si-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "si"

Bende

Prefix

si-

1. Class 7 noun prefix.

References

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

Choctaw

Prefix

si- (except before a/o sa-, class II first-person singular)

1. the direct object of an active transitive verb

   me

2. the subject of a stative intransitive verb

   I

3. indicates possession of a noun

   my

Usage notes

Class II person markers are used for possession only for a small set of words, mostly including kinship terms and body parts.

Inflection

Choctaw Person Markers

			class I			class II		class III		class N		imperative
			+s	+C	+V	+C/i	+a/o	+C	+V	+C	+V	+C	+V
first-person	singular	initial	-li			sa-	si-	a̱-	am-	ak-		n/a
		medial						-sa-	-sam-
	paucal		ī-		il-	pi-		pi̱-	pim-	kī-	kil-
	plural					hapi-		hapi̱-	hapim-
second-person	singular		is-	ish-		chi-		chi̱-	chim-	chik-		∅
	plural		has-	hash-		hachi-		hachi̱-	hachim-	hachik-		ho-	oh-
third-person			∅			∅		i̱-	im-	ik-

Chuukese

Prefix

si-

1. First-person plural inclusive subject marker for tense modifying adverbs.

Navajo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɪ̀-/

Etymology 1

Prefix

si-

1. my, me

Usage notes

This is an alternative form of shi- which comes about in some words as a result of coronal harmony. See, for example, sikʼis, sitsilí. This once firm rule has become optional, and today most Navajo speakers actually prefer to ignore the rules of sibilant (coronal) harmony, especially when there is relatively greater distance between the 1st-person shi- and the alveolar sibilant in the root.

See also

Navajo possessive pronouns

			singular	dual	plural
1st person			shi-	nihi-	danihi-
2nd person			ni-	nihi-	danihi-
3rd person			bi-
4th person (3o)			yi-
4th person (3a)			ha-, hw-
indefinite person (3i)			a-

Etymology 2

Prefix

si-

2. Marks the si-imperfective and si-perfective paradigms, which occur in active and neuter verbs with a durative/stative sense

Usage notes

• This prefix frequently undergoes coronal harmony, palatalizing to sh- if the root contains a palatal sibilant or affricate.
• The si-perfective is mandatory with verbal prefixes, including ha- (“(climbing) up”), na- (“about”), and ná- (“around”). With the latter two prefixes, it is always paired with the ∅-imperfective.
• When the distributive plural marker da- is present, many verbs are conjugated in the si-perfective, even if they use the yi- or ni-perfective in the singular/duoplural. Thus, yíʼnaʼ (“he/she/they crawled somewhere”) (yi-perfective) becomes daasʼnaʼ (“they (3+) each crawled somewhere”) (si-perfective).
• When not preceded by another prefix, the third-person singular form of the prefix is si-, as in sidá (“he/she is sitting”). If preceded by another prefix, it is reduced to s-/sh- before the d-, l-, and ł-classifiers, and to z-/zh- before the ∅-classifier.
• If the prefixes di-, hi-, and ni- precede si-, their vowel is lengthened and lowered to /e/, as in deezʼá (“it extends”) and yineesmas (“he made it into a ball”)
• In the third-person singular/duoplural with the d- or l- classifiers, the peg element yi- appears (e.g. yisdlí (“he/she froze to death”).

Conjugation

Perfective:

With the ∅- classifier:

perfective	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	sé-	siid-	dasii-
2nd person	síní-	soo-	dasoo-
3rd person	z-, si-		daaz-
4th person	jiz-		dajiz-

With the ł- classifier:

perfective	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	sé-	siid-	dasii-
2nd person	síní-	soo-	dasoo-
3rd person	s-, si-		daas-
4th person	jis-		dajis-

With the ∅- classifier and coronal harmony:

perfective	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	shé-	shiid-	dashii-
2nd person	shíní-	shoo-	dashoo-
3rd person	zh-, shi-		daazh-
4th person	jizh-		dajizh-

