User:MuDavid/sw-conj

After the discussion on the Swahili verb conjugation template in the beer parlour, I thought I’d write down some thoughts.

We need to show information, not forms. The great majority of the forms are perfectly regular. Therefore, we should focus on the irregularities. These are the following:

• some verbs can take object infixes, some don’t (our own page on Swahili verbs states, “The object concord only appears for transitive verbs”; according to our tables, -tosha is transitive?);
• some verbs (-pa, -ambia, -ita according to this book) must take object infixes and these must be in classes 1 or 2 (our table currently shows a gazillion forms without object infixes or with object infixes in other classes; it’s tough to find any correct form in the table at -pa, for example);
• whether the infinitive prefix ku-/kw- is kept (it is not kept with object infixes for example, which our table shows incorrectly);
• whether the prefix m- becomes mw- (our table currently does that incorrectly and only shows it for the object: it’s mwone, not *mone) or mu- (as in the subjunctive of -wa, which is muwe and not *mwe as currently shown);
• the combination of subject and tense infix in the -a- and -na- tenses (the first has irregularities all over: ki- + -a- become cha- etc.; the second only in the first person singular);
• Arabic verbs don’t change their endings (many of their derived forms do);
• some verbs have irregular imperatives;
• -wa, its locatives (-wako and the like, for which I think we should have separate pages), and -wa na are irregular all over;
• -wa na often takes locative subjects, which I think should therefore be shown explicitly even if regular.

Tables

For more examples, see here.

Most general

Conjugation of -soma
Positive present -nasoma Subjunctive -some Negative -somi Imperative singular soma
Infinitives
Positive kusoma Negative kutosoma
Imperatives
Singular soma Plural someni
Tensed forms
Habitual husoma Positive past positive subject concord + -lisoma Negative past negative subject concord + -kusoma
Positive present (positive subject concord + -nasoma) Singular Plural 1st person ninasoma/nasoma tunasoma 2nd person unasoma mnasoma 3rd person m-wa(I/II) anasoma wanasoma other classes positive subject concord + -nasoma
Negative present (negative subject concord + -somi) Singular Plural 1st person sisomi hatusomi 2nd person husomi hamsomi 3rd person m-wa(I/II) hasomi hawasomi other classes negative subject concord + -somi
Positive future positive subject concord + -tasoma Negative future negative subject concord + -tasoma
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -some) Singular Plural 1st person nisome tusome 2nd person usome msome 3rd person m-wa(I/II) asome wasome other classes positive subject concord + -some
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -sisome Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngesoma Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singesoma Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalisoma Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalisoma
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -asoma) Singular Plural 1st person nasoma twasoma 2nd person wasoma mwasoma 3rd person m-wa(I/II) asoma wasoma m-mi(III/IV) wasoma yasoma ji-ma(V/VI) lasoma yasoma ki-vi(VII/VIII) chasoma vyasoma n(IX/X) yasoma zasoma u(XI) wasoma see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwasoma pa(XVI) pasoma mu(XVIII) mwasoma
Perfect positive subject concord + -mesoma "Already" positive subject concord + -meshasoma "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jasoma "If/When" positive subject concord + -kisoma "If not" positive subject concord + -siposoma Consecutive kasoma / positive subject concord + -kasoma Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kasome
Object concord (indicative positive) Singular Plural 1st person -nisoma -tusoma 2nd person -kusoma -wasoma/-kusomeni/-wasomeni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -msoma -wasoma m-mi(III/IV) -usoma -isoma ji-ma(V/VI) -lisoma -yasoma ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kisoma -visoma n(IX/X) -isoma -zisoma u(XI) -usoma see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kusoma pa(XVI) -pasoma mu(XVIII) -musoma Reflexive -jisoma
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -soma- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -somaye -somao m-mi(III/IV) -somao -somayo ji-ma(V/VI) -somalo -somayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -somacho -somavyo n(IX/X) -somayo -somazo u(XI) -somao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -somako pa(XVI) -somapo mu(XVIII) -somamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -soma) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yesoma -osoma m-mi(III/IV) -osoma -yosoma ji-ma(V/VI) -losoma -yosoma ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chosoma -vyosoma n(IX/X) -yosoma -zosoma u(XI) -osoma see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kosoma pa(XVI) -posoma mu(XVIII) -mosoma
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Intransitive

