Swahili
Etymology
From -lala (“to sleep”) + -ama. The semantic shift seems to be “to be prostrate” → “to beg for mercy” → “to complain”.[1]
Pronunciation
Verb
-lalama (infinitive kulalama)
- to complain
Conjugation
| Conjugation of -lalama
|
| Positive present
|
-nalalama
|
| Subjunctive
|
-lalame
|
| Negative
|
-lalami
|
| Imperative singular
|
lalama
|
|
| Infinitives
|
|
|
| Imperatives
|
| Singular
|
lalama
|
| Plural
|
lalameni
|
|
| Tensed forms
|
| Habitual
|
hulalama
|
| Positive past
|
positive subject concord + -lilalama
|
| Negative past
|
negative subject concord + -kulalama
|
|
| Positive present (positive subject concord + -nalalama)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
ninalalama/nalalama
|
tunalalama
|
| 2nd person
|
unalalama
|
mnalalama
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
analalama
|
wanalalama
|
| other classes
|
positive subject concord + -nalalama
|
|
| Negative present (negative subject concord + -lalami)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
silalami
|
hatulalami
|
| 2nd person
|
hulalami
|
hamlalami
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
halalami
|
hawalalami
|
| other classes
|
negative subject concord + -lalami
|
|
| Positive future
|
positive subject concord + -talalama
|
| Negative future
|
negative subject concord + -talalama
|
|
| Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -lalame)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
nilalame
|
tulalame
|
| 2nd person
|
ulalame
|
mlalame
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
alalame
|
walalame
|
| other classes
|
positive subject concord + -lalame
|
|
| Negative subjunctive
|
positive subject concord + -silalame
|
| Positive present conditional
|
positive subject concord + -ngelalama
|
| Negative present conditional
|
positive subject concord + -singelalama
|
| Positive past conditional
|
positive subject concord + -ngalilalama
|
| Negative past conditional
|
positive subject concord + -singalilalama
|
|
| Gnomic (positive subject concord + -alalama)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
nalalama
|
twalalama
|
| 2nd person
|
walalama
|
mwalalama
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
alalama
|
walalama
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
walalama
|
yalalama
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
lalalama
|
yalalama
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
chalalama
|
vyalalama
|
| n(IX/X)
|
yalalama
|
zalalama
|
| u(XI)
|
walalama
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
kwalalama
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
palalama
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
mwalalama
|
|
|
| Perfect
|
positive subject concord + -melalama
|
| "Already"
|
positive subject concord + -meshalalama
|
| "Not yet"
|
negative subject concord + -jalalama
|
| "If/When"
|
positive subject concord + -kilalama
|
| "If not"
|
positive subject concord + -sipolalama
|
| Consecutive
|
kalalama / positive subject concord + -kalalama
|
| Consecutive subjunctive
|
positive subject concord + -kalalame
|
|
| Object concord (indicative positive)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-nilalama
|
-tulalama
|
| 2nd person
|
-kulalama
|
-walalama/-kulalameni/-walalameni
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
-mlalama
|
-walalama
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
-ulalama
|
-ilalama
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
-lilalama
|
-yalalama
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
-kilalama
|
-vilalama
|
| n(IX/X)
|
-ilalama
|
-zilalama
|
| u(XI)
|
-ulalama
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
-kulalama
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
-palalama
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
-mulalama
|
|
| Reflexive
|
-jilalama
|
|
| Relative forms
|
| General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -lalama- + relative marker)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| m-wa(I/II)
|
-lalamaye
|
-lalamao
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
-lalamao
|
-lalamayo
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
-lalamalo
|
-lalamayo
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
-lalamacho
|
-lalamavyo
|
| n(IX/X)
|
-lalamayo
|
-lalamazo
|
| u(XI)
|
-lalamao
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
-lalamako
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
-lalamapo
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
-lalamamo
|
|
|
| Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -lalama)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| m-wa(I/II)
|
-yelalama
|
-olalama
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
-olalama
|
-yolalama
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
-lolalama
|
-yolalama
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
-cholalama
|
-vyolalama
|
| n(IX/X)
|
-yolalama
|
-zolalama
|
| u(XI)
|
-olalama
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
-kolalama
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
-polalama
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
-molalama
|
|
|
|
| Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.
|
Derived terms
References
- ^ Ashton, E. O. (1944) Swahili Grammar (including Intonation), London: Longmans, Green & Co, page 236.