngati "if", followed by the relative clause intonation. This is in fact the only way conditions can be expressed with the verb -li. "He should not go to the meeting if he's not well."
 * Asapíté kumsonkhano ngati sáli bwino.

Ngati can also be used to make indirect questions: "I don't know if he's there."
 * Síndídziwa ngati álípó.

Ngati can also be followed by a subjunctive with relative clause intonation: "If you like this music you are hearing, press * to buy it."
 * Ngati múkondé nyímbo múmvetseréyi, sindikizani "star" kutí mugulé.

Ngati can be combined with -kada-: "He knew that if anything had happened inside his compound, it would have caused him problems later."
 * Adádziŵa kutí ngati chílíchonsé chíkadachitíka mu mpándamo, zikadádzámúvuta.

Ngati can also mean "as if", but in this case it is not followed by the relative clause intonation: "He heard a hen shrieking as if it had seen something frightening."
 * Adámvá nkhúku íkúlíra ngati yaona chinthu chówópsa.

Wishes
The conditional clause tenses -ta- and -kada- are used after a verb of wishing, if the wish is unfulfilled. -ta- is used for wishes for the future: "Everyone would very much like to be eating enough fish to have a healthy body." "He wished he could have a child." "He wished the ground would swallow him up."
 * Álíyensé ámafunitsítsa átámádya nsómba zókwánira kutí akhalé ndí thupi láthanzi.
 * Amafúnitsitsá átábéreka.
 * Análakalaka nthaka ítámúmézá.

Wishes for the future are not always unfulfillable: "He would like one day to be a farmer like his father."
 * Ámafúna átádzákhálá mlimi ngati bambo áke.

The tense -kada- or -daka- is used of unfulfilled wishes for the past. Just as in conditional clauses, the auxiliary verb -panda is used to make the clause negative: "You will wish you had never been born." "I wished I had set off in the morning of that day because then I wouldn't have arrived in town after dark." "He wished at this moment he had had the strength."
 * Úlákalaka údakapánda kubádwa.
 * Ndidálakalaka ndídakanyamúka mmawá wá tsíkulo potí síndikadáfika ku táwuniko ndí mdíma.
 * Adáfunitsitsá ntháwiyi ákadakhála ndí mphámvu.

Indirect statements
In English, as in some other languages, a verb in an indirect statement usually goes into the past tense when the main verb is in the past tense. However, in Chichewa this rule does not apply and sentences such as the following, in which there is no change of tense in the dependent clause, are common: "They thought that he was drunk (lit. he has become drunk)." "He told me that he wasn't well (lit. isn't well)."
 * Anáganiza kutí íyé waledzera.
 * Anándíuza kutí sáli bwino.

In the same way, the participial tenses can refer to a present, past, or future situation according to the tense of the main verb which they are used: "I found them (while they were) praying." "l might find them having already eaten."
 * Ndináwápeza (ndináápézá) ákúpémphera.
 * Ndingawápeze (ndingaápézé) átádyá.

"To be"
There are several verbs used for expressing different tenses of the verb "to be".

ndi and sí
One word for expressing "is" or "are" is ndi (negative sí), used in the present tense only. This word is used for permanent states or identity: "Water is important." "The book which is on the table is mine." "Walking at night isn't good."
 * Madzí ndi ófúniká.
 * Búku liméné lílí pathébulo ndi lánga.
 * Kuyéndá usíku sí bwino.

The toneless ndi "is" is to be distinguished from ndí "with", "and", which has a tone. Sometimes ndi is shortened to n': "What would happen?" (lit. "the thing that would happen is what?")
 * Chíngachitíke n ' chiyáni?

Ndi can also be combined with w- to make ngw-, and y- to make nj-. The n in these combinations is homorganic, but (unlike in words such as njóka 'snake') syllabic:

"This man is a liar." "This illness is infectious."
 * Munthuyu ngwábódza (= ndi wábódza)
 * Nthéndayi njópátsirana (= ndi yópátsirana).

The w part of a labialised consonant disappears before o and u: "This man is bad."
 * Munthuyu ngóípa (= ndi wóípa).

Ndi can have pronominal endings attached to it, e.g. ndine "I am", ndiwe "you are". The first and second persons are toneless; all the other endings have a tone, e.g. ndiwó "they are": "I am a teacher." "I am not a teacher." "This is what causes problems."
 * Ine ndine mphunzitsi.
 * Síndine mphunzitsi.
 * Ichi ndichó chímavúta.

-li
The verb -li is irregular and has very few tenses. In the present tense is used mainly for temporary states and for location, but other tenses have a more general usage, since ndi has no past tense.

In the present simple tense it is irregular, since there is no tone on the subject prefix: "He's fine." "Where is he?"
 * Ali bwino.
 * Alí kuti?