Conjugation of -lala
Positive present -nalala Subjunctive -lale Negative -lali Imperative singular lala
Infinitives
Positive kulala Negative kutolala
Imperatives
Singular lala Plural laleni
Tensed forms
Habitual hulala Positive past positive subject concord + -lilala Negative past negative subject concord + -kulala
Positive present (positive subject concord + -nalala) Singular Plural 1st person ninalala/nalala tunalala 2nd person unalala mnalala 3rd person m-wa(I/II) analala wanalala other classes positive subject concord + -nalala
Negative present (negative subject concord + -lali) Singular Plural 1st person silali hatulali 2nd person hulali hamlali 3rd person m-wa(I/II) halali hawalali other classes negative subject concord + -lali
Positive future positive subject concord + -talala Negative future negative subject concord + -talala
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -lale) Singular Plural 1st person nilale tulale 2nd person ulale mlale 3rd person m-wa(I/II) alale walale other classes positive subject concord + -lale
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -silale Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngelala Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singelala Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalilala Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalilala
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -alala) Singular Plural 1st person nalala twalala 2nd person walala mwalala 3rd person m-wa(I/II) alala walala m-mi(III/IV) walala yalala ji-ma(V/VI) lalala yalala ki-vi(VII/VIII) chalala vyalala n(IX/X) yalala zalala u(XI) walala see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwalala pa(XVI) palala mu(XVIII) mwalala
Perfect positive subject concord + -melala "Already" positive subject concord + -meshalala "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jalala "If/When" positive subject concord + -kilala "If not" positive subject concord + -sipolala Consecutive kalala / positive subject concord + -kalala Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kalale Object concord —
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + -lala- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -lalaye -lalao m-mi(III/IV) -lalao -lalayo ji-ma(V/VI) -lalalo -lalayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -lalacho -lalavyo n(IX/X) -lalayo -lalazo u(XI) -lalao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -lalako pa(XVI) -lalapo mu(XVIII) -lalamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + -lala) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yelala -olala m-mi(III/IV) -olala -yolala ji-ma(V/VI) -lolala -yolala ki-vi(VII/VIII) -cholala -vyolala n(IX/X) -yolala -zolala u(XI) -olala see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kolala pa(XVI) -polala mu(XVIII) -molala
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Obligatory object concord

Conjugation of -pa (obligatory object concord)
Subjunctive -pe Negative -pi
Object concord
Indicative positive Singular Plural 1st person -nipa -tupa 2nd person -kupa -wapa/-kupeni/-wapeni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mpa -wapa other classes — Reflexive -jipa Subjunctive Singular Plural 1st person -nipe -tupe 2nd person -kupe -wape 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mpe -wape other classes — Reflexive -jipe Indicative negative Singular Plural 1st person -nipi -tupi 2nd person -kupi -wapi 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mpi -wapi other classes — Reflexive -jipi
Relative forms general positive (positive subject concord + object concord + -pa- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -paye -pao m-mi(III/IV) -pao -payo ji-ma(V/VI) -palo -payo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -pacho -pavyo n(IX/X) -payo -pazo u(XI) -pao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -pako pa(XVI) -papo mu(XVIII) -pamo
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

To be

Conjugation of -wa (irregular)
Positive present -nakuwa Gnomic ni Subjunctive -we Negative si Imperative singular kuwa
Infinitives
Positive kuwa Negative kutokuwa
Imperatives
Singular kuwa Plural kuweni
Tensed forms
Habitual huwa Positive past positive subject concord + -likuwa Negative past negative subject concord + -kuwa
Positive present (positive subject concord + -nakuwa) Singular Plural 1st person ninakuwa/nakuwa tunakuwa 2nd person unakuwa mnakuwa 3rd person m-wa(I/II) anakuwa wanakuwa other classes positive subject concord + -nakuwa
Negative present si Positive future positive subject concord + -takuwa Negative future negative subject concord + -takuwa
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -we) Singular Plural 1st person niwe tuwe 2nd person uwe muwe 3rd person m-wa(I/II) awe wawe other classes positive subject concord + -we
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -siwe Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngekuwa Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singekuwa Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalikuwa Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalikuwa Gnomic ni Perfect positive subject concord + -mekuwa "Already" positive subject concord + -meshakuwa "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jawa "If/When" positive subject concord + -kiwa "If not" positive subject concord + -sipokuwa Consecutive kawa / positive subject concord + -kawa Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kawe Object concord —
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + -li- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -liye -lio m-mi(III/IV) -lio -liyo ji-ma(V/VI) -lilo -liyo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -licho -livyo n(IX/X) -liyo -lizo u(XI) -lio see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -liko pa(XVI) -lipo mu(XVIII) -limo General negative (positive subject concord + -si- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) asiye wasio m-mi(III/IV) usio isiyo ji-ma(V/VI) lisilo yasiyo ki-vi(VII/VIII) kisicho visivyo n(IX/X) isiyo zisizo u(XI) usio see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kusiko pa(XVI) pasipo mu(XVIII) musimo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + -kuwa) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yekuwa -okuwa m-mi(III/IV) -okuwa -yokuwa ji-ma(V/VI) -lokuwa -yokuwa ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chokuwa -vyokuwa n(IX/X) -yokuwa -zokuwa u(XI) -okuwa see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kokuwa pa(XVI) -pokuwa mu(XVIII) -mokuwa
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Locative to be

