-a

positive indicative ending for verbs of Bantu origin

-ta-

Infix position positive subject concord; Positive future

Infix position positive subject concord; Negative subjunctive

-nge-

Infix position positive subject concord; Positive present conditional

-singe-

Infix position positive subject concord; Negative present conditional

-ngali-

Infix position positive subject concord; Positive past conditional

-singali-

Infix position positive subject concord; Negative past conditional

-me-

Infix position positive subject concord; Perfect

Infix position positive subject concord; Consecutive

-ta-

Infix position negative subject concord; Negative future

-nge-

Infix position negative subject concord; Negative present conditional

-ngali-

Infix position negative subject concord; Negative past conditional


-ka

-sikia (“to hear”) + -ka → -sikika (“to audible”)

-fungua (“to open”) + -ka → -funguka (“to be opened”)

shughuli (“occupation, trade”) + -ka → -shughulika (“to be busy”)

Alternative form of -ika used in some verbs ending in -ia, in all verbs ending in -e, in conversive verbs ending in -oa, or -ua, in all words ending in -i, and in nouns and adjectives ending in -u


-ni

you, (archaic) ye

nyumbani

mezani

نِيَضِهِرِشِ يَغُ مَقَالِ ، اَبَيُ مُيُوْنِ نِقُصُدِيِ

R. Allen (1946) “Inkishafi—a translation from the Swahili”, in African Studies, volume 5, number 4, →DOI, pages 243–249

Let me set forth the plan which I have in my heart.

Niyaḍihirishe yangu maqali, ambayo moyoni niquṣudiye.

With nouns, indicates location: in/inside, at, on


-ko

Sijui wanakotoka.

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#Ku locative class|ku class_((XVII))]] relative marker, where


-ta

-okoa (“to save”) + -ta → -okota (“to pick up”)

(nonproductive) final conclusion of a process, often involving contact


-o

-penda (“to love”) + -o → upendo (“love”)

-enda (“to go”) + -o → mwendo (“motion”)

suffix used in nominal forms of verbs in the absence of a more specific suffix (such as -aji), in conjunction with a noun class prefix

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#M-wa class|wa class_((II))]], [[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#M-mi class|m class_((III))]], and [[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#U class|u class_((XI))]] relative marker

اَوُرَكِيْبُوُ جُوَ نِمَاسِ ، كَكُلَ خَسَرَ اُخَسِرِيِ

18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi, stanza 13:

The one who rides it, know you are a rebel; you harm yourself.

Aurakibuo jua ni-mwasi, kwa-kula khasara ukhasiriye.

(archaic, Northern Swahili, poetry) relative marker for any noun class


-o

Ukitaka moyo wangu, ni tayari kukupao

(Can we date this quote?), K. Amri Abedi, Ukitaka moyo wangu:

If you want my heart, I am ready to give it to you

nonce suffix added for rhyming and scansion purposes


-e

ili mwende nyumbani

هُنِلِزِ نَمِ كَلِ بَيْنِ ، لِوَاپُ نَسُرَ نِسِ كَتَيْ

Can't you tell it me plainly that I may admit it?

Hunelezi nami kali baini, liwapo na-sura nisi katae.

(without TAM infix, with -si-, or with -ka-) subjunctive marker

ikumbukwe


-e

-vimba (“to swell”) + -e → uvimbe (“swelling, expansion”)

-umba (“to create”) + -e → kiumbe (“creature”)

suffix used to derive a noun denoting a person or object undergoing an action


-i

sijui

مُيُ وَاغُ نِنِ هُزُدُكَانِ ، لِكُغُرِيِلُ هِيْلَ نِنْنِ ،

Soul, why not awake? Hi! what is it that cheats you?

Moyo wangu nini huzundukani, likughuriyelo hela ni-n'ni?

(without TAM infix) general negative marker


-i

-penda (“to love”) + -i → mpenzi (“lover”)

-andika (“to write”) + -i → maandishi (“writing, script”)

(often with spirantization of the preceding consonant) suffix used in nominal forms of verbs, in conjunction with a noun class prefix


-z

(Sheng) "urbanizes" a word, makes it more hip with youth


-ana

-ona (“to see”) + -ana → -onana (“to see each other”)


-fu

-angalia (“to observe”) + -fu → -angalifu (“observant”)

-tukuka (“to be exalted”) + -fu → utukufu (“glory”)

suffix used to derive a noun or adjective, replacing the final -ka in the case of stative verbs


-ia

-lipa (“to pay”) + -ia → -lipia (“to pay for”)

-jibu (“to answer”) + -ia → -jibia (“to answer to/for”)

-soma (“to read”) + -ea → -somea (“to read to/for”)

for (directed at, intended to belong to), applicative suffix

-nuka (“to smell”) + -ia → -nukia (“to smell good”)

