tazama

Swahili

Etymology

*-tala (“to look”) +‎ -ama.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Verb

-tazama (infinitive kutazama)

1. to look, to watch
2. to inspect, investigate, examine

Conjugation

Conjugation of -tazama
Positive present -natazama Subjunctive -tazame Negative -tazami Imperative singular tazama
Infinitives
Positive kutazama Negative kutotazama
Imperatives
Singular tazama Plural tazameni
Tensed forms
Habitual hutazama Positive past positive subject concord + -litazama Negative past negative subject concord + -kutazama
Positive present (positive subject concord + -natazama) Singular Plural 1st person ninatazama/natazama tunatazama 2nd person unatazama mnatazama 3rd person m-wa(I/II) anatazama wanatazama other classes positive subject concord + -natazama
Negative present (negative subject concord + -tazami) Singular Plural 1st person sitazami hatutazami 2nd person hutazami hamtazami 3rd person m-wa(I/II) hatazami hawatazami other classes negative subject concord + -tazami
Positive future positive subject concord + -tatazama Negative future negative subject concord + -tatazama
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -tazame) Singular Plural 1st person nitazame tutazame 2nd person utazame mtazame 3rd person m-wa(I/II) atazame watazame other classes positive subject concord + -tazame
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -sitazame Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngetazama Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singetazama Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalitazama Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalitazama
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -atazama) Singular Plural 1st person natazama twatazama 2nd person watazama mwatazama 3rd person m-wa(I/II) atazama watazama m-mi(III/IV) watazama yatazama ji-ma(V/VI) latazama yatazama ki-vi(VII/VIII) chatazama vyatazama n(IX/X) yatazama zatazama u(XI) watazama see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwatazama pa(XVI) patazama mu(XVIII) mwatazama
Perfect positive subject concord + -metazama "Already" positive subject concord + -meshatazama "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jatazama "If/When" positive subject concord + -kitazama "If not" positive subject concord + -sipotazama Consecutive katazama / positive subject concord + -katazama Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -katazame
Object concord (indicative positive) Singular Plural 1st person -nitazama -tutazama 2nd person -kutazama -watazama/-kutazameni/-watazameni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mtazama -watazama m-mi(III/IV) -utazama -itazama ji-ma(V/VI) -litazama -yatazama ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kitazama -vitazama n(IX/X) -itazama -zitazama u(XI) -utazama see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kutazama pa(XVI) -patazama mu(XVIII) -mutazama Reflexive -jitazama
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -tazama- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -tazamaye -tazamao m-mi(III/IV) -tazamao -tazamayo ji-ma(V/VI) -tazamalo -tazamayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -tazamacho -tazamavyo n(IX/X) -tazamayo -tazamazo u(XI) -tazamao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -tazamako pa(XVI) -tazamapo mu(XVIII) -tazamamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -tazama) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yetazama -otazama m-mi(III/IV) -otazama -yotazama ji-ma(V/VI) -lotazama -yotazama ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chotazama -vyotazama n(IX/X) -yotazama -zotazama u(XI) -otazama see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kotazama pa(XVI) -potazama mu(XVIII) -motazama
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: -tazamisha
  • Passive: -tazamiwa
  • Stative: -tazamika

• Nominal derivations:
  • mtazamaji (“spectator”)
  • mtazamo (“viewpoint”)