Swahili edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Arabic عَجَب (ʕajab).

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Noun edit

ajabu (ma class, plural maajabu) or ajabu (n class, plural ajabu)

  1. wonder, amazement
  2. something which is wondrous or amazing

Adjective edit

ajabu (invariable)

  1. wonderful

Verb edit

-ajabu (infinitive kuajabu)

  1. to be amazed or surprised

Conjugation edit

Conjugation of -ajabu
Positive present -naajabu
Subjunctive -ajabu
Negative -ajabu
Imperative singular ajabu
Infinitives
Positive kuajabu
Negative kutoajabu
Imperatives
Singular ajabu
Plural ajabuni
Tensed forms
Habitual huajabu
Positive past positive subject concord + -liajabu
Negative past negative subject concord + -kuajabu
Positive present (positive subject concord + -naajabu)
Singular Plural
1st person ninaajabu/naajabu tunaajabu
2nd person unaajabu mnaajabu
3rd person m-wa(I/II) anaajabu wanaajabu
other classes positive subject concord + -naajabu
Negative present (negative subject concord + -ajabu)
Singular Plural
1st person siajabu hatuajabu
2nd person huajabu hamwajabu
3rd person m-wa(I/II) haajabu hawaajabu
other classes negative subject concord + -ajabu
Positive future positive subject concord + -taajabu
Negative future negative subject concord + -taajabu
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -ajabu)
Singular Plural
1st person niajabu tuajabu
2nd person uajabu mwajabu
3rd person m-wa(I/II) aajabu waajabu
other classes positive subject concord + -ajabu
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -siajabu
Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngeajabu
Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singeajabu
Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngaliajabu
Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singaliajabu
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -aajabu)
Singular Plural
1st person naajabu twaajabu
2nd person waajabu mwaajabu
3rd person m-wa(I/II) aajabu waajabu
m-mi(III/IV) waajabu yaajabu
ji-ma(V/VI) laajabu yaajabu
ki-vi(VII/VIII) chaajabu vyaajabu
n(IX/X) yaajabu zaajabu
u(XI) waajabu see n(X) or ma(VI) class
ku(XV/XVII) kwaajabu
pa(XVI) paajabu
mu(XVIII) mwaajabu
Perfect positive subject concord + -meajabu
"Already" positive subject concord + -meshaajabu
"Not yet" negative subject concord + -jaajabu
"If/When" positive subject concord + -kiajabu
"If not" positive subject concord + -sipoajabu
Consecutive kaajabu / positive subject concord + -kaajabu
Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kaajabu
Object concord (indicative positive)
Singular Plural
1st person -niajabu -tuajabu
2nd person -kuajabu -waajabu/-kuajabuni/-waajabuni
3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mwajabu -waajabu
m-mi(III/IV) -uajabu -iajabu
ji-ma(V/VI) -liajabu -yaajabu
ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kiajabu -viajabu
n(IX/X) -iajabu -ziajabu
u(XI) -uajabu see n(X) or ma(VI) class
ku(XV/XVII) -kuajabu
pa(XVI) -paajabu
mu(XVIII) -muajabu
Reflexive -jiajabu
Relative forms
General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -ajabu- + relative marker)
Singular Plural
m-wa(I/II) -ajabuye -ajabuo
m-mi(III/IV) -ajabuo -ajabuyo
ji-ma(V/VI) -ajabulo -ajabuyo
ki-vi(VII/VIII) -ajabucho -ajabuvyo
n(IX/X) -ajabuyo -ajabuzo
u(XI) -ajabuo see n(X) or ma(VI) class
ku(XV/XVII) -ajabuko
pa(XVI) -ajabupo
mu(XVIII) -ajabumo
Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -ajabu)
Singular Plural
m-wa(I/II) -yeajabu -oajabu
m-mi(III/IV) -oajabu -yoajabu
ji-ma(V/VI) -loajabu -yoajabu
ki-vi(VII/VIII) -choajabu -vyoajabu
n(IX/X) -yoajabu -zoajabu
u(XI) -oajabu see n(X) or ma(VI) class
ku(XV/XVII) -koajabu
pa(XVI) -poajabu
mu(XVIII) -moajabu
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.