Applicative Reciprocal

While the plain reciprocal means the subjects are the direct targets of the action (e.g., kupigana = to hit each other), the applicative reciprocal means they are the recipients or beneficiaries (e.g., kupigiana simu = to call each other), it can indicate direction or target (e.g., kukimbiliana = to run towards each other), or it can mean doing something over, about, or with each other (e.g., kuongeleana = to talk about each other). It can also carry a malefactive (detrimental) meaning, indicating actions done to each other's disadvantage (e.g., kuibiana = to steal from each other, kuharibiana = to ruin things for each other).

Morphological Rules:

• -iana: Default for verb roots whose main vowel is a, i, or u (piga → pigiana).
• -eana: Triggered by vowel harmony for verb roots whose main vowel is e or o (leta → leteana).
• -liana / -leana: Used for double-vowel roots to prevent vowel pileup (nunua → nunuliana). This also applies to verbs that already end in -ia or -ea (kimbia → kimbiliana, tembea → tembeleana).

Syntactic Rule: Object Infixes:
When using the applicative reciprocal, you cannot use an object infix to refer to the people doing the action to each other (like -m- or -wa-), because the reciprocal -an- suffix already absorbs that role. However, you can use an object infix to refer to the secondary or direct object being acted upon (e.g., wanaziandikiana = they are writing them [letters] to each other). This is due to valency math: the applicative extension adds an object slot (+1), and the reciprocal extension removes one (-1). Therefore, a standard transitive verb remains transitive when both are applied, allowing it to still take a direct object.

Syntactic Rule: Singular Subject with na:
While reciprocal verbs typically take plural subject prefixes, they can also be used with a singular subject prefix if followed by the conjunction na (with). For example, Ninapigiana simu na Juma (I am calling Juma / Juma and I are calling each other). This is a very common way this pattern is used in daily life.

Monosyllabic Verbs:
Monosyllabic Bantu verbs form their applicative reciprocals based on their specific applicative stems. Verbs like la (to eat) and nywa (to drink) form their applicatives irregularly by adding -lia or -lea, meaning their applicative reciprocals end in -liliana or -leleana (e.g., la → lilia → liliana; nywa → nywelea → nyweleana). Other monosyllabic verbs form them more regularly, such as kufiana (to die for/on each other). When derivational suffixes make the stem polysyllabic, the infinitive ku- prefix is dropped because the new stem is long enough to carry the penultimate stress on its own in Standard Swahili (e.g., wanaliliana = they are eating for each other). However, in colloquial spoken Swahili, the ku- is frequently retained.

Arabic Loanwords:
For Arabic verbs ending in -i, -e, -u, or -au, the applicative extension acts as a structural bridge. Verbs ending in -u or -i drop the final vowel and add -iana (fahamu → fahamiana, shiriki → shirikiana). Verbs ending in -e drop the final vowel and add -eana (samehe → sameheana). Verbs ending in -au take -liana (sahau → sahauliana). Note that Arabic loanwords that have assimilated to end in a single -a (like tawala or shughulika) behave exactly like standard Bantu verbs and take -ana directly.

Important Nuance: In Bantu morphology, the reciprocal extension is actually -an-, which attaches to the consonant root of the verb and replaces the final mood vowel -a. Because many Arabic loanwords lack this final mood vowel -a, the applicative suffix is inserted purely as a structural bridge to host the reciprocal extension. In these cases, the applicative extension is used even when it adds no "for/to" meaning whatsoever, as seen in fahamiana (to know each other) and sameheana (to forgive each other). Because these verbs are forced to use the applicative extension for a plain reciprocal meaning, they cannot morphologically distinguish between plain and applicative reciprocals. For example, jibiana can mean both 'answer each other' and 'answer for each other' depending entirely on context.