ku-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ku"

Languages (31)

Ahtna • Bemba • Bende • Chichewa • Digo • Herero • Indonesian • Kambera • Lala-Bisa • Makasar • Malay • Matengo • Mbukushu • Ndamba • Northern Ndebele • Phuthi • Shona • Southern Ndebele • Swahili • Swazi • Taos • Tocharian A • Tocharian B • Tonga (Malawi) • Tooro • Tumbuka • Xhosa • Yao • Ye'kwana • Zigula • Zulu

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Page categories

Ahtna

Etymology 1

Prefix

ku-

1. marks a third-person plural possessor; their

   ‎ku- + ‎-taʼ (“father”) → ‎kutaʼ (“their father(s)”)

2. marks a third-person plural object of a postposition

   ‎ku- + ‎-kʼe (“on”) → ‎kukʼe (“on themselves”)

Etymology 2

Prefix

ku-

1. alternative form of ko- (areal suffix)

References

• Kari, James (1990), Ahtna Athabaskan Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 243

Bemba

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 17 noun prefix.

References

• Reverend E. Hoch (1998), Bemba - English/English - Bemba‎^[1], Hippocrene Books, pages 212-213

Bende

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀- (“Class 15 & 17 noun prefix”).

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix.
2. Class 17 noun prefix.

References

• Yuko Abe (2006), A Bende Vocabulary‎^[2], Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa, page v

Chichewa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ku/

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix
2. Class 17 noun prefix

Derived terms

Chichewa terms prefixed with ku-

kubwabwayira

cho-

kufetsa

kugulitsa

kugwetsa

kukhaphwira

kulikira

kumadzi

kumphewa

kumwetsa

kungulung'unya

kunyomphola

kupangira

kuphunzira

kusaba

kusafetsa

kusaimba

kusamwetsa

kusaona

kuthamangathamanga

kuthawalala

wo-

zo-

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 subject concord
2. Class 17 subject concord

Digo

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀- (“Class 15 & 17 noun prefix”).

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix.
2. Class 17 noun prefix.

References

• Joseph Mwalonya, Alison Nicolle, Steve Nicolle, Juma Zimbu, Mgombato. Digo-English-Swahili Dictionary (2005), page 208

Herero

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀- (“Class 17 noun prefix”).

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 17 noun prefix.

References

• Wilhelm J.G. Möhlig, Lutz Marten, Jekura U. Kavari (2002), A Grammatical Sketch of Herero (Otjiherero)‎^[3], Rüdiger Köppe Verlag, page 31

Indonesian

Etymology

Inherited from Malay ku-, from Proto-Malayic *ku-, nominative proclitic variant of *aku.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ku/

Prefix

ku-

1. I (first person singular nominative proclitic pronoun)

   Tanahku negeriku yang kucinta.

   My land, my country that I love.

See also

Indonesian personal pronouns

		singular	plural
1st person exclusive	regular	aku, saya1	kami
	enclitic	-ku	-
	proclitic	ku-	-
1st person inclusive		-	kita
2nd person	regular	kamu, Anda2, kau3	kalian, Anda2, Anda sekalian2, Anda semua2
	enclitic	-mu	-
3rd person	regular	dia, beliau4, ia3	mereka
	enclitic	-nya	-
reflexive		diri5, diri sendiri
emphatic		sendiri

¹ Polite.
² Formal.
³ Now mostly literary.
⁴ Respectful.

⁵ Sometimes used as an emphatic marker instead of being reflexive.

Notes:

• This table only shows personal pronouns that are commonly used in the standard language.
• The second person pronouns are often replaced by kinship terms, titles, or the like.
• The enclitics are only used obliquely (object or possessor), while the proclitic is only used as a subject.

See each entry for more information.

Further reading

• “ku-”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Kambera

Pronoun

ku-

1. first person singular nominative proclitic

See also

Kambera pronominal clitics

			nominative	genitive	accusative	dative
singular	first person		ku-	-nggu	-ka	-ngga
	second person		mu- (u-)	-mu	-kau	-nggau
	third person		na-	-na	-ya	-nya
plural	first person	inclusive	ta-	-nda	-ta	-nda
		exclusive	ma-	-ma	-kama	-nggama
	second person		mi- (i-)	-mi	-kami (-kai)	-nggami (-nggai)
	third person		da-	-da	-ha	-nja

Lala-Bisa

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀- (“Class 15 noun prefix”).

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix.

