Editing Chewa language (section)

==Grammar==

===Noun classes===
Chewa nouns are divided for convenience into a number of classes, which are referred to by the Malawians themselves by names such as "Mu-A-",<ref>E.g. Mtanthauziramawu wa Chinyanja.</ref> but by Bantu specialists by numbers such as "1/2", corresponding to the classes in other [[Bantu languages]]. Conventionally, they are grouped into pairs of singular and plural. However, irregular pairings are also possible, especially with loanwords; for example, {{lang|ny|bánki}} 'bank', which takes the concords of class 9 in the singular, has a plural {{lang|ny|mabánki}} (class 6).<ref>Paas (2015).</ref>

When assigning nouns to a particular class, initially the prefix of the noun is used. Where there is no prefix, or where the prefix is ambiguous, the concords (see below) are used as a guide to the noun class. For example, {{lang|ny|katúndu}} 'possessions' is put in class 1, since it takes the class 1 demonstrative {{lang|ny|uyu}} 'this'.<ref>Kunkeyani (2007), p.154.</ref>

Some nouns belong to one class only, e.g. {{lang|ny|tomáto}} '{{Not a typo|tomato(es)}}' (class 1), {{lang|ny|mowa}} 'beer' (class 3), {{lang|ny|malayá}} '{{Not a typo|shirt(s)}}' (class 6), {{lang|ny|udzudzú}} '{{Not a typo|mosquito(es)}}' (class 14), and do not change between singular and plural. Despite this, such words can still be counted if appropriate: {{lang|ny|tomáto muwíri}} 'two tomatoes', {{lang|ny|mowa uwíri}} 'two beers', {{lang|ny|malayá amódzi}} 'one shirt', {{lang|ny|udzudzú umódzi}} 'one mosquito'.<ref>Paas (2015) s.v.</ref>

Class 11 (Lu-) is not found in Chewa. Words like {{lang|ny|lumo}} 'razor' and {{lang|ny|lusó}} 'skill' are considered to belong to class 5/6 (Li-Ma-) and take the concords of that class.<ref>''Mtanthauziramawu wa Chinyanja''.</ref>

