Infinitives After Modals

In Swahili, when you use verbs like -taka (want), -weza (can/be able), or -penda (like/love) followed by another action, the second verb is often in the infinitive form.

Everyday Speech Tip: In the first-person present tense, native speakers almost always drop the ni- subject prefix for many verbs, not just these modals. This makes Nataka, Naweza, and Napenda the standard and most natural forms in everyday speech, rather than Ninataka.

How to form the infinitive:

• Standard verbs: Add ku- to the verb stem (e.g., kusoma - to read).
• Vowel-starting verbs: Keep the ku- prefix for most verbs (e.g., kuandika - to write, kuona - to see). A few notable exceptions change to kw- (e.g., kwenda - to go, kwisha - to finish).
• Short verbs: One-syllable verbs keep the ku- prefix (e.g., kula - to eat).
• Arabic loanwords: Add ku- but keep their original ending vowel (e.g., kufikiri - to think).

Important Rule: For verbs of desire like -taka or -penda, if the subjects are different (e.g., "I want you to read"), you must use the subjunctive form. For standard verbs, this means using the Subjunctive -e, but remember that Arabic loanwords (ending in -i, -e, or -u) do not change their final vowel (e.g., ufikiri, not ufikire). If the subject is the same, you can use either the infinitive (Nataka kwenda) or the subjunctive (Nataka niende). (This does not apply to -weza, as you cannot 'be able' for someone else).

Adding Object Markers: If the second verb has an object marker, it is placed between the ku- prefix and the verb stem (e.g., Nataka kumwona - I want to see him/her). This also applies to the Reflexive ji- marker (e.g., kujiona - to see oneself, kujifunza - to learn). For short (monosyllabic) verbs, the object marker is simply placed between the ku- prefix and the verb stem (e.g., kumla - to eat him/her). Note that while the dummy ku- drops in finite tenses when an object marker is added (e.g., ninakula becomes ninamla), in the infinitive, ku- is the actual noun class prefix and must remain. Furthermore, a kuku- form absolutely does occur when the object marker is -ku- (meaning "you" singular), such as in kukupa (to give you) or kukula (to eat you).

Negation: To say you 'cannot' or 'do not want to' do something, you usually negate the first verb (the modal) and keep the second verb in the infinitive (e.g., Sitaki kwenda - I don't want to go, Siwezi kusoma - I cannot read). If you specifically want to express the intention to not do something, you can use the Negative Infinitive with kuto-. For standard verbs, the negative infix -to- is inserted between the ku- prefix and the verb stem (e.g., kutosoma - to not read). For short or irregular verbs, add kuto- before the full infinitive (e.g., kutokula - to not eat, kutokwenda - to not go). If you are using the subjunctive because the subjects are different, you must negate it using the Negative Subjunctive with -si- (e.g., Nataka usisome - I want you not to read).

Also, remember that ku- is actually a noun class prefix (Infinitive Class 15), turning the verb into a verbal noun. So Nataka kusoma structurally translates closer to "I want reading."