-mesha-

Swahili

Alternative forms

• -mekwisha-

Etymology

From -me- + -isha (“to finish”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Infix

-mesha-

1. counterexpectative perfect aspect marker, indicates that an action has taken place even though one might have expected otherwise

   Near-synonym: -me-

   Wameshakisoma hicho kitabu. ― They have actually read this book.

Conjugation

Conjugation of -mesha-

		singular	plural
1st person		nimesha-	tumesha-
2nd person		umesha-	mmesha-
3rd person	m-wa(I/II)	amesha-	wamesha-
	m-mi(III/IV)	umesha-	imesha-
	ji-ma(V/VI)	limesha-	yamesha-
	ki-vi(VII/VIII)	kimesha-	vimesha-
	n(IX/X)	imesha-	zimesha-
	u(XI)	umesha-	see n(X) or ma(VI)
	ku(XV/XVII)	kumesha-
	pa(XVI)	pamesha-
	mu(XVIII)	mmesha-

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.

• -kisha- (conditional future tense marker)
• -lisha- (past "already" tense marker)