*Mu-A- (1/2): {{lang|ny|munthu}} pl. {{lang|ny|anthu}} 'person'; {{lang|ny|mphunzitsi}} pl. {{lang|ny|aphunzitsi}} 'teacher'; {{lang|ny|mwaná}} pl. {{lang|ny|aná}} 'child'<br />{{space}}{{space}}(1a/2): {{lang|ny|galú}} pl. {{lang|ny|agalú}} 'dog'. Class 1a refers to nouns which have no {{lang|ny|m-}} prefix.<br />{{space}}{{space}}The plural {{lang|ny|a-}} is used only for humans and animals. It can also be used for respect, e.g. {{lang|ny|aphunzitsi áthu}} 'our teacher'<br />{{space}}{{space}}(1a/6): {{lang|ny|kíyi}} pl. {{lang|ny|makíyi}} 'key'; {{lang|ny|gúle}} pl. {{lang|ny|magúle}} 'dance'<br />{{space}}{{space}}(1a): {{lang|ny|tomáto}} '{{Not a typo|tomato(es)}}'; {{lang|ny|katúndu}} 'luggage, furniture'; {{lang|ny|feteréza}} 'fertilizer' (no pl.)
*Mu-Mi- (3/4): {{lang|ny|mudzi}} pl. {{lang|ny|midzi}} 'village'; {{lang|ny|mténgo}} pl. {{lang|ny|miténgo}} 'tree'; {{lang|ny|moyo}} pl. {{lang|ny|miyoyo}} 'life'; {{lang|ny|msika}} pl. {{lang|ny|misika}} 'village'<br />{{space}}{{space}}(3): {{lang|ny|mowa}} 'beer'; {{lang|ny|móto}} 'fire'; {{lang|ny|bowa}} '{{Not a typo|mushroom(s)}}' (no pl.)
*Li-Ma- (5/6): {{lang|ny|dzína}} pl. {{lang|ny|maína}} 'name'; {{lang|ny|vúto}} pl. {{lang|ny|mavúto}} 'problem'; {{lang|ny|khásu}} pl. {{lang|ny|makásu}} 'hoe'; {{lang|ny|díso}} pl. {{lang|ny|masó}} 'eye'<br />{{space}}{{space}}Often the first consonant is softened or omitted in the plural in this class.<br />{{space}}{{space}}(6): {{lang|ny|madzí}} 'water', {{lang|ny|mankhwála}} 'medicine', {{lang|ny|maló}} 'place' (no sg.)
*Chi-Zi- (7/8): {{lang|ny|chinthu}} pl. {{lang|ny|zinthu}} 'thing'; {{lang|ny|chaká}} pl. {{lang|ny|zaká}} 'year'<br />{{space}}{{space}}(7): {{lang|ny|chímanga}} 'maize'; {{lang|ny|chikóndi}} 'love' (no pl.)
*I-Zi- (9/10): {{lang|ny|nyumbá}} pl. {{lang|ny|nyumbá}} 'house'; {{lang|ny|mbúzi}} pl. {{lang|ny|mbúzi}} 'goat'<br />{{space}}{{space}}(10): {{lang|ny|ndevu}} 'beard'; {{lang|ny|ndíwo}} 'relish'; {{lang|ny|nzerú}} 'intelligence' (no sg.)<br />{{space}}{{space}}(9/6): {{lang|ny|bánki}} pl. {{lang|ny|mabánki}} 'bank'
*Ka-Ti- (12/13): {{lang|ny|kamwaná}} pl. {{lang|ny|tianá}} 'baby'; {{lang|ny|kanthu}} pl. {{lang|ny|tinthu}} 'small thing'<br />{{space}}{{space}}(12): {{lang|ny|kasamalidwe}} 'method of taking care'; {{lang|ny|kavinidwe}} 'way of dancing' (no pl.)<br />{{space}}{{space}}(13): {{lang|ny|tuló}} 'sleep' (no sg.)
*U-Ma- (14): {{lang|ny|usíku}} 'night time'; {{lang|ny|ulimi}} 'farming'; {{lang|ny|udzudzú}} '{{Not a typo|mosquito(es)}}' (no pl.)<br />{{space}}{{space}}(14/6): {{lang|ny|utá}} pl. {{lang|ny|mautá}} 'bow'

Infinitive class:
*Ku- (15): {{lang|ny|kuóna}} 'to see, seeing'

Locative classes:
*Pa- (16): {{lang|ny|pakamwa}} 'mouth'
*Ku- (17): {{lang|ny|kukhosi}} 'neck'
*Mu- (18): {{lang|ny|mkamwa}} 'inside the mouth'

===Concords===
Pronouns, adjectives, and verbs have to show [[Agreement (linguistics)|agreement]] with nouns in Chichewa. This is done by means of prefixes, for example:
*{{lang|ny|Uyu ndi mwaná wángá}} 'this is my child' (class 1)
*{{lang|ny|Awa ndi aná ángá}} 'these are my children' (class 2)
*{{lang|ny|Ichi ndi chímanga chánga}} 'this is my maize' (class 7)
*{{lang|ny|Iyi ndi nyumbá yángá}} 'this is my house' (class 9)

Class 2 (the plural of class 1) is often used for respect when referring to elders. According to Corbett and Mtenje, a word like {{lang|ny|bambo}} 'father', even though it is singular, will take plural concords (e.g. {{lang|ny|bambo '''a'''nga akuyenda, ndiku'''wa'''ona}} 'my father is walking, I see him'); they note that to use the singular object-marker {{lang|ny|-mu-}} would be 'grossly impolite'.<ref>Corbett & Mtenje (1987), p. 10.</ref>