The Recent Past refers to situations of today: "Where were you? / Where have you been?"
 * Unalí kuti?

The Remote Past is ndínaalí or ndídaalí. This refers to a time further in the past. It can refer to a situation which later changed: "She came with a letter of transfer from Nsipu school where she had been previously."
 * adábwera ndí kálata yá thalansiféala yóchókera ku sukúlu yá Nsipú komwé ádaalí.

It is also often used in story-telling: "It was a Saturday at 9 o'clock in the morning."
 * Lídaalí tsíku Lówéruka ntháwi yá 9 koloko mmawá.

Often the pronunciation ndináli is heard, apparently with the same meaning as ndí-naa-lí: "Who was your teacher?"
 * Mphunzitsi wánu análi ndaní?

The Persistive has a tone on the final syllable: ndikadalí (ndikalí) "I am still". "Your brother is still alive."
 * Achimwené ánú akadalí moyo.

Negative forms also exist except for the Persistive tense: síndili "I am not", síndínalí "I was not". "They are (he is) not in Lilongwe." "I wasn't at the meeting."
 * Sáli ku Lilongwe.
 * Síndínalí ku msonkhano.

"I have"
The phrase ndili ndí (lit. "I am with") means "I have". "I have two children." "We had a meeting of all the farmers."
 * Ndili ndí áná awíri.
 * Tidáli ndí msonkhano wá alimi ónse.

The negative is ndilíbe "I do not have". "I don't have any children."
 * Ndilíbé aná.

Locative forms
The forms kuli, pali, muli mean "there is" or "there are". ku- refers to a general area or place, pa- to a particular spot, mu- to inside a place: "Are there churches here?" "There are several reasons." "How many people are there in here?"
 * Kodí kuno kuli mipíngo?
 * Pali zifukwá zingápo.
 * Muno muli anthu angáti?

The negative is kulíbe, palíbe, mulíbe "there isn't": "He discovered that his wife wasn't at home." "There is no one who answered" i.e. "No one answered." "There is no money in the car."
 * Kunyumbá adápézá mkází waké kulíbe.
 * Palíbe ádayánkha
 * Mulíbé ndaláma m'gálímoto.

These can also be used in the past tense: "In the old days there was no school here."
 * Kalekálero kunálíbé sukúlu.

. There are also locative forms ending in -líko, -lípo, -límo. Of these, -lípo is the most common: "Is your father here?" – "Yes, he is." / "No, he isn't here."
 * Kodí bambo alípo? – Ĭnde, alípo. / Ayí, palíbe.

In a relative clause
When -li is used in a relative clause, it has a tone on the prefix: "Stay where you are and don't move!" "Fire goes where there is bush." (Proverb)
 * Imani pomwé múli ndipó musayénde!
 * Móto úmapíta kúli ntchíre.

There is also an applied form ending in -lili used in phrases of manner, which also has the relative clause intonation: "The way things are in this country." "I would be delighted if one day he were to become a soldier like my father was."
 * Mméne zinthu zílílí m'dzíkó muno.
 * Ndingadzásangalale ngati átádzákhálá msilikáli móngá momwé ánalíli abambo ánga.

Participial tenses
With the relative clause intonation -li often serves as a participial tense. Thus ndíli means "while I am" or "while I was": "The wedding took place while I was at school."
 * Ukwati unáchitiká ndílí kusukúlu.

A negative participial form ndisalí exists, although it is rarely used: "These wives wanted you to find them not being pregnant."
 * Akáziwa amafúna kutí udzáwápéze asalí ndí páthupi.

The participial form is also found in the common phrase álíyensé "every", literally "it being everyone". It can be singular or plural: "Everyone was very pleased." "It takes place once every four years."
 * Álíyensé análi wókóndwa kwámbíri.
 * Ímachitíka kamódzi pa zaká zináyi zílízonsé.

A persistive participial form ndíkádalí (or ndíkalí) also exists meaning "while I am still" or "while I was still": "I began when I was still at school." "At the moment" (lit. "it still being now")
 * Ndidáyamba ndíkadalí ku sukúlu.
 * Pákádalí pano (or pákalí pano)

-khala
For the infinitive, imperative, subjunctive, and all other tenses of "to be", the verb -khala ("sit" or "stay") is used:

Imperative: "Be quiet!"
 * Khalani chete.

Infinitive: "Who could it be?"
 * Ákhoza kukhála ndaní?

Present Subjunctive: "Everyone should eat fish regularly so that he can be healthy."
 * Wína álíyensé azídya nsómba kutí akhalé wáthanzi.

Present Habitual: "A rotten fish usually has a lot of germs."
 * Nsómba yóónongeká ímakhála ndí majéremusi ámbíri.

