-ki- (yambwa)

Class 7 Object -ki-

Level 3

The infix -ki- is the object marker for Class 7 nouns (like kitabu, kisu, kiti). It translates to the pronoun 'it' and sits right before the verb root.

How It Works

The Class 7 object marker -ki- occupies the object slot in the Verb Slot Order, coming right before the verb root (though a relative infix may sometimes sit between the tense marker and the object marker).

1. Definiteness and Emphasis
Using -ki- forces a definite or specific meaning. Because Swahili has No Articles, a bare noun like kitabu can mean 'a book' or 'the book' depending on context. However, adding the object marker makes it strictly definite.

  • Ninasoma kitabu. = I am reading a book / I am reading the book.
  • Ninakisoma kitabu. = I am reading the book (specific).

2. Vowel-Initial Verbs
You may remember that the Class 7 noun prefix ki- changes to ch- before vowels (e.g., ki-umba → chumba). However, the object marker -ki- never changes before vowels. To say 'I saw it' (referring to a book), you say nilikiona, never nilichona.

3. Monosyllabic Verbs
When attaching -ki- to a short verb like -la (eat) or -nywa (drink), Standard Swahili requires Short Verbs with an Object Marker to drop their infinitive ku-. 'I ate it' is nilikila, not nilikikula. However, note that in informal spoken dialects and Kenyan Swahili, you will frequently hear the ku- retained (e.g., nilikikula).

4. Don't Confuse with Other -ki- Markers
Swahili also has a Conditional -ki- meaning 'if/when'. The conditional marker sits in the tense slot, while the object marker sits in the object slot. They can even appear together: a-ki-ki-soma (if he reads it). Additionally, the Class 7 Subject Prefix is also ki- (e.g., Kitabu kinaanguka - The book is falling).

5. Animate Nouns in Class 7
Because of Human Agreement Across Classes, if a Class 7 noun refers to a living being (like kijana - youth, or kiboko - hippo), it takes the Class 1 Object -m- instead of -ki-. For example, 'I saw the youth' is nilimwona kijana, not nilikiona kijana. Similarly, plural animate nouns (like vijana or viboko) take the Class 2 Object -wa- (e.g., niliwaona vijana). (For inanimate nouns, remember that the plural counterpart for Class 8 is the Class 8 Object -vi-).

6. Pronominalization (Saying 'It')
If you drop the noun entirely to just say 'it', the object marker -ki- becomes strictly obligatory. You cannot say niliona to mean 'I saw it' (referring to a book); you must say nilikiona. Note that when the noun is present, even with a demonstrative (like hiki), the object marker remains optional for inanimate objects (e.g., ninasoma kitabu hiki and ninakisoma kitabu hiki are both grammatical).

7. The Relative Marker -cho-
Do not confuse the object marker -ki- with the Class 7 Relative -cho- (which/that). They serve different purposes but often appear together in the same verb when referring to a specific Class 7 object. For example, kitabu nilichokisoma means 'the book which I read'.

Examples (5)

  1. Kisu kiko wapi? Ninakitafuta.

    Where is the knife? I am looking for it.

    Word by Word: Knife it-is where? I-am-it-looking-for.

    Here, -ki- acts as a pronoun replacing the dropped object 'kisu'.

  2. Nilikinunua kitabu.

    I bought the book.

    Word by Word: I-past-it-buy book.

    Using the object marker alongside the explicit noun makes the object definite ('the book' rather than 'a book').

  3. Kiti kimevunjika, lakini nilikiona jana.

    The chair is broken, but I saw it yesterday.

    Word by Word: Chair it-has-broken, but I-past-it-see yesterday.

    Notice that -ki- does not change to -ch- before the vowel-initial verb root -ona.

  4. Chakula kilikuwa kitamu, kwa hivyo nilikila chote.

    The food was delicious, so I ate it all.

    Word by Word: Food it-was delicious, for thus I-past-it-eat all.

    With the monosyllabic verb -la (eat), the infinitive ku- is dropped when the object marker -ki- is added.

  5. Akikisoma, ataelewa.

    If he reads it, he will understand.

    Word by Word: He-if-it-read, he-will-understand.

    This sentence contains two -ki- markers: the first is the conditional 'if', and the second is the object marker 'it'.

Common Mistakes

  • Changing the object marker -ki- to -ch- before vowel-initial verbs.

    Kitabu kiko wapi? Nilichona jana.
    Kitabu kiko wapi? Nilikiona jana.

    While the Class 7 noun prefix changes to ch- before vowels, the object marker -ki- strictly remains -ki- regardless of the verb root's first letter.

  • Retaining the infinitive ku- on monosyllabic verbs.

    Nilikikula.
    Nilikila.

    In Standard Swahili, when an object marker is added to a monosyllabic verb like -la (eat), the infinitive ku- must be dropped.

  • Assuming a bare noun is always indefinite and overusing the object marker.

    Ninakisoma kitabu. (when meaning 'I am reading a book')
    Ninasoma kitabu.

    Because Swahili lacks articles, a bare noun like 'kitabu' can mean either 'a book' or 'the book' depending on context. You do not need the object marker just to say 'the book'. Only use -ki- when you want to emphasize a specific book or when saying 'it'.

How It Connects

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-ki- (yambwa)Level 3Class 7 Object -ki-

Learn This First

To use the class 7 object marker -ki-, you need to be familiar with the KI-VI noun class (e.g., kiti, kitabu) and understand how Swahili verbs are structured, specifically where the object marker slot is located between the tense marker and the verb root.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-ki-