-ikana

Swahili

Alternative forms

• -likana

Etymology

-ika +‎ -ana

Suffix

-ikana (mid vowel harmony variant -ekana)

1. -able, potentiality marker

   ‎-ona (“to see”) + ‎-ekana → ‎-onekana (“to be visible”)

   ‎-pata (“to obtain”) + ‎-ikana → ‎-patikana (“to be available”)

2. marks a general or widespread state, often with sligh shift in meaning

   ‎-sema (“to speak”) + ‎-ekana → ‎-semekana (“to be purported”)