Swahili
Etymology
Probably connected with pumba (“lump; clod of earth”), following a sense of “be lumpish, heavy”.
Pronunciation
- (Unguja standard) IPA(key): /puˈᵐbɑː/
Verb
-pumbaa (infinitive kupumbaa)
- to be foolish, silly, weak-minded, careless, negligent.
pumbaa kazi- take no pains about a job, do it carelessly, be idle
Conjugation
| Conjugation of -pumbaa
|
| Positive present
|
-napumbaa
|
| Subjunctive
|
-pumbae
|
| Negative
|
-pumbai
|
| Imperative singular
|
pumbaa
|
|
| Infinitives
|
|
|
| Imperatives
|
| Singular
|
pumbaa
|
| Plural
|
pumbaeni
|
|
| Tensed forms
|
| Habitual
|
hupumbaa
|
| Positive past
|
positive subject concord + -lipumbaa
|
| Negative past
|
negative subject concord + -kupumbaa
|
|
| Positive present (positive subject concord + -napumbaa)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
ninapumbaa/napumbaa
|
tunapumbaa
|
| 2nd person
|
unapumbaa
|
mnapumbaa
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
anapumbaa
|
wanapumbaa
|
| other classes
|
positive subject concord + -napumbaa
|
|
| Negative present (negative subject concord + -pumbai)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
sipumbai
|
hatupumbai
|
| 2nd person
|
hupumbai
|
hampumbai
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
hapumbai
|
hawapumbai
|
| other classes
|
negative subject concord + -pumbai
|
|
| Positive future
|
positive subject concord + -tapumbaa
|
| Negative future
|
negative subject concord + -tapumbaa
|
|
| Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -pumbae)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
nipumbae
|
tupumbae
|
| 2nd person
|
upumbae
|
mpumbae
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
apumbae
|
wapumbae
|
| other classes
|
positive subject concord + -pumbae
|
|
| Negative subjunctive
|
positive subject concord + -sipumbae
|
| Positive present conditional
|
positive subject concord + -ngepumbaa
|
| Negative present conditional
|
positive subject concord + -singepumbaa
|
| Positive past conditional
|
positive subject concord + -ngalipumbaa
|
| Negative past conditional
|
positive subject concord + -singalipumbaa
|
|
| Gnomic (positive subject concord + -apumbaa)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
napumbaa
|
twapumbaa
|
| 2nd person
|
wapumbaa
|
mwapumbaa
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
apumbaa
|
wapumbaa
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
wapumbaa
|
yapumbaa
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
lapumbaa
|
yapumbaa
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
chapumbaa
|
vyapumbaa
|
| n(IX/X)
|
yapumbaa
|
zapumbaa
|
| u(XI)
|
wapumbaa
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
kwapumbaa
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
papumbaa
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
mwapumbaa
|
|
|
| Perfect
|
positive subject concord + -mepumbaa
|
| "Already"
|
positive subject concord + -meshapumbaa
|
| "Not yet"
|
negative subject concord + -japumbaa
|
| "If/When"
|
positive subject concord + -kipumbaa
|
| "If not"
|
positive subject concord + -sipopumbaa
|
| Consecutive
|
kapumbaa / positive subject concord + -kapumbaa
|
| Consecutive subjunctive
|
positive subject concord + -kapumbae
|
|
| Object concord (indicative positive)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-nipumbaa
|
-tupumbaa
|
| 2nd person
|
-kupumbaa
|
-wapumbaa/-kupumbaeni/-wapumbaeni
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
-mpumbaa
|
-wapumbaa
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
-upumbaa
|
-ipumbaa
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
-lipumbaa
|
-yapumbaa
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
-kipumbaa
|
-vipumbaa
|
| n(IX/X)
|
-ipumbaa
|
-zipumbaa
|
| u(XI)
|
-upumbaa
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
-kupumbaa
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
-papumbaa
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
-mupumbaa
|
|
| Reflexive
|
-jipumbaa
|
|
| Relative forms
|
| General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -pumbaa- + relative marker)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| m-wa(I/II)
|
-pumbaaye
|
-pumbaao
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
-pumbaao
|
-pumbaayo
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
-pumbaalo
|
-pumbaayo
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
-pumbaacho
|
-pumbaavyo
|
| n(IX/X)
|
-pumbaayo
|
-pumbaazo
|
| u(XI)
|
-pumbaao
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
-pumbaako
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
-pumbaapo
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
-pumbaamo
|
|
|
| Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -pumbaa)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| m-wa(I/II)
|
-yepumbaa
|
-opumbaa
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
-opumbaa
|
-yopumbaa
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
-lopumbaa
|
-yopumbaa
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
-chopumbaa
|
-vyopumbaa
|
| n(IX/X)
|
-yopumbaa
|
-zopumbaa
|
| u(XI)
|
-opumbaa
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
-kopumbaa
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
-popumbaa
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
-mopumbaa
|
|
|
|
| Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.
|
Derived terms
- Verbal derivations:
- Causative: -pumbaza (“make a fool of, deceive”)
References