Makasar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ku]

Pronoun

ku- (nominative proclitic, Lontara spelling ᨀᨘ)

1. I
2. we (first person plural exclusive)

See also

Makasar free and bound pronouns

	independent	absolutive	nominative	possessive
1st sg / 1st pl exclusive	nakke	-a'	ku-	-ku
1st pl exclusive (archaic)	kambe	-kang	ki-	-mang
1st pl inclusive / 2nd sg polite	katte	-ki'	ki-	-ta
2nd sg / pl familiar	kau	-ko	nu-	-nu
3rd sg / pl	ia	-i	na-	-na

Malay

Etymology

From Proto-Malayic *ku-, nominative proclitic variant of *aku.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ku/

Prefix

ku- (Jawi spelling کوـ)

1. I (first person singular nominative proclitic pronoun)

   kutahu ― I know

See also

Malay personal pronouns

		singular	plural
1st person	standard	saya / ساي aku / اکو, ku- / كوـ (informal/towards God) -ku / ـكو (poetic possessive) hamba / همبا (dated) daku / داکو (poetic)	kami / کامي (exclusive) kita orang / كيت اورڠ (informal exclusive) kita / کيت (inclusive)
	royal	beta / بيتا
2nd person	standard	kamu / کامو
		engkau / اڠکاو, kau- / كاوـ (informal/poetic/towards God) kau / كاو (informal) awak / اوق (friendly/older towards younger) anda / اندا (formal) awda / اءودا (Brunei, formal) -mu / ـمو (poetic possessive) dikau / ديکاو (poetic)	anda semua / اندا سموا (formal) awak semua / اوق سموا kamu semua / كامو سموا kalian / کالين (archaic) kau orang / كاو اورڠ (informal)
	royal	tuanku / توانكو
3rd person	standard	dia / دي ia / اي beliau / بلياو (honorific) -nya / ـڽ (possessive)	mereka / مريک dia orang / دي اورڠ (informal)
	royal	baginda / بݢيندا

Matengo

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀- (“Class 15 & 17 noun prefix”).

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix.
2. Class 17 noun prefix.

References

• Nobuko Yoneda (2006), A Classified Vocabulary of the Matengo Language‎^[4], Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa, page xi

Mbukushu

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀- (“Class 15 & 17 noun prefix”).

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix
2. Class 17 noun prefix

References

• R.C.Wynne (1980), English-Mbukushu Dictionary‎^[5], Avebury Publishing Company Limited, page xviii

Ndamba

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 17 noun prefix.

Northern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. you; second-person singular object concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it; class 15 subject concord.
2. it; class 15 object concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it; class 17 subject concord.
2. it; class 17 object concord.

Phuthi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. you; second-person singular object concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix; forms the infinitive of verbs.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it; class 15 subject concord.
2. it; class 15 object concord.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it; class 17 subject concord.
2. it; class 17 object concord.

Shona

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀- (“Class 15 & 17 noun prefix”).

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix.
2. Class 17 noun prefix.

References

• M. Hannan, S.J. (1984), Standard Shona Dictionary: Revised Edition with Addendum‎^[6], Harare College Press, page x

Southern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. you; second-person singular object concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it; class 15 subject concord.
2. it; class 15 object concord.

Swahili

Alternative forms

• (in certain cases before a vowel) kw-

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. ku class_(XV) noun prefix; used before verb stem with eventual object concord to form infinitive
   1. used to form verbnoun

      Kufanya kazi ni muhimu ili kupata pesa.

      Working is important in order to earn money.

   2. used after auxiliary verbs that do not require subject agreement and tense/aspect marking on the dependent verb

      Nataka kukisoma.

      I want to read it.

      Ilisababisha watu kujifunza zaidi.

      It caused people to study more.

      • 2023, “Waasi wa ADF wadaiwa kuwaua raia”, in DW‎^[7]:

        Watu wasiopungua kumi wanadaiwa kuuawa na wengine zaidi ya thelathini kujeruhiwa vibaya.

        At least ten people are claimed to have been killed and more than thirty others to have been seriously injured.

   3. used after -a (including in the presense of a subject)

      kitabu cha kufundishia ― book of instruction

      baada ya kipindi kupita ― after the period passes/passed

   4. used after na to replace elided subject agreement and tense/aspect marking

      Nilisoma na kuandika.

      I read and wrote.

2. ku class_(XV)/ku class_(XVII) adjective agreement prefix

   Kusafiri ni kuzuri sana.

   Traveling is great.

   mahali kuzuri ― a nice area

3. verb-initial form of -ku- (“you, 2st person singular (or, if with suffix -ni, plural) object concord”)

See also

• Appendix:Swahili noun classes

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

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it, there; ku class_(XV)/ku class_(XVII) subject concord

   Antonym: haku-

   Kutoa kunatokana na moyo.

   Giving comes from the heart.

   Kuna watu wengi nchini wanaotaka amani.

   There are many people in the country who want peace.

2. verb-initial form of -ku- (“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

Swazi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. you; second-person singular object concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix; forms the infinitive of verbs.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it; class 15 subject concord.
2. it; class 15 object concord.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it; class 17 subject concord.
2. it; class 17 object concord.

Taos

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ku/

Prefix

ku-

1. (transitive) Second-person singular subject + third person duoplural object.

Tocharian A

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew-. Cognates include Ancient Greek χέω (khéō), Sanskrit जुहोति (juhoti), Old Armenian ձեւ (jew), Latin fundō, fūtis and Old English ġēotan, guttas (English gut).

Verb

ku-

1. to pour
2. to offer a libation

Tocharian B

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew-. Cognates include Ancient Greek χέω (khéō), Sanskrit जुहोति (juhoti), Old Armenian ձեւ (jew), Latin fundō, fūtis and Old English ġēotan, guttas (English gut).

