lalama

Swahili

Etymology

From -lala (“to sleep”) +‎ -ama. The semantic shift seems to be “to be prostrate” → “to beg for mercy” → “to complain”.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Verb

-lalama (infinitive kulalama)

1. to complain

Conjugation

Conjugation of -lalama
Positive present -nalalama Subjunctive -lalame Negative -lalami Imperative singular lalama
Infinitives
Positive kulalama Negative kutolalama
Imperatives
Singular lalama Plural lalameni
Tensed forms
Habitual hulalama Positive past positive subject concord + -lilalama Negative past negative subject concord + -kulalama
Positive present (positive subject concord + -nalalama) Singular Plural 1st person ninalalama/nalalama tunalalama 2nd person unalalama mnalalama 3rd person m-wa(I/II) analalama wanalalama other classes positive subject concord + -nalalama
Negative present (negative subject concord + -lalami) Singular Plural 1st person silalami hatulalami 2nd person hulalami hamlalami 3rd person m-wa(I/II) halalami hawalalami other classes negative subject concord + -lalami
Positive future positive subject concord + -talalama Negative future negative subject concord + -talalama
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -lalame) Singular Plural 1st person nilalame tulalame 2nd person ulalame mlalame 3rd person m-wa(I/II) alalame walalame other classes positive subject concord + -lalame
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -silalame Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngelalama Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singelalama Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalilalama Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalilalama
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -alalama) Singular Plural 1st person nalalama twalalama 2nd person walalama mwalalama 3rd person m-wa(I/II) alalama walalama m-mi(III/IV) walalama yalalama ji-ma(V/VI) lalalama yalalama ki-vi(VII/VIII) chalalama vyalalama n(IX/X) yalalama zalalama u(XI) walalama see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwalalama pa(XVI) palalama mu(XVIII) mwalalama
Perfect positive subject concord + -melalama "Already" positive subject concord + -meshalalama "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jalalama "If/When" positive subject concord + -kilalama "If not" positive subject concord + -sipolalama Consecutive kalalama / positive subject concord + -kalalama Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kalalame
Object concord (indicative positive) Singular Plural 1st person -nilalama -tulalama 2nd person -kulalama -walalama/-kulalameni/-walalameni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mlalama -walalama m-mi(III/IV) -ulalama -ilalama ji-ma(V/VI) -lilalama -yalalama ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kilalama -vilalama n(IX/X) -ilalama -zilalama u(XI) -ulalama see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kulalama pa(XVI) -palalama mu(XVIII) -mulalama Reflexive -jilalama
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -lalama- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -lalamaye -lalamao m-mi(III/IV) -lalamao -lalamayo ji-ma(V/VI) -lalamalo -lalamayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -lalamacho -lalamavyo n(IX/X) -lalamayo -lalamazo u(XI) -lalamao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -lalamako pa(XVI) -lalamapo mu(XVIII) -lalamamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -lalama) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yelalama -olalama m-mi(III/IV) -olalama -yolalama ji-ma(V/VI) -lolalama -yolalama ki-vi(VII/VIII) -cholalama -vyolalama n(IX/X) -yolalama -zolalama u(XI) -olalama see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kolalama pa(XVI) -polalama mu(XVIII) -molalama
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Derived terms

• Verbal derivations:
  • Applicative: -lalamia
  • Causative: -lalamisha
  • Stative: -lalamika (“to protest, to complain”)