With the ł- classifier and coronal harmony:

perfective	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	shé-	shiid-	dashii-
2nd person	shíní-	shoo-	dashoo-
3rd person	sh-, shi-		daash-
4th person	jish-		dajish-

With the l- and d- classifiers:

perfective	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	sis-	siid-	dasii-
2nd person	síní-	sooh-	dasoo-
3rd person	s-, si-		daas-
4th person	jis-		dajis-

With the l- and d- classifiers and coronal harmony:

perfective	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	shish-	shiid-	dashii-
2nd person	shíní-	shooh-	dashoo-
3rd person	sh-, shi-		daash-
4th person	jish-		dajish-

Derived terms

Navajo terms prefixed with si- (modal)

ałtaaneesdiz

bikʼeʼeshchʼííʼ

bináháshchʼííʼ

bizhízhchʼį́į́d

deesdoi

déesxéél

dił atsʼíístaazlíní

haashchiiʼ

haashjin

hazʼą́

hodéezyéél

honeezílí

honeezkʼází

hoozkʼaz

Naayééʼ Neizghání

naazdá

naazké

naháaztą́

náhineetsʼeeʼ

násdǫ́ǫ́z

nástłʼah

nástsʼaaʼ

neezílí

neheezlį́

sékʼaiʼ

sétłʼin

seʼeez

sibaal

sidá

sido

sigan

siką́

sikaad

siké

sikʼaz

sikʼází

silá

siłkid

siłtsooz

sinil

sisas

sitą́

sitį́

sitʼé

sitłééʼ

sitsʼil

siyį́

sizį́

sizid

siziid

sizílí

siʼą́

shichʼil

shijaaʼ

shijééʼ

shijool

shiłchʼííʼ

shitéézh

shizhóód

yiską́

yiskʼid

Navajo terms prefixed with si- (perfective)

ałkʼéstas

ashʼeezh

azką́

bee azkʼazí

biiʼazkʼazí

bikʼéstiʼ

binázlį́

bineestih

biztʼod

daastsʼin

daashjash

deesbá

deesgai

déestą́

deestso

deestsʼin

déesʼeez

deeshchiiʼ

deeshgizh

déeshjééʼ

deeshjin

deezlį́

deezʼá

dideeshchiiʼ

dínéeskáál

haasbá

haasgai

haastih

haastłʼin

haastso

haazʼá

hazghaal

hazteel

honeezdo

honeezgai

honeezkʼaz

hoozdo

kʼézdon

naasbá

naasgai

naastsooz

naastsxo

naashchiiʼ

naashjin

naaziid

naazką́

naazkaad

naazlá

naaznil

naaztą́

naaztį́

naaztłééʼ

naazyį́

naazziid

naazʼá

naazʼą́

naazhjaaʼ

naazhjééʼ

naazhjool

naazhtéézh

naazhzhóód

násbá

násgai

nástas

nástso

náshchiiʼ

náshjin

náshtłʼizh

názbąs

názlį́

náztʼi

náztʼiʼ

názʼá

ndaazlį́

ndeezniiʼ

neesgai

neestin

neezgai

neezkʼaz

yistą́

yistil

yistłʼin

yishjash

yishtłizh

yishʼeezh

Related terms

Other conjugation markers

• ni-
• yi-
• ∅-

References

• Robert W. Young and William Morgan, Sr. (1987), The Navajo Language. A Grammar and Colloquial Dictionary, Albuquerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press, pages 246, 684.

Northern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ̀-, via an intermediate form *tɪ̀-.

Prefix

si-

1. we; first-person plural subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ́-, via an intermediate form *tɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. us; first-person plural object concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. he, she, it; class 7 subject concord.
2. him, her, it; class 7 object concord.

Phuthi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ̀-, via an intermediate form *tɪ̀-.

Prefix

si-

1. we; first-person plural subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ́-, via an intermediate form *tɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. us; first-person plural object concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kɪ́-kɪ̀-.

Prefix

si-

1. Class 7 noun prefix.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *kɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. he, she, it; class 7 subject concord.
2. him, her, it; class 7 object concord.

