Class

m(w)-
wa-

m(w)-
mi-

(ji-)
ma-

ki(ch)-
vi(vy)-

n
 

u
 

example word   (sing)
(plural)

mtu
watu  

 mti
miti

 duka
maduka

kitu
vitu 

nyumba
nyumba 

uso
nyuso 

verb subject prefix
duka linafungua
the shop opens

ni-
u-
a-
tu-
m(w)-
wa-

u-

i-

li-

ya-

ki-

vi-

i-

zi-

u-

zi-

verb subject prefix
(negative)
duka halifungui
the shop doesn’t open

si-
hu-
ha-
hatu-
ham(w)-
hawa-

hau-


hai-

hali-


haya-

haki-


havi-

hai-


hazi-

hau-


hazi-

verb object infix
I hit the chair
ninakipiga kiti

-ni-
-ku-
-m(w)-
-tu-
-wa-
-wa-

-u-


-i-

-li-


-ya-

-ki-


-vi-

-i-


-zi-

-u-


-zi-

nipo
upo
yupo
tupo
mpo
wapo

upo


ipo

lipo


yapo

kipo


vipo

ipo


zipo

upo


zipo

this
these

huyu
hawa

huu
hii

hili
haya

hiki
hivi

hii
hizi

huu
hizi

that
those

yule
wale

ule
ile

lile
yale

kile
vile

ile
zile

ule
zile

Class

m(w)-
wa-

m(w)-
mi-

(ji-)
ma-

ki(ch)-
vi(vy)-

n
 

u
 

adjective prefix  -zuri
uso mzuri
a beautiful face

mzuri
wazuri

mzuri
mizuri

zuri
mazuri

kizuri
vizuri

nzuri
nzuri

mzuri
nuzuri

-enye (having/possessing)
mtu mwenye kofia
the man with the hat

mwenye
wenye

wenye
yenye

lenye
yenye

chenye
vyenye

yenye
zenye

wenye
zenye

-ote (all)
kula chakula chote
eat all the food

yote
wote

wote
yote

lote
yote

chote
vyote

yote
zote

wote
zote

-ingine (another)
mtu mwingine
someone else

mwingine
wengine

mwingine
mingine

lingine
mengine

kingine
vingine

nyingine
nyingine

mwingine
nyingine

possessive (mine)
mtoto wangu
my child

wangu
wangu

wangu
yangu

langu
yangu

changu
vyangu

yangu
zangu

wangu
zangu

of
jina la Baba
(name of father)

wa
wa

wa
ya

la
ya

cha
vya

ya
za

wa
za

relative infix
kitu kinachobaki
(the thing which remains)

-ye-
-o-

-o-
-yo-

-lo-
-yo-

-cho-
-vyo-

-yo-
-zo-

-o-
-zo-

numbers   one
                 two

mmoja
wawili

mmoja
miwili

moja
mawili

kimoja
viwili

moja
mbili

mmoja
mbili