u- / i-

Class 3 and 4 Subject Agreement

Level 2

In Swahili, verbs must agree with their subject. For Class 3 (M-) and Class 4 (Mi-) nouns, use the prefixes u- for singular ('it') and i- for plural ('they').

How It Works

These subject markers are mandatory and attach to the very beginning of most affirmative verb complexes, occupying the first slot in the verb slot order. Note that the Habitual hu- tense is an exception, as it does not take any subject markers.

Key Rules and Conditions:

Standard Placement: They sit immediately before the tense marker (e.g., u- + -na- + anguka).
Before Vowels: If attached directly to a vowel-initial tense marker (like the simple present -a-), u- becomes w- and i- becomes y- (e.g., mti waanguka 'the tree falls', miti yaanguka 'the trees fall').
In Negation: They attach to the primary negative prefix ha- to form hau- (Class 3) and hai- (Class 4) (e.g., mti hauanguki 'the tree does not fall').
Object Markers: For inanimate classes like 3 and 4, the subject markers (u- and i-) are exactly identical to their corresponding Class 3 Object -u- and Class 4 Object -i- markers.

Important Distinctions:

Animacy Rule: Not all M-/Mi- nouns take these prefixes! Swahili prioritizes animacy. Animate nouns (humans and animals) in these classes (like mtume / apostle or mjusi / lizard) trigger Human Agreement Across Classes and use a- and wa- instead.
Look-alikes: The Class 3 u- looks exactly like the Second-Person Singular Subject u- ('you') and the Class 11 and 14 Subject Agreement. Similarly, the Class 4 i- is identical to the Class 9 Subject Agreement. You must rely on context or the presence of the subject noun to know which meaning is intended.

Examples (5)

Mti umeanguka.
The tree has fallen.
Word by Word: Tree it-has-fallen.
Class 3 subject marker u- combined with the perfect tense marker -me-.
Mihadhara itaanza saa nne.
The lectures will start at ten o'clock.
Word by Word: Lectures they-will-start hour four.
Class 4 subject marker i- combined with the future tense marker -ta-.
Mkate huu unanukia vizuri.
This bread smells good.
Word by Word: Bread this it-smells good.
Class 3 subject marker u- combined with the present tense marker -na-.
Miti haianguki.
The trees are not falling.
Word by Word: Trees negative-they-fall.
In negation, the negative prefix ha- combines with i- to form hai-.
Mti waanguka.
The tree falls.
Word by Word: Tree it-falls.
When u- attaches to the vowel-initial simple present tense marker -a-, it becomes w-.

Common Mistakes

The 'copycat error': attaching the noun prefix directly to the verb.
Mti mnaanguka.
Mti unaanguka.
Because Swahili adjectives often take the exact same prefix as the noun (e.g., mti mzuri), beginners mistakenly assume verbs do the same. Verbs require specific subject markers; for Class 3, it is u-, not m-.
Using u- and i- for animate nouns in Classes 3 and 4.
Mtume unakuja.
Mtume anakuja.
Swahili prioritizes animacy. Animate nouns (like mtume / apostle) take the human Class 1/2 verb prefixes (a- and wa-), regardless of their noun class.

How It Connects

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u- / i-Level 2Class 3 and 4 Subject Agreement

Learn This First

To learn Class 3 and 4 subject agreement, you first need to recognize the nouns in these classes (typically trees and plants starting with m-/mi-). You also need to understand the general concept of subject-verb agreement in Swahili and how the verb is built using different slots for markers.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

u-i-

Practice u- / i- in Bubblegum

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