The various prefixes are shown on the table below:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Table of Chewa concords
|-
! 
! noun
! English
! this
! that
! pron
! subj
! object
! num
! rem
! of
! of+vb
! other
! adj
|-
! 1
| {{lang|ny|mwaná}}||''child''||{{lang|ny|uyu}}||{{lang|ny|uyo}}||{{lang|ny|yé-}}||{{lang|ny|a-}}||{{lang|ny|mú/ḿ-}}||{{lang|ny|m/(mu)-}}||{{lang|ny|uja}}||{{lang|ny|wá}}||{{lang|ny|wó-}}||{{lang|ny|wína}}||{{lang|ny|wám-}}
|-
! 2
| {{lang|ny|aná}}||''children''||{{lang|ny|awa}}||{{lang|ny|awo}}||{{lang|ny|ó-}}||{{lang|ny|a-}}||{{lang|ny|-á/wá-}}||{{lang|ny|a-}}||{{lang|ny|aja}}||{{lang|ny|á}}||{{lang|ny|ó-}}||{{lang|ny|éna}}||{{lang|ny|áa-}}
|-
! 3
| {{lang|ny|mutú}}||''head''||{{lang|ny|uwu}}||{{lang|ny|uwo}}||{{lang|ny|wó-}}||{{lang|ny|u-}}||{{lang|ny|-ú-}}||{{lang|ny|u-}}||{{lang|ny|uja}}||{{lang|ny|wá}}||{{lang|ny|wó-}}||{{lang|ny|wína}}||{{lang|ny|wau-}}
|-
! 4
| {{lang|ny|mitú}}||''heads''||{{lang|ny|iyi}}||{{lang|ny|iyo}}||{{lang|ny|yó-}}||{{lang|ny|i-}}||{{lang|ny|-í/yí-}}||{{lang|ny|i-}}||{{lang|ny|ija}}||{{lang|ny|yá}}||{{lang|ny|yó-}}||{{lang|ny|ína}}||{{lang|ny|yái-}}
|-
! 5
| {{lang|ny|díso}}||''eye''||{{lang|ny|ili}}||{{lang|ny|ilo}}||{{lang|ny|ló-}}||{{lang|ny|li-}}||{{lang|ny|-lí-}}||{{lang|ny|li-}}||{{lang|ny|lija}}||{{lang|ny|lá}}||{{lang|ny|ló-}}||{{lang|ny|lína}}||{{lang|ny|láli-}}
|-
! 6
| {{lang|ny|masó}}||''eyes''||{{lang|ny|awa}}||{{lang|ny|awo}}||{{lang|ny|ó-}}||{{lang|ny|a-}}||{{lang|ny|-wá-}}||{{lang|ny|a-}}||{{lang|ny|aja}}||{{lang|ny|á}}||{{lang|ny|ó-}}||{{lang|ny|éna}}||{{lang|ny|áa-}}
|-
! 7
| {{lang|ny|chaká}}||''year''||{{lang|ny|ichi}}||{{lang|ny|icho}}||{{lang|ny|chó-}}||{{lang|ny|chi-}}||{{lang|ny|-chí-}}||{{lang|ny|chi-}}||{{lang|ny|chija}}||{{lang|ny|chá}}||{{lang|ny|chó-}}||{{lang|ny|chína}}||{{lang|ny|cháchi-}}
|-
! 8
| {{lang|ny|zaká}}||''years''||{{lang|ny|izi}}||{{lang|ny|izo}}||z{{lang|ny|ó-}}||{{lang|ny|zi-}}||{{lang|ny|-zí-}}||{{lang|ny|zi-}}||{{lang|ny|zija}}||{{lang|ny|zá}}||{{lang|ny|zó-}}||{{lang|ny|zína}}||{{lang|ny|zázi-}}
|-
! 9
