kwama

Swahili

Etymology

From -kwaa (“to stumble”) + -ama.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Verb

-kwama (infinitive kukwama)

1. to be stranded
2. to be stuck
3. to be deadlocked

Conjugation

Conjugation of -kwama
Positive present -nakwama Subjunctive -kwame Negative -kwami Imperative singular kwama
Infinitives
Positive kukwama Negative kutokwama
Imperatives
Singular kwama Plural kwameni
Tensed forms
Habitual hukwama Positive past positive subject concord + -likwama Negative past negative subject concord + -kukwama
Positive present (positive subject concord + -nakwama) Singular Plural 1st person ninakwama/nakwama tunakwama 2nd person unakwama mnakwama 3rd person m-wa(I/II) anakwama wanakwama other classes positive subject concord + -nakwama
Negative present (negative subject concord + -kwami) Singular Plural 1st person sikwami hatukwami 2nd person hukwami hamkwami 3rd person m-wa(I/II) hakwami hawakwami other classes negative subject concord + -kwami
Positive future positive subject concord + -takwama Negative future negative subject concord + -takwama
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -kwame) Singular Plural 1st person nikwame tukwame 2nd person ukwame mkwame 3rd person m-wa(I/II) akwame wakwame other classes positive subject concord + -kwame
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -sikwame Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngekwama Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singekwama Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalikwama Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalikwama
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -akwama) Singular Plural 1st person nakwama twakwama 2nd person wakwama mwakwama 3rd person m-wa(I/II) akwama wakwama m-mi(III/IV) wakwama yakwama ji-ma(V/VI) lakwama yakwama ki-vi(VII/VIII) chakwama vyakwama n(IX/X) yakwama zakwama u(XI) wakwama see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwakwama pa(XVI) pakwama mu(XVIII) mwakwama
Perfect positive subject concord + -mekwama "Already" positive subject concord + -meshakwama "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jakwama "If/When" positive subject concord + -kikwama "If not" positive subject concord + -sipokwama Consecutive kakwama / positive subject concord + -kakwama Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kakwame Object concord —
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + -kwama- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -kwamaye -kwamao m-mi(III/IV) -kwamao -kwamayo ji-ma(V/VI) -kwamalo -kwamayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kwamacho -kwamavyo n(IX/X) -kwamayo -kwamazo u(XI) -kwamao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kwamako pa(XVI) -kwamapo mu(XVIII) -kwamamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + -kwama) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yekwama -okwama m-mi(III/IV) -okwama -yokwama ji-ma(V/VI) -lokwama -yokwama ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chokwama -vyokwama n(IX/X) -yokwama -zokwama u(XI) -okwama see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kokwama pa(XVI) -pokwama mu(XVIII) -mokwama
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:
  • Causative: -kwamisha