Borrowed Verbs in the Subjunctive

Level 3

The Swahili subjunctive usually changes a verb's final -a to -e. However, borrowed verbs that end in -i, -e, or -u keep their original ending.

How It Works

To build fluency in the Swahili subjunctive, you must pay attention to a verb's final vowel.

The standard rule for the subjunctive -e applies to native Bantu verbs, which end in -a (e.g., kusoma → asome). However, Swahili has many borrowed verbs (mostly from Arabic and English) that end in -i, -e, or -u. These verbs do not change their final vowel in the subjunctive.

Examples of Borrowed Verbs:

  • kujibu (to answer) → ajibu (he/she should answer)
  • kufikiri (to think) → ufikiri (you should think)
  • kusahau (to forget) → tusisahau (we shouldn't forget)
  • kuripoti (to report) → waripoti (they should report)


Important Nuances:

  • "Let's..." Commands: A very common use of the subjunctive is making suggestions. By using the Let Us prefix with a borrowed verb, you create a "Let's..." command without changing the final vowel (e.g., tujibu "let's answer", tufikiri "let's think").
  • Plural Imperatives: Do not confuse the subjunctive with plural commands. While native verbs take a Plural Imperative -eni ending (someni), borrowed verbs simply add -ni to their existing final vowel (jibuni "answer!", fikirini "think!").
  • It is a phonological rule, not an origin rule: Many resources claim "Arabic verbs don't change." This is inaccurate. Arabic loanwords that happen to end in -a (like kusaidia 'to help') do change to -e (asaidie). The rule is strictly about the final vowel, regardless of the language of origin.
  • Drop the Infinitive ku-: Just like with native Bantu verbs, you must drop the infinitive ku- when forming the subjunctive. Because the final vowel of borrowed verbs doesn't change, learners sometimes forget to remove it. If you leave it in (e.g., akujibu instead of ajibu), the -ku- acts as the second-person object -ku-, changing the meaning entirely to "he/she should answer you".
  • Negative Subjunctive vs. Present Negative: The negative subjunctive uses the infix -si-. Native Bantu verbs end in -e in the subjunctive (asisome) but change to -i in the present negative (hasomi). Borrowed verbs, however, do not change their final vowel in either tense. This means the present negative and negative subjunctive for borrowed verbs share the same final vowel and are distinguished only by their negative markers (e.g., hajibu "he/she doesn't answer" vs. asijibu "he/she shouldn't answer"). Pay special attention to the first-person singular: sijibu (I don't answer) uses the I Do Not si- prefix, while nisijibu (I shouldn't answer) uses the subjunctive -si- infix.

Examples (6)

  1. Ni lazima mwanafunzi ajibu swali hili.

    The student must answer this question.

    Word by Word: It is a must student he-answer question this.

    The verb kujibu (to answer) ends in -u, so it does not change to -e after the obligation word 'lazima'.

  2. Tafadhali usisahau kitabu chako.

    Please don't forget your book.

    Word by Word: Please you-not-forget book your.

    The negative subjunctive uses -si-. The verb kusahau (to forget) ends in -u, so it retains its final vowel.

  3. Nataka ufikiri vizuri kabla ya kuamua.

    I want you to think carefully before deciding.

    Word by Word: I-want you-think well before of to-decide.

    Verbs of desire trigger the subjunctive. Kufikiri (to think) ends in -i, so it remains ufikiri, not ufikire.

  4. Tujibu barua pepe hii sasa hivi.

    Let's answer this email right now.

    Word by Word: We-answer letter of-air this now exactly.

    Using the first-person plural prefix tu- with a borrowed verb like kujibu creates a 'Let's...' command without changing the final vowel.

  5. Afadhali turipoti tatizo hili.

    It's better that we report this problem.

    Word by Word: Better we-report problem this.

    English loanwords ending in -i, like kuripoti (to report), follow the exact same zero-mutation rule.

  6. Mama anataka nisaidie kupika.

    Mother wants me to help cook.

    Word by Word: Mother she-wants I-help to-cook.

    Contrast example: Kusaidia (to help) is an Arabic loanword, but because it ends in -a, it DOES change to -e (nisaidie).

Common Mistakes

  • Forcing the -e ending on borrowed verbs.

    Ni lazima ajibe swali.
    Ni lazima ajibu swali.

    Learners often over-regularize the Bantu rule and try to change the final vowel of borrowed verbs. Verbs ending in -i, -e, or -u never change to -e in the subjunctive.

  • Retaining the present tense marker -na- in the subjunctive.

    Lazima unajibu sasa.
    Lazima ujibu sasa.

    Because English uses auxiliary verbs like 'must answer', learners often leave the present tense marker -na- in the verb. The Swahili subjunctive cannot take a tense marker; it consists of just the subject prefix, an optional object prefix, and the verb stem.

  • Confusing the negative subjunctive with the negative present indicative.

    Tafadhali hujibu.
    Tafadhali usijibu.

    'Hujibu' means 'you do not answer' (stating a fact in the present tense). For negative commands or obligations ('please don't answer'), you must use the subjunctive negative infix -si- ('usijibu').

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Borrowed Verbs in the SubjunctiveLevel 3

Learn This First

To understand how borrowed verbs behave in the subjunctive, you first need to know the standard subjunctive rule where verbs change their final -a to -e. You also need to be familiar with the category of borrowed verbs, which are unique because they end in vowels like -i, -u, or -au instead of the standard -a.