-hama (“to move, to emigrate”) + -ia → -hamia (“to move to, to immigrate”)


-ika

-lika/-leka (alternative)
-ka (alternative)

-nywa (“to drink”) + -eka → -nyweka (“to be drinkable”)

-maliza (“to finish”) + -ika → -malizika (“to be finished”)

-haribu (“to damage”) + -ika → -haribika (“to be damaged”)

(after a verb) to have undergone the action

stative suffix
to have undergone the action

imara (“strong”) + -ika → -imarika (“to be strong”)

(after an adjective or noun) to be or have a characteristic of

stative suffix
to be or have a characteristic of


-lo

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#Ji-ma class|ji class_((V))]] relative marker


-ya

-chemka (“to boil”) + -ya → -chemsha (“to bring to a boil”)

(often with spirantization of the preceding consonant) causative suffix

used after verbs stems ending -k- (but not in -ek- or -ik-) with spirantization of the -k- to -sh-

-ogopa (“to fear”) + -ya → -ogofya (“to frighten”)

used in some verbs interchangeably with -isha/-esha

-ona (“to see”) + -ya → -onya (“to warn”)

-lala (“to sleep”) + -ya → -laza (“to put to bed”)

(nonproductive) used to construct a causative verb with slightly different meaning

Near-synonyms: -isha/-esha, -iza/-eza


-mo

walimoingia

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#Mu locative class|mu class_((XVIII))]] relative marker, wherein


-iza

Near-synonyms: -ya, -isha/-esha

-lipa (“to pay”) + -iza → -lipiza (“to settle an account”)

-penda (“to love”) + -eza → -pendeza (“to be pleasing”)

(nonproductive) suffix used to construct a causative verb with slightly different meaning


-ua

head

variant after root with <i class="Latn mention" lang="sw">-o-</i>

-funga (“to close”) + -ua → -fungua (“to open”)

-choma (“to pierce”) + -oa → -chomoa (“to draw out”)

(nonproductive) conversive suffix; reverses the meaning of the verb


-wa

-iwa/-ewa (alternative)
-liwa/-lewa (alternative)

-tuma (“to send”) + -wa → -tumwa (“to be sent”)

-jaa (“to fill”) + -wa → -jawa (“to be filled”)


-ilia

Double applicative, from -ia + -lia. One of the meanings of the applicative is finality or completeness, and this is the meaning intended in the reduplicated form.

-shika (“to hold”) + -ilia → -shikilia (“to hold tight, to clutch”)

(nonproductive) continuing and persisting with an action


-ama

-ganda (“to coagulate”) + -ama → -gandama (“to adhere”)


-ye

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#M-wa class|m class_((I))]] relative marker


-za

What are now vowel-final verb stems originally had an -l-, which resurfaces whenever a suffix is added. After addition of the suffix -ya, this -l- was then spirantized to -z-.

-kimbia (“to run”) + -za → -kimbiza (“to chase”)

-pungua (“to decrease”) + -za → -punguza (“to reduce”)

Alternative form of -ya used after a vowel


-cho

نِكَمَ كِسِمَ كِسِگُ وُمْبِّ ، كِنْيِ مْتَپَاءَ مَانَ وَغُمْبِ

18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi, stanza 14:

It is like a shallow well where charges a young bull;

Ni-kama kisima kisicho ombe, chenye mta-paa mwana wa-ng'ombe,

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#Ki-vi class|ki class_((VII))]] relative marker


-yo

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#M-mi class|mi class_((IV))]], [[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#Ji-ma class|ma class_((VI))]], and [[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#N class|n class_((IX))]] relative marker


-vyo

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#Ki-vi class|vi class_((VIII))]] relative marker

Ndivyo ulivyo.

[…] kuchota rasilimali nyingi iwezekanavyo[…]

2022, Muungano wa Tanganyika na Zanzibar: Chimbuko, Misingi na Maendeleo, Serikali ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, →ISBN:

[…] to extract as many resources as possible […]


-zo

[…] na kichwa chake kiwazi kilituonyesha nywele zilizochanwa na kupasuliwa njia katikati.

1973, Mohammed S. Abdulla, Duniani kuna watu, page 3:

[…] and his uncovered head showed us combed hair with a middle part.

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#N class|n class_((X))]] relative marker


-po

tulipolala

Ilikuwa kiasi cha saa moja-unusu ya usiku Kasim alipopanda ngazi pana[…]

It was about half past seven in the night when Kasim went up the wide stairs […]

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#Pa locative class|pa class_((XVI))]] relative marker, while, when


-vu

-legea (“to be loose”) + -vu → -legevu (“loose”)

-lemaa (“to be disabled”) + -vu → ulemavu (“disability”)

suffix used to derive a noun or adjective from a verb with stem ending in a vowel


-zi

What are now vowel-final verb stems originally had an -l-, which resurfaces whenever a suffix is added. After addition of the suffix -i, this -l- was then spirantized to -z-.