| {{lang|ny|nyumbá}}||''house''||{{lang|ny|iyi}}||{{lang|ny|iyo}}||{{lang|ny|yó-}}||{{lang|ny|i-}}||{{lang|ny|-í/yí-}}||{{lang|ny|i-}}||{{lang|ny|ija}}||{{lang|ny|yá}}||{{lang|ny|yó-}}||{{lang|ny|ína}}||{{lang|ny|yái-}}
|-
! 10
| {{lang|ny|nyumbá}}||''houses''||{{lang|ny|izi}}||{{lang|ny|izo}}||{{lang|ny|zó-}}||{{lang|ny|zi-}}||{{lang|ny|-zí-}}||{{lang|ny|zi-}}||{{lang|ny|zija}}||{{lang|ny|zá}}||{{lang|ny|zó-}}||{{lang|ny|zína}}||{{lang|ny|zázi-}}
|-
! 12
| {{lang|ny|kamwaná}}||''baby''||{{lang|ny|aka}}||{{lang|ny|ako}}||{{lang|ny|kó-}}||{{lang|ny|ka-}}||{{lang|ny|-ká-}}||{{lang|ny|ka-}}||{{lang|ny|kaja}}||{{lang|ny|ká}}||{{lang|ny|kó-}}||{{lang|ny|kéna}}||{{lang|ny|káka-}}
|-
! 13
| {{lang|ny|tianá}}||''babies''||{{lang|ny|iti}}||{{lang|ny|ito}}||{{lang|ny|tó-}}||{{lang|ny|ti-}}||{{lang|ny|-tí-}}||{{lang|ny|ti-}}||{{lang|ny|tija}}||{{lang|ny|tá}}||{{lang|ny|tó-}}||{{lang|ny|tína}}||{{lang|ny|táti-}}
|-
! 14
| {{lang|ny|utá}}||''bow''||{{lang|ny|uwu}}||{{lang|ny|uwo}}||{{lang|ny|wó-}}||{{lang|ny|u-}}||{{lang|ny|-ú-}}||{{lang|ny|u-}}||{{lang|ny|uja}}||{{lang|ny|wá}}||{{lang|ny|wó-}}||{{lang|ny|wína}}||{{lang|ny|wáu-}}
|-
! 15
| {{lang|ny|kugúla}}||''buying''||{{lang|ny|uku}}||{{lang|ny|uko}}||{{lang|ny|kó-}}||{{lang|ny|ku-}}||{{lang|ny|-kú-}}||{{lang|ny|ku-}}||{{lang|ny|kuja}}||{{lang|ny|kwá}}||{{lang|ny|kó-}}||{{lang|ny|kwína}}||{{lang|ny|kwáku-}}
|-
! 16
| {{lang|ny|pansí}}||''underneath''||{{lang|ny|apa}}||{{lang|ny|apo}}||{{lang|ny|pó-}}||{{lang|ny|pa-}}||{{lang|ny|-po}}||{{lang|ny|pa-}}||{{lang|ny|paja}}||{{lang|ny|pá}}||{{lang|ny|pó-}}||{{lang|ny|péna}}||{{lang|ny|pápa-}}
|-
! 17
| {{lang|ny|kutsogoló}}||''in front''||{{lang|ny|uku}}||{{lang|ny|uko}}||{{lang|ny|kó-}}||{{lang|ny|ku-}}||{{lang|ny|-ko}}||{{lang|ny|ku-}}||{{lang|ny|kuja}}||{{lang|ny|kwá}}||{{lang|ny|kó-}}||{{lang|ny|kwína}}||{{lang|ny|kwáku-}}
|-
! 18
| {{lang|ny|mkatí}}||''inside''||{{lang|ny|umu}}||{{lang|ny|umo}}||{{lang|ny|mó-}}||{{lang|ny|m/mu-}}||{{lang|ny|-mo}}||{{lang|ny|m/mu-}}||{{lang|ny|muja}}||{{lang|ny|mwá}}||{{lang|ny|mó-}}||{{lang|ny|mwína}}||{{lang|ny|mwám'-}}
|}