Near Future: "You'll be OK tomorrow."
 * Máwa úkhala bwino.

Remote Future: "We will have children one day."
 * Tidzákhala ndí áná.

Perfect: "I've been married for five years."
 * Ndakhala pabánja kwá záká zisanu.

Counterfactual conditional: "If it had been you, what would you have done?"
 * Múkadakhála inu mukadáchita bwánji?

Past Potential: "If it were not for me, where would you be?"
 * Kodí pákadapándá ine, iwe ukadákhala kuti?

When -khala is used with the infix -dá-, it can mean "happen" or "become": "How did it happen that you came to Malawi?"
 * Zidákhala bwánji kutí mubweré ku Maláwi?

Compound tenses
Compound tenses are also found in Chichewa. Among them are the following:

Compound tenses with -li
-li can be followed by an infinitive: "I'm feeling fine." "I didn't know."
 * Ndili kumvá bwino.
 * Síndínalí kudzíwa.

But a participial tense is also sometimes used: "The rain was still falling."
 * Mvúla ídalí íkúgwábé.

A past tense of -li with the -ta- participial tense is common: "He had already eaten." "He had just come out of prison."
 * Análi átádyá.
 * Ádalí átátúluka kuméne kundendé.

With a verb like vala "dress in", where the perfect tense describes a present situation, this tense describes a past situation: "They were all dressed in red and were singing." "He was carrying a bawo board." "The lady was carrying a child on her back."
 * Ónse adáli átáválá zófíira ndipó adáli kuímba.
 * Análi átányámula báwo.
 * Máyiyo adáli átábéreka mwaná kumbúyo

The participial verb can be -sana- or -sada-, with the meaning "had not" or "had not yet": "He hadn't paid rent to the owners of the house for five months." "He had not yet married." "He had never seen such a beautiful woman."
 * Ádalí ásadalipíre rénti kwá ení nyumbá kwá miyezí isanu.
 * Adáli ásadakwatíre.
 * Ádalí ásadawónépó mkázi wókóngola chomwécho.

Compound tenses with -khala
-khala is generally combined with one of the participial tenses. It can translate the perfect or pluperfect continuous: "I have been waiting for you for three years." "He had been saving up money for a long time."
 * Ndakhala ndíkúkúdikiríra kwá záká zitátu.
 * Ádakhála ákúsúngira ndaláma kwá ntháwi yáítáli.

It can also translate the future perfect tense: "We will have eaten the pumpkins." "You will have eaten."
 * Tíkhala títádyá maúngu.
 * Mudzákhala mútádyá.

The Present Habitual tense of khala with a participial tense can often be translated with the word "usually" or "generally": "Whenever she goes to school she is usually carrying bags of food of different kinds." "By the time it's 4 o'clock these people have usually already gathered at bottle stores." "At this time these students have usually not yet written their exams."
 * Akamápítá ku sukúluko ámakhála átányámula majúmbo á zákúdyá zósíyanásiyaná.
 * Ntháwi ikakwana 4 koloko anthuwa ámakhála átásónkhana kale m'maló ómwérá mowa.
 * Pantháwiyi óphúnziráwa ámakhála ásanalémbé mayeso.

Compound tenses with -ti
The verb -ti "say", followed by one of the subjunctive tenses, makes a future in the past: "We were going to eat pumpkins." "When he was about to get on the bus, the conductor told him that he couldn't get on with a chicken."
 * Timatí tikádye maúngu.
 * Mméné ámátí adzíkwérá bási kondákitala adámuuza kutí sángakwére ndí nkhúku.

The literal meaning of timatí tikádye is "we were saying we should go and eat". Other ways of expressing the future in the past are to add -dza- to the Past Imperfective tense (ndimadzáthandizá "I was about to help") or to use -funa "want" with the Infinitive (ndinkáfuná kuthándiza "I was wanting to help").

Compound tenses with -chita
The verb -chita "do" can be used in various tenses followed by an Infinitive, e.g.: "He used to say insistently." "The indications are that she was murdered." "Sweet potatoes don't require many things for their cultivation."
 * Ankáchitá kunénétsá.
 * Zikusónyeza kutí iyé adáchita kuphédwa.
 * Mbátata síichita kufúná zámbíri pa ulimi wáke.

The difference in meaning, if any, between this and the simple form of the verb is not clear.

The verb -chita (or sometimes -panga) is also frequently used in colloquial Chichewa in various tenses to make English borrowed words into Chichewa verbs: "He had just recently retired from work."
 * Análi átángochítá ritáyala pantchíto.

A further auxiliary verb, yenda "walk, go", is mentioned by Watkins in the form Present Simple plus Infinitive; it was used in narrative with the meaning "and then" (ayéndopíta "he then went"). However, this verb is no longer used as an auxiliary in current standard Chichewa.