ADJECTIVES WITH ROOTS THAT BEGIN WITH A CONSONANT

 

​-baya  bad                                                    
-bichi raw, green, unripe                                
-bivu ripe                                                     
-bovu rotten                                                   
-chache a few, some                                    
-chafu dirty                                                    
-chungu bitter                                                
-dogo small, little                                          
-fupi short                                                   
-geni strange, foreign                                    
-gumu hard                                                    
-janja cunning, crafty                                    
-kali severe, sharp, cruel                               
-kavu dry                                                       
-ke female                                                    
-korofi savage, brutal                                    
-kubwa big

​

M/WA

m+adjective root

wa+adjective root

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M/MI

m+adjective root

mi+adjective root

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JI/MA

- +adjective root (except for -pya, which becomes "jipya")

ma+adjective root

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KI/VI

ki+adjective root

vi+adjective root

​

N/N

If the adjective root starts with d, g, or z: n+adjective root

If the adjective root starts with b, p, or v: m+adjective root

-refu is an exception, it becomes "ndefu"

all other adjectives that start with consonants: - +adjective root

 

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ADJECTIVES WITH ROOTS THAT BEGIN WITH A VOWEL

 

-aminifu  honest, faithful
-angavu  bright
-ekundu  red
-ema  good, nice
-embamba  thin
-epesi  light, easy
-erevu  malignant, cunning
-eupe  white, clear
-eusi  black, dark
-ingi  much, many, a lot
-ingine  other, another
-ovu  bad
-ume  male

​​
M/WA

 

SINGULAR (M)

If the adjective root starts with a: mw+adjective root (mtu mwaminifu)

If the adjective root starts with e: mw+adjective root (mtoto mwema)

If the adjective root starts with i: mw+adjective root (mtoto mwingine)

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PLURAL (WA)

If the adjective root starts with a: w+adjective root (watu waminifu)

If the adjective root starts with e: w+adjective root (watoto wema)

If the adjective root starts with i: we-i+adjective root (watoto wengine)

​

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M/MI​

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SINGULAR (M)

If the adjective root starts with e: mw+adjective root (mti mweusi)

If the adjective root starts with i: mw+adjective root (mkate mwingine)

 

PLURAL (MI)

If the adjective root starts with e: my+adjective root (miti myeusi)

If the adjective root starts with i: m+adjective root (mikate mingine)

 

 

Ji/MA

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SINGULAR (JI)

If the adjective root starts with e: j+adjective root (jua jekundu)

If the adjective root starts with i: j+adjective root (jua jingi)

Exception: -ingine becomes "lengine"

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PLURAL (MA)

If the adjective root starts with e: m+adjective root (mabasi mekundu)

If the adjective root starts with i: me-i+adjective root (mabasi mengine)

 

 

KI/VI

​

SINGULAR (KI)

If the adjective root starts with e: ch+adjective root (kiti cheusi)

If the adjective root starts with i: k+adjective root (chakula kingi)

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PLURAL (VI)

If the adjective root starts with e: vy+adjective root (viti vyeusi)

If the adjective root starts with i: v+adjective root (vyakula vingine)

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N/N

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SINGULAR AND PLURAL (N/N)

If the adjective root starts with e: ny+adjective root (nguo nyeupe)

If the adjective root starts with i: ny+adjective root (nguo nyingine)

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Exception: -ema becomes "njema"