Causative Before Applicative

Level 3

The Causative + Applicative pattern allows you to express making an action happen for or to someone. It combines two powerful verb extensions into a single suffix.

How It Works

When combining these extensions, Swahili follows strict vowel harmony rules to create the combined suffix:

  • If the verb stem's penultimate (second-to-last) vowel is a, i, or u, the suffix becomes -ishia (e.g., rudi → rudishia).
  • If the verb stem's penultimate vowel is e or o, the suffix becomes -eshea (e.g., soma → someshea).
  • Roots that use the -z- causative form become -zia or -zea (e.g., potea → poteza → potezea).

The Golden Rule of Object Agreement:
Because this pattern can introduce multiple objects (such as the thing being acted upon, a possible causee, and the applied object like a beneficiary, recipient, or goal), learners often wonder which one gets the object marker. In Swahili, the applied object outranks the others. If the applied object is animate (human or animal), it must take the object prefix on the verb. If the applied object is inanimate (like an instrument or location), the object marker is optional and depends on definiteness or focus. Crucially, standard Swahili verbs allow only one object marker. This means the applied object's marker displaces any potential markers for the causee or theme.

Passivization (The Subject Test):
Because the applied object outranks the other objects, it is the only object that can become the subject if the verb is passivized. For example, Mwalimu alisomeshewa mtoto (The teacher had the child taught for them).

Exceptions and Nuances:
While general Bantu linguistics often claims the causative must always precede the applicative (the "strict CARP" rule), modern Swahili allows the reverse order (Applicative + Causative) in certain lexicalized words when the meaning requires it, such as tosheleza (to satisfy / cause to suffice for).

Be careful not to confuse this pattern with verbs ending in -ua or -oa. For example, fungua (open) is not a causative; its applicative form is fungulia, not fungushia.

Examples (4)

  1. Alinirudishia kitabu changu.

    He returned my book to me.

    Word by Word: He caused-to-return to me book my.

    From 'rudi' (return/go back). The causative makes it 'rudisha' (return something), and the applicative makes it 'rudishia' (return something to someone). Notice the object marker '-ni-' (me) is used for the beneficiary.

  2. Mwalimu anatusomeshea watoto.

    The teacher is teaching the children for us.

    Word by Word: Teacher is-causing-to-read-for-us children.

    From 'soma' (read/study). 'Somesha' means teach (cause to read), and 'someshea' means teach for someone. The object marker '-tu-' (us) represents the parents/beneficiaries, not the children.

  3. Usinipotezee muda.

    Don't waste my time.

    Word by Word: Do-not-cause-to-be-lost-for-me time.

    From 'potea' (get lost). 'Poteza' is the causative (lose/waste), and 'potezea' is the applicative. This is a highly natural, everyday phrase.

  4. Nitakukumbushia deni lako.

    I will remind them about your debt for you.

    Word by Word: I-will-cause-to-remember-for-you debt your.

    From 'kumbuka' (remember). 'Kumbusha' is remind, and 'kumbushia' means to remind on someone's behalf or follow up on something for them.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the object marker for the direct object instead of the beneficiary.

    Alikirudishia mimi kitabu.
    Alinirudishia kitabu.

    When using an applicative verb, the beneficiary (the person receiving the action) outranks the direct object (the book). Because Swahili verbs generally allow only one object marker, you must use the object marker for the beneficiary ('-ni-'), not the direct object ('-ki-').

  • Treating verbs ending in -ua or -oa as causatives when adding the applicative.

    Alinifungushia mlango.
    Alinifungulia mlango.

    Verbs ending in '-ua' (like 'fungua' - to open) are not causatives. When adding an applicative to these verbs, they take '-lia' (fungulia), not '-shia'.

How It Connects

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

Causative Before ApplicativeLevel 3

Learn This First

To understand how the causative and applicative extensions work together, you must first be familiar with the individual functions and vowel harmony rules of both the causative (-isha/-esha) and the applicative (-ia/-ea) extensions. Additionally, a general understanding of how Swahili verbs can take multiple extensions is required.