-iwa

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Swahili

Suffix

-iwa (mid vowel harmony variant -ewa)

  1. Alternative form of -wa used after a stem ending in -l-, -w-, or -y-, with borrowed verbs ending in -u, and in monosyllabic verbs
    -tawala (to rule) + ‎-iwa → ‎-tawaliwa (to be ruled)
    -jaribu (to try) + ‎-iwa → ‎-jaribiwa (to be tried)
    -la (to eat) + ‎-iwa → ‎-liwa (to be eaten)

Usage notes

Which vowel harmony variant is used in monosyllabic verbs depends on etymology. The verbs -la and -cha take -iwa, while -nya, -nywa, and -pa take -ewa.

Derived terms