-wa

Passive -wa

Level 2

The passive extension -w- changes a verb so that the receiver of the action becomes the subject. It is equivalent to the English 'is done' or 'was done'.

How It Works

The passive extension is highly productive but its exact form depends on the verb's ending:

  • Standard Bantu verbs: Insert -w- before the final -a. For example, piga (hit) becomes pigwa (be hit). However, stems ending in -l- or -w- take -iwa or -ewa depending on vowel harmony (e.g., lala → laliwa, tawala → tawaliwa).
  • Double-vowel verbs: Verbs ending in -aa, -oa, or -ua take -liw- or -lew- depending on vowel harmony (e.g., nunua → nunuliwa, ondoa → ondolewa). Verbs ending in -ia take -w- (e.g., tumia → tumiwa), while those ending in -ea frequently take -lew- (e.g., pokea → pokelewa).
  • Arabic loanwords: Verbs ending in -i or -e simply add -wa (rudi → rudiwa, samehe → samehewa). Those ending in -u drop the -u and add -iwa (jibu → jibiwa). Those ending in -au add -liwa (sahau → sahauliwa).
  • Monosyllabic verbs: These are irregular and must be memorized (e.g., la → liwa, pa → pewa, nywa → nywewa).

Crucial Rule: Because the passive is an extension inserted before the final vowel, the final vowel still changes when required by the grammar. For example, in the subjunctive, the final vowel becomes -e, making the passive ending -we (e.g., kisomwe = 'that it be read').

Finally, do not confuse the passive with the Stative -ika. The passive implies an external agent performed the action (even if unstated), while the stative describes a resultant state or spontaneous event.

Examples (5)

  1. Chakula kilipikwa na mama.

    The food was cooked by mother.

    Word by Word: Food it-past-cook-passive by mother.

    A standard passive sentence where the agent is introduced with 'na'.

  2. Picha ilichorwa na mtoto.

    The picture was drawn by the child.

    Word by Word: Picture it-past-draw-passive by child.

    The object of the drawing (the picture) is promoted to the subject of the sentence.

  3. Barua inasomwa.

    The letter is being read.

    Word by Word: Letter it-present-read-passive.

    An agentless passive. The focus is entirely on the action happening to the letter.

  4. Gari liliuzwa jana.

    The car was sold yesterday.

    Word by Word: Car it-past-sell-passive yesterday.

    The verb 'uza' (sell) becomes 'uzwa' (be sold).

  5. Nataka kitabu hiki kisomwe.

    I want this book to be read.

    Word by Word: I-want book this it-read-passive-subjunctive.

    Demonstrates the passive in the subjunctive mood. The final vowel changes to -e, resulting in -we.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the verb 'to be' (kuwa) plus an active verb to form the passive.

    Kikombe ni vunja.
    Kikombe kimevunjwa.

    English speakers often try to translate 'is broken' word-for-word. In Swahili, the passive is formed by adding the morphological extension -w- directly to the verb root, not by using a separate 'to be' verb.

  • Simply adding -wa to the end of vowel-ending verbs or Arabic verbs ending in -u.

    Simu ilinunuwa.
    Simu ilinunuliwa.

    You cannot just stick '-wa' onto the end of any verb. Verbs ending in -aa, -oa, or -ua require the extended forms -liw- or -lew-. Arabic loanwords ending in -u drop the -u and add -iwa (e.g., jibu → jibiwa).

  • Forgetting to change the final vowel to -e in the subjunctive or negative present.

    Nataka barua isomwa.
    Nataka barua isomwe.

    The passive is an infix inserted before the final vowel. In moods where the final vowel must change to -e, the passive form ends in -we, not -wa.

How It Connects

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-waLevel 2Passive -wa

Learn This First

To understand the passive -wa, you need to be familiar with the Swahili verb template and how subject markers change to reflect the noun that is now receiving the action. Since -wa is a verb extension, understanding how the verb root can be modified to change its meaning is also key.

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