-vyo- (ulinganisho)
As or How with -vyo-
The relative marker -vyo- is used to express 'how', 'the way that', or 'as' an action is performed.
How It Works
The adverbial relative -vyo- appears in three specific grammatical structures:
- Tensed Relative (Infix): It sits immediately after the tense marker (and before any object prefix, if present) (e.g., a-na-vyo-zi-fanya). Crucially, it can only be infixed with specific tenses: -na- (present), -li- (past), and -taka- (future—the standard -ta- must become -taka-). It can also be used with the negative marker -si-, which replaces the tense marker to form a tenseless negative relative. It cannot be infixed with the perfect tense -me-.
- Amba- / Copulas (Suffix): For incompatible tenses, it attaches to the complementizer to form ambavyo (e.g., jinsi ambavyo amefanya). It also attaches to copulas like ndivyo (that is how) and the defective verb root -li ('to be') (e.g., ilivyo).
- Tenseless Relative (Suffix): In formal or literary Swahili, it attaches to the end of the tenseless verb (e.g., afanyavyo).
Distinguishing from Object Relatives:
Learners often confuse the adverbial -vyo- ('how/as') with the literal Class 8 relative ('which'). The connection is actually logical, not a coincidence: the Class 8 prefix vi- is the standard marker used to create adverbs of manner in Swahili (e.g., -zuri becomes vizuri). Therefore, its relative form -vyo- naturally translates to 'the manner which' or 'how'. The difference in usage is syntactic: the most reliable clue is the presence or absence of a Class 8 noun antecedent in the context of the sentence. If there is a Class 8 noun antecedent (e.g., viti nilivyonunua = 'the chairs which I bought'), it is a Class 8 relative (which can be a subject or an object). If there is no Class 8 noun antecedent, it is the adverbial relative of manner.
That Is Not How:
Ndivyo tunavyofanya means “That is how we do it.” Sivyo tunavyofanya means “That is not how we do it.” Sivyo denies the manner or correctness identified by ndivyo; it does not simply negate the main verb.
Examples (4)
- Fanya kama unavyotaka.
Do as you want.
Word by Word: Do like you-present-how-want.
Here, -vyo- pairs with 'kama' to mean 'as' or 'the way that'.
- Sijui jinsi alivyopata pesa.
I don't know how he got the money.
Word by Word: I-don't-know how he-past-how-get money.
The infix -vyo- pairs with 'jinsi' to express 'how' an action occurred in the past.
- Kadiri unavyosoma, ndivyo unavyoelewa.
The more you read, the more you understand.
Word by Word: To-the-extent you-present-how-read, is-how you-present-how-understand.
A classic proportional construction using 'kadiri' and 'ndivyo' with the -vyo- relative.
- Jinsi atakavyofanya kazi itategemea mshahara.
How he will work will depend on the salary.
Word by Word: How he-future-how-do work it-will-depend salary.
Notice that the future tense marker -ta- must change to -taka- when taking a relative infix.
Common Mistakes
Using incompatible tenses (like -me- or -ta-) with the relative infix.
Sijui jinsi amevyofanya.Sijui jinsi ambavyo amefanya.The perfect tense marker -me- cannot take a relative infix. You must use 'ambavyo' instead. For the future, -ta- must become -taka- (atakavyofanya).
Dropping the relative marker when using 'jinsi' or 'kama'.
Fanya kama unataka.Fanya kama unavyotaka.While dropping the relative happens in colloquial street Swahili, Standard Swahili strictly requires the verb to take the -vyo- agreement to complete the meaning of 'kama' or 'jinsi'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The adverbial relative -vyo- is a specialized use of the Class 8 relative marker to express 'how' or 'the way that'. To understand it, a learner must be familiar with the general relative infix system, the specific agreement markers for the KI-VI class, and how these markers fit into the standard Swahili verb template.
- -o-Infixal Relative -o-
The -vyo- marker is the Class 8 form of the relative -o- infix, which is the core grammatical mechanism for creating relative clauses.
Level 3 - Classes 7 and 8
Understanding the VI- class (Class 8) is necessary because the adverbial 'manner' relative uses the Class 8 agreement marker.
Foundations - The Verb Word
The -vyo- relative is an infix placed within the verb structure, requiring knowledge of the standard verb slot order.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- jinsi...-vyoThe Way That
This pattern specifically focuses on the pairing of 'jinsi' with the adverbial '-vyo-' to mean 'the way that'.
Level 5 - kadiri...-vyoProportional Relative Construction
Explores the proportional comparative structure 'the more... the more' using '-vyo-'.
Level 5 - -vyo- (ngeli ya 8)Class 8 Relative -vyo-
The literal object relative for Class 8 nouns, which shares the exact same morphology as the adverbial '-vyo-'.
Level 3 - Relative Tense Restrictions
Explains the strict tense rules that apply when infixing relative markers like '-vyo-' into verbs.
Level 4 - amba-Relative Clauses with Amba-
The alternative way to form relative clauses, required when using tenses that cannot take the '-vyo-' infix.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice -vyo- (ulinganisho) in Bubblegum
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