-ia

The applicative extension attaches directly to the verb root, replacing the final vowel (usually -a). Its exact form depends on the vowels in the verb root (vowel harmony) and the syllable structure:

• -ia: Used if the preceding vowel is a, i, or u (e.g., pika → pikia / to cook for).
• -ea: Used if the preceding vowel is e or o (e.g., soma → somea / to read to).
• -lia / -lea: Used if the verb ends in two consecutive vowels. The choice follows the same vowel harmony rule based on the first of the two vowels: use -lia for a, i, u (e.g., nunua → nunulia / to buy for) and -lea for e, o (e.g., ondoa → ondolea / to remove for).
• Verbs ending in -ia or -ea: If a base verb already ends in -ia or -ea, it takes -lia or -lea to form the applicative (e.g., kimbia → kimbilia / to run to/toward, pokea → pokelea / to receive for).
• Monosyllabic verbs: These short roots are irregular. Some take -ia (e.g., -j- → -jia / to come to), while others take -ea (e.g., -nyw- → -nywea / to drink from/for).
• Arabic loans: Verbs ending in -e, -i, or -u drop their final vowel and take -ia or -ea following the exact same vowel harmony rule based on the preceding vowel (e.g., rudi drops 'i', preceding vowel is 'u' → rudia; samehe drops 'e', preceding vowel is 'e' → samehea). Verbs ending in -au do not drop their vowel and instead take -lia (e.g., sahau → sahaulia / to forget for).

Crucial Rule: When the applicative introduces a person or animal (an animate beneficiary/recipient), you must include an animate object marker in the verb that agrees with that person. However, the applicative is also frequently used for inanimate motives, instruments, or locations (e.g., kimbilia / to run toward). When used for locations or inanimate objects, an object marker is not strictly required.

Detrimental (Malefactive) Meaning: While often used for doing something for someone, the applicative can also mean doing something against or to the detriment of someone (e.g., haribu → haribia / to ruin for/on someone; fa → fia / to die on someone).

Double Objects: The applicative allows a verb to take two objects. The standard word order is Verb + Beneficiary + Direct Object (e.g., Alimpikia mtoto chakula / He cooked food for the child).

Passive Applicative: When an applicative verb is made passive (using -iwa or -ewa), the beneficiary becomes the subject of the sentence (e.g., Nilipikiwa chakula / I had food cooked for me).

A Short-Verb Caution:
The example with kulia is attested in Almasi and colleagues’ learner grammar. Short-verb derivatives are partly lexical: a longer derivative can stand without stress-support ku- in other verbs, but that does not justify deleting ku from every attested kula-related form. An unambiguous everyday alternative is Alikula kwa uma (He/she ate with a fork).