There are 17 different noun classes, but because some of them share concords there are in fact only 12 distinct sets of prefixes.

===Examples of the use of concords===
In the examples below, the concords are illustrated mainly with nouns of classes 1 and 2.

====Demonstratives 'this' and 'that'====
*{{lang|ny|uyu ndaní?}} 'who is this?'; {{lang|ny|awa ndaní?}} 'who are these?' (or: 'who is this gentleman?' (respectful))
*{{lang|ny|mwaná uyu}} ({{lang|ny|mwanáyu}}) 'this child'; {{lang|ny|aná awa}} ({{lang|ny|anáwa}}) 'these children'
*{{lang|ny|mwaná uyo}} ({{lang|ny|mwanáyo}}) 'that child'; {{lang|ny|aná awo}} ({{lang|ny|anáwo}}) 'those children'

The shortened forms are more common.

====Pronominal {{lang|ny|yé}}, {{lang|ny|(w)ó}} etc.====
Prefixed by a supporting vowel, or by {{lang|ny|ná}} 'with' or {{lang|ny|ndi}} 'it is', these make the pronouns 'he/she' and 'they':
*{{lang|ny|iyé}} 'he/she'; {{lang|ny|iwó}} 'they' (or 'he/she' (respectful))
*{{lang|ny|náye}} 'with him/her'; {{lang|ny|náwo}} 'with them' (or 'with him/her' (respectful))
*{{lang|ny|ndiyé}} 'it is he/she'; {{lang|ny|ndiwó}} 'it is they'

For classes other than classes 1 and 2, a demonstrative is used instead of a freestanding pronoun, for example in class 6 {{lang|ny|ichi}} or {{lang|ny|icho}}. But forms prefixed by {{lang|ny|ná-}} and {{lang|ny|ndi-}} such as {{lang|ny|nácho}} and {{lang|ny|ndichó}} are found.

===={{lang|ny|yénse}}, {{lang|ny|yékha}}, {{lang|ny|yémwe}}====
The three pronominal adjectives {{lang|ny|yénse}} 'all', {{lang|ny|yékha}} 'alone', {{lang|ny|yémwe}} 'that same' (or 'who') have the same pronominal concords {{lang|ny|yé-}} and {{lang|ny|(w)ó-}}, this time as prefixes:
*{{lang|ny|Maláwi yénse}} 'the whole of Malawi'
*{{lang|ny|aná ónse}} 'all the children'
*{{lang|ny|yékha}} 'on his/her own'
*{{lang|ny|ókha}} 'on their own'
*{{lang|ny|mwaná yemwéyo}} 'that same child'
*{{lang|ny|aná omwéwo}} 'those same children'

In classes 2 and 6, {{lang|ny|ó-}} often becomes {{lang|ny|wó-}} (e.g. {{lang|ny|wónse}} for {{lang|ny|ónse}} etc.).

The commonly used word {{lang|ny|álíyensé}} 'every' is compounded from the verb {{lang|ny|áli}} 'who is' and {{lang|ny|yénse}} 'all'. Both parts of the word have concords:
*{{lang|ny|mwaná álíyensé}} 'every child'
*{{lang|ny|aná awíri álíonsé}} 'every two children'
*{{lang|ny|nyumbá ílíyonsé}} 'every house' (class 4)
*{{lang|ny|chaká chílíchonsé}} 'every year' (class 7)

====Subject prefix====
As with other ''Bantu languages'', all Chewa verbs have a prefix which agrees with the subject of the verb. In modern Chewa, the class 2 prefix (formerly {{lang|ny|ŵa-}}) has become {{lang|ny|a-}}, identical with the prefix of class 1:
*{{lang|ny|mwaná ápita}} 'the child will go'; {{lang|ny|aná ápita}} 'the children will go'

The perfect tense ({{lang|ny|wapita}} 'he/she has gone', {{lang|ny|apita}} 'they have gone') has different subject prefixes from the other tenses (see below).

===={{lang|ny|améne}} 'who'====
The relative pronoun {{lang|ny|améne}} 'who' and demonstrative {{lang|ny|améneyo}} use the same prefixes as a verb:
*{{lang|ny|mwaná améne}} 'the child who'
*{{lang|ny|aná améne}} 'the children who'
*{{lang|ny|mwaná améneyo}} 'that child'
*{{lang|ny|aná aménewo}} 'those children'
*{{lang|ny|nyumbá iméneyo}} 'that house'
*{{lang|ny|nyumbá ziménezo}} 'those houses'

====Object infix====
The use of an object infix is not obligatory in Chewa (for example, {{lang|ny|ndagula}} means 'I have bought (them)'). If used, it comes immediately before the verb root, and agrees with the object:
*{{lang|ny|ndamúona}} 'I have seen him/her'; {{lang|ny|ndawáona}} 'I have seen them' (sometimes shortened to {{lang|ny|ndaáona}}).

