-taka-

Future Relative -taka-

Level 3

In Swahili, when you want to say "the person who will do something" or "the book that will be read" in a single word, you use the infix -taka- instead of the standard future marker -ta-.

How It Works

While the standard Future -ta- is used for main clauses, relative clauses built directly into the verb require -taka-.

Key Rules and Nuances:

  • No meaning of "want": Although -taka- historically comes from the verb kutaka (to want), it has completely grammaticalized in this slot. It carries no meaning of desire or intent; it only marks the future tense. To say "the one who wants to come", you must use the present relative of kutaka: anayetaka kuja.
  • Affirmative only: This marker is only used in affirmative future relative clauses. Negative future relatives must use a different strategy, such as Relative Clauses with amba-.
  • Monosyllabic verbs: Short verbs retain their infinitive ku- prefix to maintain proper stress. For example, kula (to eat) becomes atakayekula (the one who will eat). However, if the verb root is extended and becomes two syllables or more, the ku- drops, such as in the passive kitakacholiwa (which will be eaten).
  • Class 1 Concord: A common stumbling block is the Class 1 relative concord. Always use Class 1 Relative -ye- (e.g., atakaye...), not -o-.

In modern spoken Swahili, you will often hear people use the amba- strategy instead (e.g., ambaye atasoma). Both mean exactly the same thing and have no semantic difference, but the -taka- form is more formal and highly frequent in writing, literature, and journalism.

Examples (4)

  1. Wageni watakaokuja kesho ni marafiki zangu.

    The guests who will come tomorrow are my friends.

    Word by Word: Guests they-future-who-come tomorrow are friends my.

    Notice how the monosyllabic verb 'kuja' keeps its 'ku-' prefix after the relative concord '-o-'.

  2. Kitabu nitakachokinunua ni ghali.

    The book which I will buy is expensive.

    Word by Word: Book I-future-which-it-buy is expensive.

    The structure is ni- (I) + -taka- (future) + -cho- (Class 7 relative) + -ki- (Class 7 object) + nunua (buy).

  3. Kazi atakayoifanya ni ngumu.

    The work that he will do is hard.

    Word by Word: Work he-future-which-it-do is hard.

    The relative concord '-yo-' agrees with the Class 9 noun 'kazi' (work).

  4. Chakula kitakachopikwa jioni kitakuwa kitamu.

    The food that will be cooked in the evening will be delicious.

    Word by Word: Food it-future-which-be-cooked evening it-will-be delicious.

    The '-taka-' marker works perfectly with passive verbs like 'pikwa' (be cooked).

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the '-ka-' and attaching the relative concord directly to '-ta-'.

    Mgeni atayekuja kesho ni rafiki yangu.
    Mgeni atakayekuja kesho ni rafiki yangu.

    You cannot use the standard future marker '-ta-' with an infixed relative concord. You must use the full '-taka-' marker.

  • Mixing up 'who will come' with 'who wants to come'.

    Different MeaningMgeni atakayekuja anapenda chai.
    Mgeni anayetaka kuja anapenda chai.

    Mgeni atakayekuja anapenda chai is a good sentence, but atakayekuja means "who WILL come". For "the guest who WANTS to come", use the present relative of kutaka: anayetaka kuja.

How It Connects

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

-taka-Level 3Future Relative -taka-

Learn This First

To understand the future relative -taka-, you must first be familiar with the standard future tense marker -ta-. You also need to understand how relative markers (the -o- of reference) are infixed into the verb structure, as -taka- is the specific form the future tense takes to accommodate these relative infixes.

Words in This Pattern

-taka-