Editing Copula (linguistics) (section)

=== Bantu languages ===
==== Chichewa ====
{{Main|Chichewa tenses}}
In [[Chewa language|Chichewa]], a [[Bantu languages|Bantu]] language spoken mainly in [[Malawi]], a very similar distinction exists between permanent and temporary states as in Spanish and Portuguese, but only in the present tense. For a permanent state, in the 3rd person, the copula used in the present tense is {{lang|ny|ndi}} (negative {{lang|ny|sí}}):<ref>Maxson, Nathaniel (2011). ''Chicheŵa for English Speakers: A New and Simplified Approach''. Assemblies of God Literature Press, Malawi, pp. 107, 108, 110.</ref><ref>*[[Earl Stevick|Stevick, Earl]] et al. (1965). [https://web.archive.org/web/20160307012900/https://fsi-languages.yojik.eu/languages/Chinyanja/Fsi-ChinyanjaBasicCourse-StudentText.pdf ''Chinyanja Basic Course'']. Foreign Service Institute, Washington, D.C., pp. 157, 160–65.</ref>
: {{lang|ny|iyé '''ndi''' mphunzitsi}} {{gloss|he is a teacher}}
: {{lang|ny|iyé '''sí''' mphunzitsi}} {{gloss|he is not a teacher}}

For the 1st and 2nd persons the particle {{lang|ny|ndi}} is combined with pronouns, e.g., {{lang|ny|ine}} {{gloss|I}}:
: {{lang|ny|ine '''ndine''' mphunzitsi}} {{gloss|I am a teacher}}
: {{lang|ny|iwe '''ndiwe''' mphunzitsi}} {{gloss|you (sg.) are a teacher}}
: {{lang|ny|ine '''síndine''' mphunzitsi}} {{gloss|I am not a teacher}}

For temporary states and location, the copula is the appropriate form of the defective verb {{lang|ny|-li}}:
: {{lang|ny|iyé '''ali''' bwino}} {{gloss|he is well}}
: {{lang|ny|iyé '''sáli''' bwino}} {{gloss|he is not well}}
: {{lang|ny|iyé '''ali''' ku nyumbá}} {{gloss|he is in the house}}

For the 1st and 2nd persons the person is shown, as normally with Chichewa verbs, by the appropriate pronominal prefix:
: {{lang|ny|ine '''ndili''' bwino}} {{gloss|I am well}}
: {{lang|ny|iwe '''uli''' bwino}} {{gloss|you (sg.) are well}}
: {{lang|ny|kunyumbá '''kuli''' bwino}} {{gloss|at home (everything) is fine}}

In the past tenses, {{lang|ny|-li}} is used for both types of copula:
: {{lang|ny|iyé '''analí''' bwino}} {{gloss|he was well (this morning)}}
: {{lang|ny|iyé '''ánaalí''' mphunzitsi}} {{gloss|he was a teacher (at that time)}}

In the future, subjunctive, or conditional tenses, a form of the verb {{lang|ny|khala}} {{gloss|sit/dwell}} is used as a copula:
: {{lang|ny|máwa '''ákhala''' bwino}} {{gloss|he'll be fine tomorrow}}