Relative Clauses — Swahili Grammar

To say the work that is available or where I put it, Swahili uses no separate relative word. It builds the relative into the verb, as a piece that agrees with the noun being described.

The Referential -o

The piece is built on -o and takes its shape from the class: -ye- for a person, -cho- for class 7, -zo- for class 10, -lo- for class 5, -yo- for class 9. When the verb has a tense marker, the piece sits right after it.

Kuna kazi nyingi zinazopatikana.
There is a lot of work available.

zi- they, the class 10 subject
-na- happening now
-zo- which, class 10 again
patikana be available

One word carries the noun's class twice over, once as the subject and once as the relative.

Naamini hakuna chakula kilichobaki.
I believe there is no food left.

Describing a Thing

The relative verb follows the noun it describes, standing exactly where an adjective would.

Sushi ndicho chakula nikipendacho zaidi.
Sushi is the food I like most.
Filamu yako uipendayo ni gani?
Which is your favourite film?
Chagua pea ya viatu unayoipenda.
Choose the pair of shoes you like.

The first two have no tense marker. Then the piece goes on the very end of the verb instead, and the verb describes something that is generally so: is ni- I, -ki- it, like, -cho which.

Where and When

The place classes give relatives meaning where, and these are very common.

Sizioni miwani yangu. Sijui nilipoziweka.
I cannot see my glasses. I do not know where I put them.

is where I or when I, built with the place piece -po-. Swahili leaves the choice between place and time to the sentence around it.

In the Future and Other Tenses

The piece attaches directly in the present and the past. In the future it comes after -ta-.

Unaweza kuniamsha ndege itakapotua?
Can you wake me when the plane lands?
Tutaonana mwakani wakati utakaporudi nyumbani.
See you next year when you come back home.

The Negative Relative

A negative relative uses -si- and carries no tense marker at all.

Utanenepa ukila chakula kisicho na afya tu.
You will get fat if you eat only unhealthy food.

is which is not, with the class 7 ki-, the negative -si- and the relative -cho.

The Relative Word amba-

Swahili also has a separate relative word built on , used where the tense will not accommodate the built-in piece. It belongs to a later stage. At this level every relative you meet is of the built-in kind, and recognising it inside the verb is enough.

Hiki ni kitabu ambacho nilikisoma.
This is the book that I read.

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