Editing Chewa language (section)

===Subject-marker===
Chichewa verbs (with the exception of the [[imperative mood]] and [[infinitive]]) begin with a [[prefix]] agreeing grammatically with the [[Subject (grammar)|subject]].<ref>Maxson (2011), pp.19ff.</ref> This prefix is referred to by some grammarians as the 'subject-marker'.<ref>Hyman & Mtenje (1999a).</ref>
*{{lang|ny|(ife) <u>ti</u>-ku-píta}} 'we are going'
*{{lang|ny|mténgo <u>w</u>-a-gwa}} (for *{{lang|ny|<u>u</u>-a-gwa}}) 'the tree has fallen'<ref>Maxson (2011), p.52.</ref>

The subject-marker can be:
*Personal: {{lang|ny|ndi-}} 'I', {{lang|ny|u-}} 'you (singular)', {{lang|ny|a-}} 'he, she', {{lang|ny|ti-}} 'we', {{lang|ny|mu-}} 'you (plural or polite)', {{lang|ny|a-}} 'they'; 'he/she (respectful or polite). (In the perfect tense, the subject-marker for 'he, she' is {{lang|ny|w-}}: {{lang|ny|w-a-pita}} 'he has gone'.)<ref>Maxson (2011), p.36.</ref>
*Impersonal: {{lang|ny|a-}} (class 1, 2 or 6), {{lang|ny|u-}} (class 3 or 14), {{lang|ny|i-}} (class 4 or 9), {{lang|ny|li-}} (class 5), etc.
*Locative: {{lang|ny|ku-}}, {{lang|ny|pa-}}, {{lang|ny|mu-}}

An example of a locative subject-marker is:
*{{lang|ny|m'madzí <u>mu</u>li nsómba}} 'in the water there are fish'<ref>Salaun, p.16.</ref>

Both the 2nd and the 3rd person plural pronouns and subject-markers are used respectfully to refer to a single person:<ref>Maxson (2011), pp. 21, 23.</ref>
*{{lang|ny|mukupíta}} 'you are going' (plural or respectful)
*{{lang|ny|apita}} 'they have gone' or 'he/she has gone' (respectful)

Except in the perfect tense, the 3rd person subject marker when used of people is the same whether singular or plural. So in the present tense the 3rd person subject-marker is ''a-'':
*{{lang|ny|akupíta}} 'he/she is going'
*{{lang|ny|akupíta}} 'they are going', 'he/she is going' (respectful)

But in the perfect tense ''wa-'' (singular) contrasts with ''a-'' (plural or respectful):
*{{lang|ny|wapita}} 'he/she has gone'
*{{lang|ny|apita}} 'they have gone', 'he/she has gone' (respectful)

When the subject is a noun not in class 1, the appropriate class prefix is used even if referring to a person:
*{{lang|la|mfúmu <u>i</u>kupíta}} 'the chief is going' (class 9)
*{{lang|ny|tianá <u>ti</u>kupíta}} 'the babies are going' (class 13)