Object Agreement

In Swahili, verbs don't just tell you who is doing the action—they often tell you who or what is receiving the action. This is called Object Agreement.

The object marker is a prefix (or morpheme) inserted directly before the verb root. It is always the prefix immediately attached to the root, regardless of what other prefixes (like relative markers) are added. Sometimes, it can merge with the root's starting vowel. You can see exactly where it fits by looking at the Verb Slot Order. Note that relative infixes sit between the tense and the object marker, and derivational suffixes sit between the root and the final vowel, which explains how complex words like aliyekisoma (he who read it) are formed.

How it works:

• As a Pronoun: It translates to words like 'me', 'him', 'us', or 'it'. For example, in watatusaidia (they will help us), the -tu- means 'us'.
• As an Agreement Marker: Generally, the object marker is required for all animate objects, even if you explicitly state the noun (e.g., nilimwona mtoto - I saw the child. Note that the standard human singular marker -m- becomes -mw- before the vowels a, e, i, and o, but typically becomes mu- before u, as in kumuuliza, to avoid an awkward sound). However, speakers sometimes optionally omit it for highly generic or indefinite animates (like 'looking for a wife') to convey non-specificity. See Animate Object Marking for more details.

Things vs. People:
Inanimate objects (things) only use an object marker when you are talking about a specific, definite item, usually one that has already been mentioned or is known from context. Importantly, the marker for 'it' or 'them' is not universal; it changes depending on the Noun Classes of the object (for example, -ki- for a book, but -li- for a fruit).

Verbs with Two Objects:
When a verb has two objects—like giving a person a book—the object marker must agree with the animate receiver (the person), not the thing being given. Importantly, Standard Swahili verbs can only take a maximum of ONE object marker. You cannot stack prefixes to mark both objects (e.g., inventing words like nilimkipa is strictly ungrammatical). For example, 'I gave him a book' is nilimpa kitabu (using the human marker -m-).

Monosyllabic Verbs:
When an object marker is added to a short (monosyllabic) verb that usually keeps its infinitive ku- marker (like kula - to eat), the ku- is dropped. For example, nilikula (I ate) becomes nilikila (I ate it), not nilikukila. See Short Verbs with an Object Marker for more details.

Commands with Object Markers:
When an object marker is added to an imperative (command) verb of Bantu origin, the final vowel must change from -a to -e. For example, soma (read) becomes kisome (read it), and saidia (help) becomes msaidie (help him/her). However, verbs of Arabic origin ending in -i, -e, or -u do not change their final vowel when an object marker is added (e.g., jibu becomes mjibu).

The Reflexive Marker:
If the subject and object are the same (doing an action to oneself), you use the reflexive prefix -ji-. It occupies the exact same object marker slot and follows the same rules. See Reflexive ji-.