Conjugation of -wako (irregular)
Gnomic -ko (irregular) Subjunctive -weko Negative -ko (irregular)
Infinitives
Positive kuwako Negative kutokuwako
Tensed forms
Habitual huwako/huwa Positive past positive subject concord + -likuwako/-likuwa Negative past negative subject concord + -kuwako/-kuwa
Positive present (positive subject concord + -ko) Singular Plural 1st person niko tuko 2nd person uko mko 3rd person m-wa(I/II) yuko wako other classes positive subject concord + -ko
Negative present (negative subject concord + -ko) Singular Plural 1st person siko hatuko 2nd person huko hamko 3rd person m-wa hayuko hawako other classes negative subject concord + -ko
Positive future positive subject concord + -takuwako/-takuwa Negative future negative subject concord + -takuwako/-takuwa
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -weko) Singular Plural 1st person niweko tuweko 2nd person uweko muweko 3rd person m-wa(I/II) aweko waweko other classes positive subject concord + -weko
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -siweko Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngekuwako/-ngekuwa Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singekuwako/-singekuwa Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalikuwako/-ngalikuwa Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalikuwako/-singalikuwa Gnomic see positive present Perfect positive subject concord + -mekuwako/-mekuwa "Already" positive subject concord + -meshakuwako/-meshakuwa "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jawako/-jawa "If/When" positive subject concord + -kiwako/-kiwa "If not" positive subject concord + -sipokuwako/-sipokuwa Consecutive kawako/kawa / positive subject concord + -kawako/-kawa Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kaweko Object concord —
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + -li- + relative marker + -ko) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -liye -lio m-mi(III/IV) -lio -liyo ji-ma(V/VI) -lilo -liyo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -licho -livyo n(IX/X) -liyo -lizo u(XI) -lio see n(X) or ma(VI) class General negative (positive subject concord + -si- + relative marker + -ko) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) asiyeko wasioko m-mi(III/IV) usioko isiyoko ji-ma(V/VI) lisiloko yasiyoko ki-vi(VII/VIII) kisichoko visivyoko n(IX/X) isiyoko zisizoko u(XI) usioko see n(X) or ma(VI) class Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + -kuwako/-kuwa) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yekuwako/-yekuwa -okuwako/-okuwa m-mi(III/IV) -okuwako/-okuwa -yokuwako/-yokuwa ji-ma(V/VI) -lokuwako/-lokuwa -yokuwako/-yokuwa ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chokuwako/-chokuwa -vyokuwako/-vyokuwa n(IX/X) -yokuwako/-yokuwa -zokuwako/-zokuwa u(XI) -okuwako/-okuwa see n(X) or ma(VI) class
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

