tambua

Swahili

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Sabaki *-tambula. Cognate with Ngazidja Comorian -rambua and Kipfokomo -hambua. Possibly from Common Bantu *-támbʊda.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Verb

-tambua (infinitive kutambua)

1. to recognize
2. to perceive
3. to realize

Conjugation

Conjugation of -tambua
Positive present -natambua Subjunctive -tambue Negative -tambui Imperative singular tambua
Infinitives
Positive kutambua Negative kutotambua
Imperatives
Singular tambua Plural tambueni
Tensed forms
Habitual hutambua Positive past positive subject concord + -litambua Negative past negative subject concord + -kutambua
Positive present (positive subject concord + -natambua) Singular Plural 1st person ninatambua/natambua tunatambua 2nd person unatambua mnatambua 3rd person m-wa(I/II) anatambua wanatambua other classes positive subject concord + -natambua
Negative present (negative subject concord + -tambui) Singular Plural 1st person sitambui hatutambui 2nd person hutambui hamtambui 3rd person m-wa(I/II) hatambui hawatambui other classes negative subject concord + -tambui
Positive future positive subject concord + -tatambua Negative future negative subject concord + -tatambua
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -tambue) Singular Plural 1st person nitambue tutambue 2nd person utambue mtambue 3rd person m-wa(I/II) atambue watambue other classes positive subject concord + -tambue
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -sitambue Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngetambua Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singetambua Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalitambua Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalitambua
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -atambua) Singular Plural 1st person natambua twatambua 2nd person watambua mwatambua 3rd person m-wa(I/II) atambua watambua m-mi(III/IV) watambua yatambua ji-ma(V/VI) latambua yatambua ki-vi(VII/VIII) chatambua vyatambua n(IX/X) yatambua zatambua u(XI) watambua see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwatambua pa(XVI) patambua mu(XVIII) mwatambua
Perfect positive subject concord + -metambua "Already" positive subject concord + -meshatambua "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jatambua "If/When" positive subject concord + -kitambua "If not" positive subject concord + -sipotambua Consecutive katambua / positive subject concord + -katambua Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -katambue
Object concord (indicative positive) Singular Plural 1st person -nitambua -tutambua 2nd person -kutambua -watambua/-kutambueni/-watambueni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mtambua -watambua m-mi(III/IV) -utambua -itambua ji-ma(V/VI) -litambua -yatambua ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kitambua -vitambua n(IX/X) -itambua -zitambua u(XI) -utambua see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kutambua pa(XVI) -patambua mu(XVIII) -mutambua Reflexive -jitambua
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -tambua- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -tambuaye -tambuao m-mi(III/IV) -tambuao -tambuayo ji-ma(V/VI) -tambualo -tambuayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -tambuacho -tambuavyo n(IX/X) -tambuayo -tambuazo u(XI) -tambuao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -tambuako pa(XVI) -tambuapo mu(XVIII) -tambuamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -tambua) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yetambua -otambua m-mi(III/IV) -otambua -yotambua ji-ma(V/VI) -lotambua -yotambua ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chotambua -vyotambua n(IX/X) -yotambua -zotambua u(XI) -otambua see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kotambua pa(XVI) -potambua mu(XVIII) -motambua
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: -tambulisha
  • Passive: -tambuliwa

• Nominal derivations:
  • utambuzi