Editing Chewa language (section)

===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'