The object infix of classes 16, 17, and 18 is usually replaced by a suffix: {{lang|ny|ndaonámo}} 'I have seen inside it'.

The same infix with verbs with the applicative suffix {{lang|ny|-ira}} represents the indirect object, e.g. {{lang|ny|ndamúlembera}} 'I have written to him'.

====Numeral concords====
Numeral concords are used with numbers {{lang|ny|-módzi}} 'one', {{lang|ny|-wíri}} 'two', {{lang|ny|-tátu}} 'three', {{lang|ny|-náyi}} 'four', {{lang|ny|-sanu}} 'five', and the words {{lang|ny|-ngáti?}} 'how many', {{lang|ny|-ngápo}} 'several':
*{{lang|ny|mwaná mmódzi}} 'one child'; {{lang|ny|aná awíri}} 'two children'; {{lang|ny|aná angáti?}} 'how many children?'

The class 1 prefix {{lang|ny|m-}} becomes {{lang|ny|mu-}} before {{lang|ny|-wiri}}: {{lang|ny|tomáto muwíri}} 'two tomatoes'.

The number {{lang|ny|khúmi}} 'ten' has no concord.

====Demonstratives {{lang|ny|uja}} and {{lang|ny|uno}}====
The demonstrative pronouns {{lang|ny|uja}} 'that one you know' and {{lang|ny|uno}} 'this one we are in' take the concords {{lang|ny|u-}} and {{lang|ny|a-}} in classes 1 and 2. For semantic reasons, class 1 {{lang|ny|uno}} is rare:
*{{lang|ny|mwaná uja}} 'that child (the one you know)'; {{lang|ny|aná aja}} 'those children' (those ones you know)
*{{lang|ny|mwezí uno}} 'this month (we are in)' (class 3); {{lang|ny|masíkú ano}} 'these days'; {{lang|ny|ku Maláwí kuno}} 'here in Malawi (where we are now)' (class 17).

====Perfect tense subject prefix====
The same concords {{lang|ny|w-}} (derived from {{lang|ny|u-}}) and {{lang|ny|a-}}, combined with the vowel {{lang|ny|a}}, make the subject prefix of the perfect tense. In the plural the two prefixes {{lang|ny|a-a-}} combine into a single vowel:
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wapita}} 'the child has gone; {{lang|ny|aná apita}} 'the children have gone'

====Possessive concord====
The concords {{lang|ny|w-}} (derived from {{lang|ny|u-}}) and {{lang|ny|a-}} are also found in the word {{lang|ny|á}} 'of':
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wá Mphátso}} 'Mphatso's child'; {{lang|ny|aná á Mphátso}} 'Mphatso's children'

The same concords are used in possessive adjectives {{lang|ny|-ánga}} 'my', {{lang|ny|-áko}} 'your', {{lang|ny|-áke}} 'his/her/its/their', {{lang|ny|-áthu}} 'our', {{lang|ny|-ánu}} 'your (plural or respectful singular), {{lang|ny|-áwo}} 'their'/'his/her' (respectful):
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wángá}} 'my child'; {{lang|ny|aná ángá}} 'my children'

{{lang|ny|-áwo}} 'their' is used only of people ({{lang|ny|-áke}} is used for things).

