-ku-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ku"

Chichewa

Infix

-ku-

1. Forms the present tense in verbs.

Usage notes

This tense is used in a present continuous sense, and contrasts with the habitual of -ma-.

Garo

Affix

-ku-

1. yet, indicates that the action is still happening.

Swahili

Other scripts
Ajami	ـكُـ

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Infix

-ku-

1. (with negative subject concord) negative past tense marker

   Antonym: -li-

   Sikukisoma. ― I did not read it.

Conjugation

Conjugation of -ku-

		Singular	Plural
1st person		siku-	hatuku-
2nd person		huku-	hamku-
3rd person	m-wa(I/II)	haku-	hawaku-
	m-mi(III/IV)	hauku-	haiku-
	ji-ma(V/VI)	haliku-	hayaku-
	ki-vi(VII/VIII)	hakiku-	haviku-
	n(IX/X)	haiku-	haziku-
	u(XI)	hauku-	see n(X) or ma(VI)
	ku(XV/XVII)	hakuku-
	pa(XVI)	hapaku-
	mu(XVIII)	hamku-
For more information, see Appendix:Swahili verbs.

See also

Swahili TAM markers
Initial
Positive infinitive	ku-/kw-1
Negative infinitive	kuto-
Habitual	hu-1
Telegrammic	ka-1
Final
General (positive indicative)	-a
Positive subjunctive	-e
Negative present	-i
Second person plural	-ni
Infix position positive subject concord
Positive past	-li-
Positive present	-na-
Positive future	-ta-
Negative subjunctive	-si-1
Positive present conditional	-nge-
Negative present conditional	-singe-
Positive past conditional	-ngali-
Negative past conditional	-singali-
Gnomic	-a-1
Perfect	-me-
"Already" past	-lisha-
"Already" present	-mesha-/-sha-
"If/When"	-ki-1
"If not"	-sipo-
Consecutive	-ka-1
Infix position negative subject concord
Negative past	-ku-1
Negative future	-ta-
"Not yet"	-ja-1
Negative present conditional	-nge-
Negative past conditional	-ngali-
Relative
Past	-li-
Present	-na-
Future	-taka-
Negative	-si-
1 Can take stress and therefore does not require -ku-/-kw- in monosyllabic verbs.

Etymology 2

Infix

-ku-

1. you, 2st person singular object concord

   Ninakupenda. ― I like you.

   • 18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi‎^[1], translation from R. Allen (1946) “Inkishafi—a translation from the Swahili”, in African Studies, volume 5, number 4, →DOI, pages 243–249, stanza 11:

     مُيُ وَاغُ نِنِ هُزُدُكَانِ ، لِكُغُرِيِلُ هِيْلَ نِنْنِ ،

     Moyo wangu nini huzundukani, likughuriyelo hela ni-n'ni?

     Soul, why not awake? Hi! what is it that cheats you?

2. (with suffix -ni) you, y'all; 2st person plural object concord

   Synonym: -wa-

   Ninakupendeni. ― I like y'all.

See also

Swahili personal pronouns (m-wa class_(I/II))

Number	Person	Independent	Subject concord		Object concord	Combined forms			Possessive
			affirmative	negative		na	ndi-	si-
Singular	First	mimi	ni-	si-	-ni-	nami, na mimi	ndimi, ndiye	simi, siye	-angu
	Second	wewe	u-	hu-	-ku-	nawe, na wewe	ndiwe, ndiye	siwe, siye	-ako
	Third	yeye	a-, yu-	ha-, hayu-	-m-, -mw-, -mu-	naye, na yeye	ndiye	siye	-ake
Plural	First	sisi	tu-	hatu-	-tu-	nasi, na sisi	ndisi, ndio	sio	-etu
	Second	ninyi	m-, mw-, mu-	ham-, hamw-, hamu-	-wa-	nanyi, na ninyi	ndinyi, ndio	sinyi, sio	-enu
	Third	wao	wa-	hawa-	-wa-	nao	ndio	sio	-ao
Reflexive		—	—		-ji-	—			—
For a full table including other classes, see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns.

Etymology 3

Infix

-ku-

1. there, ku class_(XVII) object concord

See also

Swahili verbal concords (third person)

Class	Subject concord		Object concord	Relative
	affirmative	negative
m(I)	a-, yu-	ha-, hayu-	-m-, -mw-, -mu-	-ye
wa(II)	wa-	hawa-	-wa-	-o
m(III)	u-	hau-	-u-	-o
mi(IV)	i-	hai-	-i-	-yo
ji(V)	li-	hali-	-li-	-lo
ma(VI)	ya-	haya-	-ya-	-yo
ki(VII)	ki-	haki-	-ki-	-cho
vi(VIII)	vi-	havi-	-vi-	-vyo
n(IX)	i-	hai-	-i-	-yo
n(X)	zi-	hazi-	-zi-	-zo
u(XI)	u-	hau-	-u-	-o
ku(XV/XVII)	ku-	haku-	-ku-	-ko
pa(XVI)	pa-	hapa-	-pa-	-po
mu(XVIII)	m-, mw-, mu-	ham-, hamw-, hamu-	-mu-	-mo
For a full table including first and second person, see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns.

Etymology 4

From the infinitive prefix ku-.

Interfix

-ku-

1. placed between certain tense/aspect markers and the stem of monosyllabic verbs (-ja, -la, -wa) in the absence of object concord

   nitakuwa ― I will be