mw-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "mw"

Swahili

Alternative forms

• m- (before consonants)
• mu- (before /u/ and /w/)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *mʊ̀-.

Prefix

mw- (plural wa-)

1. m class_(I) noun prefix and adjective agreement prefix used before vowels

   mwizi mwingine ― another thief

   ‎mw- + ‎Uislamu (“Islam”) → ‎Mwislamu (“Muslim”)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *mʊ̀-.

Prefix

mw- (plural mi-)

1. m class_(III) noun prefix and adjective agreement prefix used before vowels

   mwaka mwingine ― another year

   ‎mw- + ‎embe (“mango”) → ‎mwembe (“mango tree”)

2. u class_(XI) adjective agreement prefix used before vowels

   ulimi mwingine ― another tongue

See also

• Appendix:Swahili noun classes

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *mʊ̀-.

Prefix

mw-

1. you, 2nd person plural subject concord used before vowels

   Antonym: hamw-

2. verb-initial form of -mw- (“her, him; 3rd person singular (m class_(I)) object concord used before vowels”)

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 4

From Proto-Bantu *mʊ́-.

Prefix

mw-

1. therein, mu class_(XVIII) subject concord used before vowels

   Antonym: hamw-

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

Tooro

Prefix

mw-

1. Form used before a verb beginning with a vowel of mu-

   ‎mw- + ‎oma (“to get dry”) → ‎mwoma (“you all get dry”)