Chapter 42 - The Reversive Form

The relative derivation concerns only a small number of verbs, for which there is a "reverse" action.

In English, the "reversive" verb is usually formed by placing a prefix such as "un-" or "dis-" in front of the verb radical.

EXAMPLES :	to tie	-> to untie
	to do	-> to undo
	to close	-> to disclose

In Swahili, the reversive derivation consists in replacing the termination -A of the verb by the suffix -UA (or -OA, when the vowel of the radical is O).

 1. SOME VERBS IN THE REVERSIVE FORM : 

Ku-bandika	to stick	Ku-banduka	to unstick
Ku-cha	to rise (sun)	Ku-chwa	to set (sun)
Ku-choma	to prick, to bore	Ku-chomoa	to extract
Ku-fuma	to bread, to tie	Ku-fumua	to fray, to untie
Ku-fumba	to lock up	Ku-fumbua	to open
Ku-funga	to bind, to fast	Ku-fungua	to untie, to break the fast
Ku-funika	to cover	Ku-funua	to uncover
Ku-inama	to bend	Ku-inua	to raise
Ku-kunja	to fold	Ku-kunjua	to unfold
Ku-paka	to load	Ku-pakua	to unload
Ku-tata	to muddle	Ku-tatua	to disentangle
Ku-tega	to trap	Ku-tegua	to deliver from a trap
Ku-vaa	to wear	Ku-vua	to undress
Ku-ziba	to plug, to cork	Ku-zibua	to unplug, to uncork

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :

Stick the stamp ! Put on the clothes ! Uncork the bottle ! Remove the thorn ! Uncover the pan ! unload the luggage ! Shut (your) eyes ! Open (your) hand ! Remove the hat ! Trap !

EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :

1. Mwambie mpishi apakue chakula !
2. Ziba chupa hii !
3. Kumekucha.
4. Jua limekuchwa.
5. Mtoto anakunja uso.
6. Waislamu wafunga mwezi wa Ramadhani.
7. Ndege anafunua mabawa yake.
8. Jua limefunika na mawingu.
9. Bandika stempu katika barua yako kabla ya kuipeleka.
10. Kidole changu kinachoma.
11. Nimechomoa rafiki yangu shilingi mia.
12. Mkia wa nyani haumbanduki nyani.