-ku-

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "ku"

Chichewa

Infix

-ku-

  1. Forms the present tense in verbs.

Usage notes

This tense is used in a present continuous sense, and contrasts with the habitual of -ma-.

Garo

Affix

-ku-

  1. yet, indicates that the action is still happening.

Swahili

Other scripts
Ajami ـكُـ

Pronunciation

  • Audio (Kenya)(file)

Etymology 1

Infix

-ku-

  1. (with negative subject concord) negative past tense marker
    Antonym: -li-
    Sikukisoma. ― I did not read it.
Conjugation
Conjugation of -ku-
Singular Plural
1st person siku- hatuku-
2nd person huku- hamku-
3rd person m-wa(I/II) haku- hawaku-
m-mi(III/IV) hauku- haiku-
ji-ma(V/VI) haliku- hayaku-
ki-vi(VII/VIII) hakiku- haviku-
n(IX/X) haiku- haziku-
u(XI) hauku- see n(X) or ma(VI)
ku(XV/XVII) hakuku-
pa(XVI) hapaku-
mu(XVIII) hamku-
For more information, see Appendix:Swahili verbs.
See also
Swahili TAM markers
Initial
Positive infinitive ku-/kw-1
Negative infinitive kuto-
Habitual hu-1
Telegrammic ka-1
Final
General (positive indicative) -a
Positive subjunctive -e
Negative present -i
Second person plural -ni
Infix position
positive subject concord
Positive past -li-
Positive present -na-
Positive future -ta-
Negative subjunctive -si-1
Positive present conditional -nge-
Negative present conditional -singe-
Positive past conditional -ngali-
Negative past conditional -singali-
Gnomic -a-1
Perfect -me-
"Already" past -lisha-
"Already" present -mesha-/-sha-
"If/When" -ki-1
"If not" -sipo-
Consecutive -ka-1
Infix position
negative subject concord
Negative past -ku-1
Negative future -ta-
"Not yet" -ja-1
Negative present conditional -nge-
Negative past conditional -ngali-
Relative
Past -li-
Present -na-
Future -taka-
Negative -si-
1 Can take stress and therefore does not require -ku-/-kw- in monosyllabic verbs.

Etymology 2

Infix

-ku-

  1. you, 2st person singular object concord
    Ninakupenda. ― I like you.
    • 18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi‎, translation from R. Allen (1946) “Inkishafi—a translation from the Swahili”, in African Studies, volume 5, number 4, →DOI, pages 243–249, stanza 11:
      مُيُ وَاغُ نِنِ هُزُدُكَانِ ، لِكُغُرِيِلُ هِيْلَ نِنْنِ ،
      Moyo wangu nini huzundukani, likughuriyelo hela ni-n'ni?
      Soul, why not awake? Hi! what is it that cheats you?
  2. (with suffix -ni) you, y'all; 2st person plural object concord
    Synonym: -wa-
    Ninakupendeni. ― I like y'all.

See also

Swahili personal pronouns (m-wa class(I/II))
Number Person Independent Subject concord Object concord Combined forms Possessive
affirmative negative na ndi- si-
Singular First mimi ni- si- -ni- nami, na mimi ndimi, ndiye simi, siye -angu
Second wewe u- hu- -ku- nawe, na wewe ndiwe, ndiye siwe, siye -ako
Third yeye a-, yu- ha-, hayu- -m-, -mw-, -mu- naye, na yeye ndiye siye -ake
Plural First sisi tu- hatu- -tu- nasi, na sisi ndisi, ndio sio -etu
Second ninyi m-, mw-, mu- ham-, hamw-, hamu- -wa- nanyi, na ninyi ndinyi, ndio sinyi, sio -enu
Third wao wa- hawa- -wa- nao ndio sio -ao
Reflexive — — -ji- — —
For a full table including other classes, see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns.

Etymology 3

Infix

-ku-

  1. there, ku class(XVII) object concord
See also
Swahili verbal concords (third person)
Class Subject concord Object concord Relative
affirmative negative
m(I) a-, yu- ha-, hayu- -m-, -mw-, -mu- -ye
wa(II) wa- hawa- -wa- -o
m(III) u- hau- -u- -o
mi(IV) i- hai- -i- -yo
ji(V) li- hali- -li- -lo
ma(VI) ya- haya- -ya- -yo
ki(VII) ki- haki- -ki- -cho
vi(VIII) vi- havi- -vi- -vyo
n(IX) i- hai- -i- -yo
n(X) zi- hazi- -zi- -zo
u(XI) u- hau- -u- -o
ku(XV/XVII) ku- haku- -ku- -ko
pa(XVI) pa- hapa- -pa- -po
mu(XVIII) m-, mw-, mu- ham-, hamw-, hamu- -mu- -mo
For a full table including first and second person, see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns.

Etymology 4

From the infinitive prefix ku-.

Interfix

-ku-

  1. placed between certain tense/aspect markers and the stem of monosyllabic verbs (-ja, -la, -wa) in the absence of object concord
    nitakuwa ― I will be
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