Class 15: Infinitives Used as Nouns (ku-)

01

One Form, Two Jobs

kusoma is both to read and reading. English needs two forms; Swahili needs one, because the infinitive is already a noun.

• Kujifunza lugha mpya ni vigumu sana.

  Learning a new language is very hard.

• Kula matunda ni vizuri.

  Eating fruit is good.

In both, the ku- word is the subject of the sentence, a position only a noun can hold.

02

The Verb Prefix Is ku-

When a class 15 noun is the subject, the verb agreeing with it takes ku- as well.

• Kuogelea kunafurahisha.

  Swimming is fun.

• ku- it, the class 15 subject, standing for the swimming
• -na- happening now
• furahisha make happy, be fun

03

After Another Verb

This is where you meet the form most often: after verbs of wanting, being able and needing.

• Nahitaji kwenda msalani.

  I need to go to the toilet.

• Nataka kwenda nyumbani sasa.

  I want to go home now.

• Nimefurahi kukutana nawe.

  I am pleased to meet you.

04

The Shape of the Prefix

The prefix is ku- whatever the stem begins with, a vowel included, so a class 15 noun is nothing more than ku- joined to a stem.

• -ona see gives kuona
• -angalia look gives kuangalia

Two verbs contract to kw-: -enda gives kwenda, and -isha gives kwisha.

• Unaweza kunipa mfano?

  Can you give me an example?

05

An Object Marker Can Sit Inside

There is room between the ku- and the stem for an object, which is why so many infinitives come out three pieces long.

• Umeshawahi kuisikia bendi hii?

  Have you ever heard this band?

• ku- to
• -i- it, standing for the band
• sikia hear

• Naweza kuibeba. Ni nyepesi sana.

  I can carry it. It is very light.

06

Two Verbs in a Row

When one verb governs another, only the first carries a subject and a tense. The second stays an infinitive however far into the sentence it comes.

• Unasoma vitabu. Unapenda kusoma vitabu.

  You read books. You like reading books.

• Naweza kuijaribu piano hii kabla ya kuinunua?

  Can I try this piano before buying it?

Both infinitives in the last sentence hang from the single conjugated verb naweza.