lazimu

Swahili

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic لَازِم (lāzim).

Verb

-lazimu (infinitive kulazimu)

1. to need to, to have to, to force

Conjugation

Conjugation of -lazimu
Positive present -nalazimu Subjunctive -lazimu Negative -lazimu Imperative singular lazimu
Infinitives
Positive kulazimu Negative kutolazimu
Imperatives
Singular lazimu Plural lazimuni
Tensed forms
Habitual hulazimu Positive past positive subject concord + -lilazimu Negative past negative subject concord + -kulazimu
Positive present (positive subject concord + -nalazimu) Singular Plural 1st person ninalazimu/nalazimu tunalazimu 2nd person unalazimu mnalazimu 3rd person m-wa(I/II) analazimu wanalazimu other classes positive subject concord + -nalazimu
Negative present (negative subject concord + -lazimu) Singular Plural 1st person silazimu hatulazimu 2nd person hulazimu hamlazimu 3rd person m-wa(I/II) halazimu hawalazimu other classes negative subject concord + -lazimu
Positive future positive subject concord + -talazimu Negative future negative subject concord + -talazimu
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -lazimu) Singular Plural 1st person nilazimu tulazimu 2nd person ulazimu mlazimu 3rd person m-wa(I/II) alazimu walazimu other classes positive subject concord + -lazimu
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -silazimu Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngelazimu Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singelazimu Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalilazimu Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalilazimu
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -alazimu) Singular Plural 1st person nalazimu twalazimu 2nd person walazimu mwalazimu 3rd person m-wa(I/II) alazimu walazimu m-mi(III/IV) walazimu yalazimu ji-ma(V/VI) lalazimu yalazimu ki-vi(VII/VIII) chalazimu vyalazimu n(IX/X) yalazimu zalazimu u(XI) walazimu see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwalazimu pa(XVI) palazimu mu(XVIII) mwalazimu
Perfect positive subject concord + -melazimu "Already" positive subject concord + -meshalazimu "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jalazimu "If/When" positive subject concord + -kilazimu "If not" positive subject concord + -sipolazimu Consecutive kalazimu / positive subject concord + -kalazimu Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kalazimu
Object concord (indicative positive) Singular Plural 1st person -nilazimu -tulazimu 2nd person -kulazimu -walazimu/-kulazimuni/-walazimuni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mlazimu -walazimu m-mi(III/IV) -ulazimu -ilazimu ji-ma(V/VI) -lilazimu -yalazimu ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kilazimu -vilazimu n(IX/X) -ilazimu -zilazimu u(XI) -ulazimu see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kulazimu pa(XVI) -palazimu mu(XVIII) -mulazimu Reflexive -jilazimu
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -lazimu- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -lazimuye -lazimuo m-mi(III/IV) -lazimuo -lazimuyo ji-ma(V/VI) -lazimulo -lazimuyo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -lazimucho -lazimuvyo n(IX/X) -lazimuyo -lazimuzo u(XI) -lazimuo see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -lazimuko pa(XVI) -lazimupo mu(XVIII) -lazimumo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -lazimu) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yelazimu -olazimu m-mi(III/IV) -olazimu -yolazimu ji-ma(V/VI) -lolazimu -yolazimu ki-vi(VII/VIII) -cholazimu -vyolazimu n(IX/X) -yolazimu -zolazimu u(XI) -olazimu see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kolazimu pa(XVI) -polazimu mu(XVIII) -molazimu
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:
  • Causative: -lazimisha (“force, compel”)
  • Stative: -lazimika (“be necessary, be forced”)

Related terms

• lazima (“necessity”)