Chapter 39 - The Causative Form

This form corresponds to the English : "make someone do something". For example : make someone work, make someone build, make someone understand (explain), make someone learn (teach), make someone eat (feed), etc.

The causative derivation is characterized by the addition of the suffix : -ISHA, -ESHA, -LISHA, -LIZA, -IZA, -EZA, -ZA or -SHA at the end of the verb, replacing the termination -A.

 1. SOME VERBS IN THE CAUSATIVE FORM : 

1. When the radical ends in a consonant + A :

   (a) If the vowel of the radical is A, I or U, the final -A is replaced by the suffix -ISHA or -IZA :

   Kufanya	to make, to do	-> Kufanyiza	to make do
   Kufika	to arrive	-> Kufikisha	to make reach
   Kuhama	to move out	-> Kuhamisha	to make move out
   Kula	to eat	-> Kulisha	to feed
   Kusimama	to stop, to stand	-> Kusimamisha	to make stop
   Kupita	to pass	-> Kupitisha	to make pass
   Kuuma	to hurt (oneself)	-> Kuumiza	to hurt (someone)

   
   

   (b) If the vowel of the radical is E or O, the final -A is replaced by the suffix -ESHA or -EZA :

   Kucheka	to laugh	-> Kuchekesha	to make laugh
   Kuenda	to go	-> Kuendesha	to drive
   Kukopa	to borrow	-> Kukopesha	to lend
   Kuoza	to rot	-> Kuozesha	to make rot, to ferment
   Kupenda	to love, to like	-> Kupendeza	to please
   Kuweza	to be able	-> Kuwezesha	to allow

   
   

2. When the verb radical ends in a sequence of two vowels, the final -A is replaced by the suffix -ZA, -LISHA or -LIZA:

   Kuelea	to be clear	-> Kueleza	to explain
   Kuingia	to enter	-> Kuingiza	to introduce, to let in
   Kujaa	to be filled	-> Kujaza	to fill
   Kupotea	to get lost	-> Kupoteza	to lose
   Kupungua	to be decreased	-> Kupunguza	to decrease, to lower
   Kusikia	to hear	-> Kusikiliza	to listen
   Kutembea	to walk	-> Kutembeza	to take for a walk
   Kuvaa	to wear	-> Kuvalisha	to dress

   
   

3. Verbs of Arabic origin take the suffix -ISHA :

   Kurudi	to come back	-> Kurudisha	to give back
   Kufurahi	to be delighted	-> Kufurahisha	to delight
   Kufahamu	to know	-> Kufahamisha	to inform, to let know
   Kukaribu	to be welcome	-> Kukaribisha	to welcome someone

   
   

4. Some verbs ending in -KA or -TA change their termination into -SHA :

   Kuamka	to wake up	-> Kuamsha	to wake someone up
   Kuanguka	to fall	-> Kuangusha	to make fall, to drop
   Kuchemka	to boil	-> Kuchemsha	to make boil
   Kuchoka	to be tired	-> Kuchokesha	to tire someone
   Kupata	to get, to obtain	-> Kupasha	to make obtain
   Kuwaka	to burn	-> Kuwasha	to light fire

   
   

5. Some verbs ending in -NA change their termination into -NYA :

   Kuona	to see	-> Kuonya	to warn
   Kupona	to get cured	-> Kuponya	to cure someone

   
   

6. NOTES :

• One case of double causative derivation :

  Kuona

  to see

  -> Kuonya

  to warn

  -> Kuonyesha

  to show

  
  

• Some verbs possess a causative meaning in their basic form :

  Kufundisha	to teach
  Kupasha moto	to heat

  
  

• Some nouns and adjectives of Arabic origin can be made into verbs with the addition of a causative suffix :

  Bahati	luck	-> Kubahatisha	to try one's luck
  Hakika	a certainty	-> Kuhakikisha	to make sure
  Laini	soft, smooth	-> Kulainisha	to soften
  Safi	clean	-> Kusafisha	to clean
  Sawa	equal	-> Kusawazisha	to put in order
  Tayari	ready	-> Kutayarisha	to prepare

 2. SOME EXAMPLES : 

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :

1. Lower the price ! Stop the car here ! Fill this basket ! Let the cat in ! Take the children for a walk ! Drive me to town ! Light the fire ! Wake up the children ! Give back the books ! Warn your father ! Prepare your luggage ! Clean the bedroom ! Don't make me laugh ! Don't hurt me ! Pass the plate !

2. I teach French, the doctor cured the patient, the mother woke the children up, she lit the fire, she boiled the water, she prepared the food, my sister cleaned the dining room, my father fed the animals, I lent him money, the pupil lost his books.

EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :

1. Nieleze msomo huu.
2. Rudisha vitabu vyako kesho.
3. Nimepoteza mwavuli wangu.
4. Nenda kulisha wanyama wale.
5. Punguza bei kidogo. Bei ya mwisho ngapi ?
6. Fungua masikio yako na sikiliza kwa makini !
7. Hakikisha kwamba mtu asijue siri yako.
8. Daktari aliponya mtoto mgonjwa.
9. Nakuomba unikopeshe fedha kidogo.
10. Nitakurudisha hizo mwisho wa mwezi.