{{lang|ny|Wá}} 'of' can be combined with nouns or adverbs to make adjectives:
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wánzérú}} 'an intelligent child'; {{lang|ny|aná ánzérú}} 'intelligent children'
*{{lang|ny|mwaná ábwino}} a good child'; {{lang|ny|aná ábwino}} 'good children'

In the same way {{lang|ny|wá}} 'of' combines with the {{lang|ny|ku-}} of the infinitive to make verbal adjectives. {{lang|ny|Wá}} + {{lang|ny|ku-}} usually shortens to {{lang|ny|wó-}}, except where the verb root is monosyllabic:
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wókóngola}} 'a beautiful child'; {{lang|ny|aná ókóngola}} 'beautiful children'
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wákúbá}} 'a thieving child'; {{lang|ny|aná ákúbá}} 'thieving children'

===={{lang|ny|-ína}} 'other' and {{lang|ny|-ení-éní}} 'real'====
The same {{lang|ny|w-}} and {{lang|ny|a-}} concords are found with the words {{lang|ny|-ína}} 'other' and {{lang|ny|-ení-éní}} 'real'. In combination with these words the plural concord {{lang|ny|a-}} is converted to {{lang|ny|e-}}:
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wína}} 'a certain child, another child'; {{lang|ny|aná éna}} 'certain children, other children'
*{{lang|ny|mwaná weníwéní}} 'a real child'; {{lang|ny|aná eníéní}} 'real children'

====Double-prefix adjectives====
Certain adjectives ({{lang|ny|-kúlu}} 'big', {{lang|ny|-ng'óno}} 'small'; {{lang|ny|-(a)múna}} 'male', {{lang|ny|-kázi}} 'female'; {{lang|ny|-táli}} 'long', 'tall', {{lang|ny|-fúpi}} 'short'; {{lang|ny|-wisi}} 'fresh') have a double prefix, combining the possessive concord ({{lang|ny|wá-}}) and the number concord ({{lang|ny|m-}} or {{lang|ny|mw-}}):
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wáḿkúlu}} 'a big child'; {{lang|ny|aná áákúlu}} 'big children'
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wáḿng'óno}} 'a small child'; {{lang|ny|aná ááng'óno}} 'little children'
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wámwámúna}} 'a male child'; {{lang|ny|aná áámúna}} 'male children'
*{{lang|ny|mwaná wáḿkázi}} 'a female child'; {{lang|ny|aná áákázi}} 'female children'

===Historic changes===
Early dictionaries, such as those of [[Johannes Rebmann|Rebmann]], and of Scott and Hetherwick, show that formerly the number of concords was greater. The following changes have taken place:
*Class 2 formerly had the concord {{lang|ny|ŵa-}} (e.g. {{lang|ny|ŵanthu aŵa}} 'these people'), but this has now become {{lang|ny|a-}} for most speakers.
*Class 8, formerly using {{lang|ny|dzi-}} (Southern Region) or {{lang|ny|bzi/bvi/vi-}} (Central Region) (e.g. {{lang|ny|bzaká bziŵíri}} 'two years'),<ref>Scott & Hetherwick (1929), s.v. Ibsi; Rebmann (1877) s.v. Chiko, Psiwili/Pfiwili; Watkins (1937), p. 37.</ref> has now adopted the concords of class 10.
*Class 6, formerly with {{lang|ny|ya-}} concords (e.g. {{lang|ny|mazira aya}} 'these eggs'),<ref>Rebmann (1877) s.v. Aya, Mame, Mano, Yonse; cf Goodson (2011).</ref> now has the concords of class 2.
*Class 11 ({{lang|ny|lu-}}) had already been assimilated to class 5 even in the 19th century, although it still exists in some dialects of the neighbouring language [[Tumbuka language|Tumbuka]]. 
*Class 14, formerly with {{lang|ny|bu-}} concords (e.g. {{lang|ny|ufá bwángá}} 'my flour'),<ref>Rebmann (1877), s.v. Ufa; Watkins (1937), pp. 33–4.</ref> now has the same concords as class 3.
*Class 13 ({{lang|ny|ti-}}) had {{lang|ny|tu-}} in Rebmann's time (e.g. {{lang|ny|tumpeni utu}} 'these small knives'). This prefix still survives in words like {{lang|ny|tuló}} 'sleep'.

In addition, classes 4 and 9, and classes 15 and 17 have identical concords, so the total number of concord sets (singular and plural) is now twelve.