To have

Conjugation of -wa na (irregular)
Gnomic -na Subjunctive -we na Negative -na Imperative singular kuwa na
Infinitives
Positive kuwa na Negative kutokuwa na
Imperatives
Singular kuwa na Plural kuweni na
Tensed forms
Habitual huwa na Positive past positive subject concord + -likuwa na Negative past negative subject concord + -kuwa na
Positive present (positive subject concord + -na + (object concord)) Singular Plural 1st person nina tuna 2nd person una mna 3rd person m-wa(I/II) ana wana m-mi(III/IV) una ina ji-ma(V/VI) lina yana ki-vi(VII/VIII) kina vina n(IX/X) ina zina u(XI) una see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kuna pa(XVI) pana mu(XVIII) muna
Negative present (negative subject concord + -na + (object concord)) Singular Plural 1st person sina hatuna 2nd person huna hamna 3rd person m-wa(I/II) hana hawana pa(XVI) hapana ku(XVII) hakuna mu(XVIII) hamuna other classes negative subject concord + -na
Positive future positive subject concord + -takuwa na Negative future negative subject concord + -takuwa na
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -we na) Singular Plural 1st person niwe na tuwe na 2nd person uwe na muwe na 3rd person m-wa(I/II) awe na wawe na pa(XVI) pawe na ku(XVII) kuwe na mu(XVIII) muwe na other classes positive subject concord + -we na
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -siwe na Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngekuwa na Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singekuwa na Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalikuwa na Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalikuwa na Gnomic see positive present Perfect positive subject concord + -mekuwa na "Already" positive subject concord + -meshakuwa na "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jawa na "If/When" positive subject concord + -kiwa na "If not" positive subject concord + -sipokuwa na Consecutive kawa na / positive subject concord + -kawa na Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kawe na
Object concord (conjugation of -wa + na- + object concord in relative form) Singular Plural 1st person nami/na mimi nasi/na sisi 2nd person nawe/na wewe nanyi/na ninyi 3rd person m-wa(I/II) naye/na yeye nao/na wao m-mi(III/IV) nao nayo ji-ma(V/VI) nalo nayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) nacho navyo n(IX/X) nayo nazo u(XI) nao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) nako pa(XVI) napo mu(XVIII) namo
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + -li- + relative marker + na + (object concord)) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -liye na -lio na m-mi(III/IV) -lio na -liyo na ji-ma(V/VI) -lilo na -liyo na ki-vi(VII/VIII) -licho na -livyo na n(IX/X) -liyo na -lizo na u(XI) -lio na see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -liko na pa(XVI) -lipo na mu(XVIII) -limo na General negative (positive subject concord + -si- + relative marker + na + (object concord)) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) {{{oref_n_1c}}} {{{oref_n_2c}}} m-mi(III/IV) {{{oref_n_3c}}} {{{oref_n_4c}}} ji-ma(V/VI) {{{oref_n_5c}}} {{{oref_n_6c}}} ki-vi(VII/VIII) {{{oref_n_7c}}} {{{oref_n_8c}}} n(IX/X) {{{oref_n_9c}}} {{{oref_n_10c}}} u(XI) {{{oref_n_11c}}} see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) {{{oref_n_15c}}} pa(XVI) {{{oref_n_16c}}} mu(XVIII) {{{oref_n_18c}}} Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + -kuwa na + (object concord)) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yekuwa na -okuwa na m-mi(III/IV) -okuwa na -yokuwa na ji-ma(V/VI) -lokuwa na -yokuwa na ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chokuwa na -vyokuwa na n(IX/X) -yokuwa na -zokuwa na u(XI) -okuwa na see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kokuwa na pa(XVI) -pokuwa na mu(XVIII) -mokuwa na
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Issues to be resolved

• Should we limit the forms in the table to those with expected animacy? (For example, should we conjugate “to read” in inanimate classes? “to snow” in first person? Apparently we do do the last.)
• Which forms should get soft-redirect pages?
• How to link from the tables? (I made a proposal; hope people like it.)
• Cleanup the code:
  • Why are the tables always so wide?
  • Is it possible to reduce number of table templates? (I currently need six.)
  • Can the links to Appendix:Swahili noun classes be generated somehow (for ease of maintenance in case the appendix page gets modified and the like)?

Discussion?

pinging @Dennis Dartman, Equinox, Theknightwho, Soap, Jodi1729, Tbm, Metaknowledge, JohnC5, Habst, anybody else? Any comments? feedback? issues? errors? If so, please tell me before I start implementing the new version for reals. MuDavid 栘𩿠 (talk) 02:55, 20 February 2023 (UTC)

Assuming that the average user can piece together the forms they need from the pieces we give, this is much better than the current template and certainly better than the template that existed before that. Thank you for all this hard work. —Soap— 07:10, 20 February 2023 (UTC)

Thank you for the kind words. As for piecing things together, a user who can figure out which tense to use, which subject class to use, whether to use object concord, and whether to use a relative or not will probably not need the tables anymore. ☺ MuDavid 栘𩿠 (talk) 01:44, 22 February 2023 (UTC)

@MuDavid, thank you for cleaning up this table and sorry for taking so long to get back. The presentation is much nicer. One concern I have is that, for search engine purposes, I think as many conjugated forms as possible should be present on the page, even if hidden behind multiple collapsing blocks. For people who do not know Swahili grammar, I think a lot of the traffic comes from people searching / Googling for a conjugated form and they may not know how to isolate the root verb. Although it would be impractical to have unique pages for every conjugated form, I think it is a fair goal to say that all valid forms that could be used in text should be textually present in Wiktionary in some way or another. What do you think about this? --Habst (talk) 23:53, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Given that Swahili is agglutinating, “as many conjugated forms as possible” is just way too much. We don’t even try that for any other of the many agglutinating languages we cover here at Wiktionary. My overhaul was driven by complaints that the previous version was way to heavy, see for example this beer parlour discussion. And the previous version wasn’t even anywhere near complete. MuDavid 栘𩿠 (talk) 02:45, 26 April 2023 (UTC)