-vi-

The Class 8 object marker -vi- is the direct plural counterpart to the Class 7 singular object marker -ki-. It is essential for referring to plural inanimate objects (like vitabu 'books' or vyakula 'foods').

1. Placement and Structure
It attaches directly to the verb complex, occupying the slot right before the verb root: Verb Slot Order. For example, nili-vi-soma (I read them). Note that unlike the Class 8 noun prefix and subject prefix (which both change to vy- before vowels, like vyakula vyafaa), the object marker -vi- stubbornly remains -vi- before vowel-commencing verb roots (e.g., niliviosha 'I washed them', nilivielewa 'I understood them'). Furthermore, the object marker remains exactly the same in negative verbs (e.g., sikuvisoma 'I didn't read them').

2. When to Use It
Unlike definite human objects, which require an object marker, inanimate object markers are structurally optional even if the object is definite (e.g., nilisoma vitabu can correctly translate to 'I read the books'). Adding -vi- forces a definite or specific reading, but it is only mandatory when:

• The object is topicalized or moved to the front of the sentence.
• The noun is omitted entirely because it is already known, making -vi- act as a standalone pronoun ('I saw them').

3. The Animacy Rule
Remember that Swahili prioritizes animacy over noun class prefixes. If a Class 8 noun refers to humans or animals (like vijana 'youths' or viongozi 'leaders'), you must use the animate plural object marker -wa- instead of -vi-. For example, niliwaona vijana (I saw the youths), not niliviona vijana. See Human Agreement Across Classes for more details.

4. Monosyllabic Verbs
When attaching -vi- to a short verb like kula (to eat) or kunywa (to drink), the infinitive ku- is dropped in Standard Swahili. For example, tulivila (we ate them), not tulivikula. See Short Verbs with an Object Marker for more details. However, in colloquial speech, particularly in Kenyan Swahili, retaining the ku- (e.g., tulivikula) is very common.

5. Don't Confuse It
Do not confuse the object marker -vi- with the subject marker vi-. The subject marker comes at the very beginning of the verb (vimevunjika = they are broken), while the object marker is buried inside (nilivivunja = I broke them). Additionally, do not confuse it with the relative marker -vyo- (used for manner or relative clauses). However, note that they can actually be used together in the same verb complex (e.g., vitabu nilivyovisoma 'the books which I read [them]'). Finally, do not confuse it with the associative and possessive prefixes (like vya or vyangu), or the adverbial prefix vi- used to form adverbs from adjectives (e.g., vizuri 'well', vibaya 'badly').