Lexical Double Applicatives

Level 4

The double applicative uses the suffixes -ilia or -elea to express that an action is done with extreme intensity, persistence, or finality.

How It Works

The double applicative (often referred to in classic Swahili grammars as the Intensive or Persistive extension) attaches to the verb stem, replacing the final -a (e.g., shika → shikilia). It follows standard Swahili vowel harmony:

  • Roots containing the mid-vowels e or o take -elea (e.g., enda → endelea).
  • Roots containing a, i, or u take -ilia (e.g., shika → shikilia).
  • Verbs ending in double vowels require an -l- insertion before the extension (e.g., nunua → nunulilia, ondoa → ondolelea).
  • Arabic loanwords ending in pure vowels (-i, -e, or -u) replace their final vowel with the extension (e.g., rudi → rudilia). However, verbs ending in the diphthong -au act like double-vowel verbs and take -lilia (e.g., sahau → sahaulilia).

Function and Meaning:
This extension indicates finality, completeness, or persistence. Because the exact resulting meaning is unpredictable, learners must treat these as distinct dictionary items. For example, tupa (throw) becomes tupilia (throw away completely), which is almost always paired with the adverb mbali.

A Crucial Distinction:
General Bantu linguistic literature often states that double applicatives allow a verb to take two applied objects simultaneously (like a beneficiary and an instrument). While true for some related languages, this is not accurate for Standard Swahili. In Swahili, the reduplicated applicative is almost strictly a lexicalized intensive marker. It does not increase the verb's valency (the number of objects it can take).

Because this morphological process is non-productive, native speakers do not spontaneously coin new double applicatives. To build your proficiency, focus on memorizing the established verbs that use this pattern.

Examples (5)

  1. Tafadhali endelea kusoma.

    Please continue reading.

    Word by Word: Please continue to read.

    Derived from 'enda' (go). The double applicative creates the highly common verb 'endelea' (continue/progress).

  2. Alishikilia msimamo wake.

    He insisted on his position.

    Word by Word: He held tightly position his.

    Derived from 'shika' (hold). 'Shikilia' means to hold onto tightly or to insist persistently.

  3. Walitupilia mbali mpango huo.

    They discarded the plan completely.

    Word by Word: They threw completely far plan that.

    Derived from 'tupa' (throw). 'Tupilia' expresses finality and is almost always used with 'mbali' (far).

  4. Fundi alipigilia msumari kwenye ukuta.

    The technician hammered the nail completely into the wall.

    Word by Word: Technician hammered completely nail into wall.

    Derived from 'piga' (hit/strike). 'Pigilia' means to hammer or drive something in completely.

  5. Waliachilia wafungwa wote.

    They released all the prisoners completely.

    Word by Word: They released completely prisoners all.

    Derived from 'acha' (leave/let go). 'Achilia' emphasizes a complete or final release.

Common Mistakes

  • Overgeneralizing the pattern to invent new intensive verbs.

    Nilimpikiilia chakula.
    Nilimpikia chakula kwa bidii.

    The double applicative is non-productive. You cannot freely add -ilia or -elea to any verb to mean 'do intensively'. You must use established vocabulary or express intensity using adverbs like 'kwa bidii' or 'sana'.

  • Trying to use the double applicative to stack two applied objects (like a beneficiary and an instrument).

    Alinikatiilia kisu mkate.
    Alinikatia mkate kwa kisu.

    Unlike in some other Bantu languages, the Swahili double applicative does not allow a verb to take two applied objects. Use the standard applicative for the beneficiary and a preposition like 'kwa' for the instrument.

How It Connects

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Lexical Double ApplicativesLevel 4

Learn This First

To understand lexical double applicatives, you must first be comfortable with the standard applicative extensions (-ia/-ea) and the general rules for stacking multiple extensions on a verb root. Since these forms often have specialized or intensive meanings, they build directly upon the learner's knowledge of how the applicative suffix functions to add an object or direction to a verb.

Words in This Pattern

-ilia-elea