-ku-

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))

	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