Verb

ku-

1. to pour
2. to offer a libation

Tonga (Malawi)

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix.

Tooro

Alternative forms

• (before vowels) kw-

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ku-/

Prefix

ku-

1. class 15 pronominal concord

   ‎ku- + ‎-nu (“this, these”) → ‎kunu (“this (class 15)”)

2. it; class 15 subject concord

   ‎ku- + ‎-kora (“to do”) → ‎kukora (“it (class 15) does”)

3. positive imperative form of -ku- (“it; class 15 object concord”)

   ‎ku- + ‎-ha (“to give”) → ‎kuha (“give it (class 15)”)

See also

Tooro personal pronouns

class	person	independent	possessive	subject concord	object concord	combined forms
						na	ni
class 1	first	nyowe, nye	-ange	n-	-n-	nanyowe, nanye	ninyowe, ninye
	second	iwe	-awe	o-	-ku-	naiwe	niiwe
	third	uwe	-e	a-	-mu-	nawe	nuwe
class 2	first	itwe	-aitu	tu-	-tu-	naitwe	niitwe
	second	inywe	-anyu	mu-	-ba-	nainywe	niinywe
	third	bo	-abo	ba-	-ba-	nabo	nubo
class 3		gwo	-agwo	gu-	-gu-	nagwo	nugwo
class 4		yo	-ayo	e-	-gi-	nayo	niyo
class 5		lyo	-alyo	li-	-li-	nalyo	niryo
class 6		go	-ago	ga-	-ga-	nago	nugo
class 7		kyo	-akyo	ki-	-ki-	nakyo	nikyo
class 8		byo	-abyo	bi-	-bi-	nabyo	nibyo
class 9		yo	-ayo	e-	-gi-	nayo	niyo
class 10		zo	-azo	zi-	-zi-	nazo	nizo
class 11		rwo	-arwo	ru-	-ru-	narwo	nurwo
class 12		ko	-ako	ka-	-ka-	nako	nuko
class 13		two	-atwo	tu-	-tu-	natwo	nutwo
class 14		bwo	-abwo	bu-	-bu-	nabwo	nubwo
class 15		kwo	-akwo	ku-	-ku-	nakwo	nukwo
class 16		ho	-aho	ha-	-ha-	naho	nuho
class 17		(kwo)	N/A	ha- (...-yo)	-ha-	N/A	nukwo
class 18		(mwo)	-amwo	ha- (...-mu)	-ha-	N/A	numwo
reflexive		-enyini, -onyini	—		-e-	—

References

• Kaji, Shigeki (2007), A Rutooro Vocabulary‎^[8], Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), →ISBN, page 414

Tumbuka

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix.
2. Class 17 noun prefix.

Derived terms

Tumbuka terms prefixed with ku-

kufipirwa

kugoneska

kuguliska

kujikuzga

kukomana

kukomwa

kukuzga

kulayira

kulayirana

kulyeska

kumanyikwa

kumanyiska

kumbwata

kumwemwetera

kumweska

kuzguka

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 subject concord.
2. Class 17 subject concord.

Xhosa

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. you; second-person singular object concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it; class 15 subject concord.
2. it; class 15 object concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

ku-

1. it; class 17 subject concord.
2. it; class 17 object concord.

Yao

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix.

Ye'kwana

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ku-]

Prefix

ku-

1. Allomorph of k- (first-person-dual-inclusive prefix) used for stems that begin with a consonant and have a first vowel u.

Inflection

Ye'kwana personal markers

	pronoun	noun possessor/ series II verb argument		postposition object		series I verb argument
						transitive patient	intransitive patient-like		intransitive agent-like	transitive agent
first person	ewü	y-, ∅-, ü-, u-1						w-, wi-
first person dual inclusive	küwü	k-, kü-, ku-, ki-								k-, kii-, ki-1
second person	amödö	ö-, öy-/ödh-, o-, oy-/odh-, a-, ay-/adh-							m-, mi-
first person dual exclusive	nña	y-/dh-, ch-, ∅-, i-1			chö-	∅-	n-, ni-
third person	tüwü					n-, ni-
distant past third person		—				kün-, kun-, kin-, ken-, küm-, kum-, kim-, kini-
coreferential/reflexive	—	t-, tü-, tu-, ti-, te-				—
reciprocal	—	—	öö-
With following vowel lengthened if in an unreduced open syllable.

	series I verb argument: transitive agent and transitive patient
first person > second person	mön-, man-, mon-, möm-, möni-
first person dual exclusive > second person
second person > first person	k-, kü-, ku-, ki-
second person > first person dual exclusive
third person > any person X …or… any person X > third person	see person X in the chart above

Zigula

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 noun prefix.

Zulu

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

kú-

1. you; second-person singular object concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 15 simple noun prefix.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

kú-

1. it; class 15 subject concord.
2. it; class 15 object concord.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀-.

Prefix

ku-

1. Class 17 simple noun prefix.

Etymology 5

From Proto-Bantu *kʊ́-.

Prefix

kú-

1. it; class 17 subject concord.
2. it; class 17 object concord.

References

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “ku-”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “ku-”