Southern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ̀-, via an intermediate form *tɪ̀-.

Prefix

si-

1. we; first-person plural subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ́-, via an intermediate form *tɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. us; first-person plural object concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. he, she, it; class 7 subject concord.
2. him, her, it; class 7 object concord.

Sundanese

Etymology

Compare Old Javanese asi- (“emphatic particle”)

Prefix

si- (Sundanese script ᮞᮤ-)

1. verb-forming prefix indicating an action done to oneself (reflexive verb)

   ‎si- + ‎beungeut → ‎sibeungeut (“to wash one's face”)

   ‎si- + ‎banyo → ‎sibanyo (“to wash one's hand”)

   ‎si- + ‎duru → ‎siduru (“to warm oneself near a fire”)

   ‎si- + ‎dakep → ‎sidakep (“to cross one's arm”)

Usage notes

• Appears to be no longer productive in contemporary Sundanese, as the words prefixed with si- are now considered their own words. This appears in conjugations like saribanyo or nyibeungeutan.

Derived terms

Sundanese terms prefixed with si-

sibeungeut

sidakep

sideuha

Further reading

• "si-" in Maman Sumantri; Atjep Djamaludin; Achmad Patoni; R.H. Moch. Koerdie; M.O. Koesman; Epa Sjafei Adisastra. (1985), Kamus Sunda-Indonesia [Sundanese-Indonesian Dictionary] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Department of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia

Swahili

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Prefix

si-

1. I do not, 1st person singular negative subject concord

   Antonym: ni-

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 2

Prefix

si-

1. the negative emphatic copula or negative focusing copula: expresses "it is not" with an inflected object

   Antonym: ndi-

Inflection

Emphatic copula negative (si-)

		singular	plural
1st person		simi, siye	sio
2nd person		siwe, siye	sinyi, sio
3rd person	m-wa(I/II)	siye	sio
	m-mi(III/IV)	sio	siyo
	ji-ma(V/VI)	silo	siyo
	ki-vi(VII/VIII)	sicho	sivyo
	n(IX/X)	siyo	sizo
	u(XI)	sio	see n(X) or ma(VI)
	ku(XV/XVII)	siko
	pa(XVI)	sipo
	mu(XVIII)	simo

For a full table, see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns.

See also

• Swahili grammar#Emphatic copula

Swazi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ̀-, via an intermediate form *tɪ̀-.

Prefix

si-

1. we; first-person plural subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ́-, via an intermediate form *tɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. us; first-person plural object concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kɪ́-kɪ̀-.

Prefix

si-

1. Class 7 noun prefix.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *kɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. he, she, it; class 7 subject concord.
2. him, her, it; class 7 object concord.

Tabaru

Prefix

si-

1. applicative prefix

Tocharian A

Verb

si-

1. to drain

Tocharian B

Verb

si-

1. to drain

Xhosa

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ̀-, via an intermediate form *tɪ̀-.

Prefix

si-

1. we; first-person plural subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ́-, via an intermediate form *tɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. us; first-person plural object concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kɪ́-.

Prefix

si-

1. he, she, it; class 7 subject concord.
2. him, her, it; class 7 object concord.

Yao

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *jí- (“Class 10 subject concord”).

Prefix

si-

1. Class 10 subject concord.

Derived terms

• sya- (“Class 10 possessive concord”).

References

• Rev. Alexander Hetherwick, M.A., F.R.G.S. (1902), A Handbook of the Yao Language‎^[3], Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, page 7

Zulu

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ̀-, via an intermediate form *tɪ̀-.

Prefix

si-

1. we; first-person plural subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *tʊ́-, via an intermediate form *tɪ́-.

Prefix

sí-

1. us; first-person plural object concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *kɪ̀-.

Prefix

si-

1. Class 7 simple noun prefix.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *kɪ́-.

Prefix

sí-

1. he, she, it; class 7 subject concord.
2. him, her, it; class 7 object concord.

References

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