elewa

Swahili

Etymology

Irregular derivation of Proto-Sabaki *-elela (“to be clear”). Cognate with Ndzwani Comorian -elewa.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Verb

-elewa (infinitive kuelewa)

1. Passive form of -elea: to understand, comprehend (to be aware of the meaning of)

Conjugation

Conjugation of -elewa
Positive present -naelewa Subjunctive -elewe Negative -elewi Imperative singular elewa
Infinitives
Positive kuelewa Negative kutoelewa
Imperatives
Singular elewa Plural eleweni
Tensed forms
Habitual huelewa Positive past positive subject concord + -lielewa Negative past negative subject concord + -kuelewa
Positive present (positive subject concord + -naelewa) Singular Plural 1st person ninaelewa/naelewa tunaelewa 2nd person unaelewa mnaelewa 3rd person m-wa(I/II) anaelewa wanaelewa other classes positive subject concord + -naelewa
Negative present (negative subject concord + -elewi) Singular Plural 1st person sielewi hatuelewi 2nd person huelewi hamwelewi 3rd person m-wa(I/II) haelewi hawaelewi other classes negative subject concord + -elewi
Positive future positive subject concord + -taelewa Negative future negative subject concord + -taelewa
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -elewe) Singular Plural 1st person nielewe tuelewe 2nd person uelewe mwelewe 3rd person m-wa(I/II) aelewe waelewe other classes positive subject concord + -elewe
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -sielewe Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngeelewa Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singeelewa Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalielewa Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalielewa
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -aelewa) Singular Plural 1st person naelewa twaelewa 2nd person waelewa mwaelewa 3rd person m-wa(I/II) aelewa waelewa m-mi(III/IV) waelewa yaelewa ji-ma(V/VI) laelewa yaelewa ki-vi(VII/VIII) chaelewa vyaelewa n(IX/X) yaelewa zaelewa u(XI) waelewa see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwaelewa pa(XVI) paelewa mu(XVIII) mwaelewa
Perfect positive subject concord + -meelewa "Already" positive subject concord + -meshaelewa "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jaelewa "If/When" positive subject concord + -kielewa "If not" positive subject concord + -sipoelewa Consecutive kaelewa / positive subject concord + -kaelewa Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kaelewe
Object concord (indicative positive) Singular Plural 1st person -nielewa -tuelewa 2nd person -kuelewa -waelewa/-kueleweni/-waeleweni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mwelewa -waelewa m-mi(III/IV) -uelewa -ielewa ji-ma(V/VI) -lielewa -yaelewa ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kielewa -vielewa n(IX/X) -ielewa -zielewa u(XI) -uelewa see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kuelewa pa(XVI) -paelewa mu(XVIII) -muelewa Reflexive -jielewa
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -elewa- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -elewaye -elewao m-mi(III/IV) -elewao -elewayo ji-ma(V/VI) -elewalo -elewayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -elewacho -elewavyo n(IX/X) -elewayo -elewazo u(XI) -elewao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -elewako pa(XVI) -elewapo mu(XVIII) -elewamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -elewa) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yeelewa -oelewa m-mi(III/IV) -oelewa -yoelewa ji-ma(V/VI) -loelewa -yoelewa ki-vi(VII/VIII) -choelewa -vyoelewa n(IX/X) -yoelewa -zoelewa u(XI) -oelewa see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -koelewa pa(XVI) -poelewa mu(XVIII) -moelewa
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Derived terms

• Verbal derivations:
  • Applicative: -elewea
  • Causative: -elewesha
  • Reciprocal: -elewana (“understand each other”)
  • Stative: -eleweka (“be well known, be understood”)

• Nominal derivations:
  • uelewa (“understanding”)