"Nilikwisha pata zawadi"

Translation: I had already received a gift

[BwanaSimba]

-Kwisha 'finish' as an auxiliary, can be preceded by the anterior (perfect) marker -me and is followed by the infinitive form of another verb: Nimekwisha kupata (which developed into Nimeshapata) = 'I have finished getting' OR 'I have already gotten'. When -kwisha is preceded by the past tense marker -li the 'already' interpretation is not possible: Nilikwisha kupata (which developed into Nilishapata) = 'I finished getting' OR 'I had gotten'.

[TessEwing1]

Thank you for the explanation of -kwisha, BwanaSimba. But why does the sentence use "pata" instead of "kupata"?

[Ernst557459]

Mpiranya is his book "Swahili Grammar and Workbook" states that these three constructions can be used interchangeably:

'I have already seen':

Nimeshaona

Nimekwisha ona

Nimekwisha kuona

He also remarks that the first construction is the most common.

[Ernst557459]

DL only approves of the American 'gotten': 'I had already got a gift' is not accepted. Reported.

[vtopphol]

I've always used 'pokea' in this sense of receiving, and 'pata' in the sense of finding or obtaining. But 'find' wasn't accepted here. Could anyone enlighten me?

[billhatcher]

And this one needs an article please ("a" or "the").