amba-

Relative Clauses with Amba-

Level 3

The word amba- acts like a relative pronoun in English (who, whom, whose, which, that). It is used to connect a noun to a descriptive clause.

How It Works

The amba- relative strategy is one of the most common ways to say 'who', 'which', or 'that' in Swahili.

Unlike infixed relatives which are embedded inside the verb, amba- stands alone. To use it, you attach a relative suffix (the '-o of reference') that matches the noun class of the word you are describing.

Forming amba- words:

  • Class 1 (Human singular): ambaye (Exception: uses -ye instead of -o)
  • Class 2 (Human plural): ambao
  • Class 7 (Things singular): ambacho
  • Class 8 (Things plural / Manner): ambavyo (also used for 'how' or 'the way that')
  • Class 9 (N-class singular): ambayo
  • Class 10 (N-class plural): ambazo
  • Locative Classes 16, 17, 18: ambapo, ambako, ambamo (used for 'where', but note that ambapo is specifically used to mean 'when' referring to a point in time)

Note: This pattern applies to all noun classes; the list above is just a sample of the most common ones.

When to use it:
1. With ANY tense: While it is mandatory for certain tenses, it is perfectly legal and very common to use amba- with standard tenses like the past (-li-), present (-na-), and future (-ta-). A major advantage is that it avoids the future tense mutation where -ta- changes to -taka- in infixed relatives.
2. Mandatory with certain tenses: You must use amba- if the following verb is in the perfect tense (-me-), the conditional (-nge-), or the habitual (hu-), because these tenses cannot take a relative infix.
3. Negative tenses: The infixed relative strategy only has one tenseless negative marker (-si-). To express negative actions in specific tenses, you must use amba- alongside standard negative verbs (e.g., mtu ambaye hakusoma - the person who did not read).
4. Restrictive and Non-restrictive clauses: While amba- is the standard way to form non-restrictive clauses (adding extra, descriptive information), it is also widely used and perfectly grammatical for restrictive clauses (essential information).
5. Objects of prepositions: amba- is the standard strategy used to relativize objects of prepositions or conjunctions, such as na (e.g., mtu ambaye ninaongea naye - the person who I am talking with).

Because amba- is a separate word, the verb that follows it is mostly conjugated normally. However, there is a rule for object relative clauses: the object marker is mandatory in the verb for animate objects, and while technically optional for inanimate objects, it is highly frequent and preferred (e.g., Kitabu ambacho nilikisoma - The book which I read).

Examples (4)

  1. Nina rafiki ambaye anakaa Uganda.

    I have a friend who lives in Uganda.

    Word by Word: I have friend who stays Uganda.

    Class 1 agreement (ambaye) for 'rafiki' (friend).

  2. Kitabu ambacho nimekisoma ni kizuri.

    The book which I have read is good.

    Word by Word: Book which I have it read is good.

    Class 7 agreement (ambacho) for 'kitabu'. Notice the perfect tense (-me-) requires the amba- strategy.

  3. Maziwa ambayo yalitumika yameoza.

    The milk that was used has spoiled.

    Word by Word: Milk which was used has spoiled.

    Class 6 agreement (ambayo) for 'maziwa' (milk).

  4. Watu ambao wangekuja wamechelewa.

    The people who would have come are late.

    Word by Word: People who would come have delayed.

    Class 2 agreement (ambao). The conditional tense (-nge-) requires amba-.

Common Mistakes

  • Using amba- together with a relative infix on the verb (Double Relativization).

    Mtoto ambaye anayesoma ni wangu.
    Mtoto ambaye anasoma ni wangu.

    You must choose one relative strategy. If you use 'amba-', the following verb must be a normal, non-relative verb. Do not put a relative infix (like -ye-) inside the verb if you already used 'ambaye'.

  • Using 'ambayo' as a universal word for 'that' regardless of the noun class.

    Kitabu ambayo ninasoma.
    Kitabu ambacho ninasoma.

    Because Class 9 nouns are very common, learners often default to 'ambayo'. However, the amba- word must always agree with the specific noun class of the word it modifies (e.g., 'ambacho' for Class 7 'kitabu').

How It Connects

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

amba-Level 3Relative Clauses with Amba-

Learn This First

To use amba- relatives, you must first understand the noun class system and how agreement works, as the 'amba-' word changes its ending to match the noun it describes. Additionally, since amba- is followed by a full verb, you need to be comfortable with standard verb conjugation and the specific 'o-relative' markers that serve as the suffixes for the amba- stem.

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