-kimbia (“to run”) + -zi → mkimbizi (“refugee”)

-teua (“to choose”) + -zi → uteuzi (“nomination”)

suffix used after a vowel in nominal forms of verbs, in conjunction with a noun class prefix


-lia

What are now vowel-final verb stems originally had an -l-, which resurfaces whenever a suffix is added.

-andaa (“to prepare”) + -lia → -andalia (“to prepare for”)

-zoa (“to pick up”) + -lea → -zolea (“to pick up for”)

Alternative form of -ia used after a stem ending in a vowel


-lea

mid vowel variant of -lia (alternative form of -ia used after a stem ending in a vowel)


-iwa

-tawala (“to rule”) + -iwa → -tawaliwa (“to be ruled”)

-jaribu (“to try”) + -iwa → -jaribiwa (“to be tried”)

-la (“to eat”) + -iwa → -liwa (“to be eaten”)

Alternative form of -wa used after a stem ending in -l-, -w-, or -y-, with borrowed verbs ending in -u, and in monosyllabic verbs


-ewa

mid vowel variant of -iwa (alternative form of -wa)


-liwa

What are now vowel-final verb stems originally had an -l-, which resurfaces whenever a suffix is added. The rule was then extended to borrowed words by analogy.

-tia (“to put”) + -liwa → -tiliwa (“to be put”)

-pokea (“to receive”) + -lewa → -pokelewa (“to be received”)

-sahau (“to forget”) + -liwa → -sahauliwa (“to be forgotten”)

Alternative form of -wa used in nonderived verbs ending in -ia or -ea, as well as any verb ending in -aa, -au, -oa, -ua, or -uu


-lewa

mid vowel variant of -liwa (alternative form of -wa)


-isha

Near-synonyms: -ya, -iza/-eza

-la (“to eat”) + -isha → -lisha (“to feed”)

-weza (“to be able”) + -esha → -wezesha (“to enable”)

causative suffix
(added to a verb) to cause to, to make

imara (“strong”) + -isha → -imarisha (“to strengthen”)

(added to an adjective) to cause to become, to make

causative suffix
to cause to become, to make

sababu (“cause”) + -isha → -sababisha (“to cause”)

orodha (“list”) + -esha → -orodhesha (“to list”)

(added to a noun) to give a characteristic of, to turn into


-lisha

-lisha (mid vowel harmony variant -lesha)

-vaa (“to wear”) + -lisha → -valisha (“to dress”)

-sahau (“to forget”) + -lisha → -sahaulisha (“to cause to forget”)

-toboa (“to reveal”) + lesha → -tobolesha (“to cause to reveal”)

-tia (“to put”) + -lisha → -tilisha (“to cause to put”)

Alternative form of -isha used in verbs ending in -aa, -au, -oa, -ua, or -uu, and in dysillabic verbs ending in -ia


-lesha

mid vowel variant of -lisha (alternative form of -isha)


-lika

-vaa (“to wear”) + -lika → -valika (“to be wearable”)

-sahau (“to forget”) + -lika → -sahaulika (“to be forgotten, to be forgettable”)

-zoea (“to get used to”) + leka → -zoeleka (“to be familiar with”)

-zuia (“to restrain”) + -lika → -zuilika (“to be restrained”)

Alternative form of -ika used in verbs ending in two vowels that are neither i nor e, and in some verbs ending in -ia or -ea


-leka

mid vowel variant of -lika (alternative form of -ika)


-ikana

-ikana (mid vowel harmony variant -ekana)

-ona (“to see”) + -ekana → -onekana (“to be visible”)

-pata (“to obtain”) + -ikana → -patikana (“to be available”)

-sema (“to speak”) + -ekana → -semekana (“to be purported”)

marks a general or widespread state, often with sligh shift in meaning


-likana

-likana (mid vowel harmony variant -lekana)

-jua (“to know”) + -likana → -julikana (“to be famous”)


-aji

From *-aga (constantly repeated action or habitual state) + -i.

af

<alt:*-aga><pos:constantly repeated action or habitual state>

m- + -soma (“to read”) + -aji → msomaji (“reader”)

mw- + -uza (“to sell”) + -aji → mwuzaji (“vendor”)

ki- + -nywa (“to drink”) + -aji → kinywaji (“beverage”)

(usually in [[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#M-wa class|m-wa class_((I/II))]]) agent of an action or person who performs the action as their profession

u- + -fuga (“to keep (livestock)”) + -aji → ufugaji (“herding, livestock management”)

u- + -pasua (“to operate on”) + -aji → upasuaji (“operation”)

(in [[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#U class|u class_((XI))]]) fact of performing an action


-aga

wanakwendaga