vumbua

Swahili

Etymology

From *-bùmb-ʊd-a, a separative form of Proto-Bantu *-bùmba (“bake in ashes”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Verb

-vumbua (infinitive kuvumbua)

1. to uncover something hidden
2. to find, discover

Conjugation

Conjugation of -vumbua
Positive present -navumbua Subjunctive -vumbue Negative -vumbui Imperative singular vumbua
Infinitives
Positive kuvumbua Negative kutovumbua
Imperatives
Singular vumbua Plural vumbueni
Tensed forms
Habitual huvumbua Positive past positive subject concord + -livumbua Negative past negative subject concord + -kuvumbua
Positive present (positive subject concord + -navumbua) Singular Plural 1st person ninavumbua/navumbua tunavumbua 2nd person unavumbua mnavumbua 3rd person m-wa(I/II) anavumbua wanavumbua other classes positive subject concord + -navumbua
Negative present (negative subject concord + -vumbui) Singular Plural 1st person sivumbui hatuvumbui 2nd person huvumbui hamvumbui 3rd person m-wa(I/II) havumbui hawavumbui other classes negative subject concord + -vumbui
Positive future positive subject concord + -tavumbua Negative future negative subject concord + -tavumbua
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -vumbue) Singular Plural 1st person nivumbue tuvumbue 2nd person uvumbue mvumbue 3rd person m-wa(I/II) avumbue wavumbue other classes positive subject concord + -vumbue
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -sivumbue Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngevumbua Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singevumbua Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalivumbua Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalivumbua
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -avumbua) Singular Plural 1st person navumbua twavumbua 2nd person wavumbua mwavumbua 3rd person m-wa(I/II) avumbua wavumbua m-mi(III/IV) wavumbua yavumbua ji-ma(V/VI) lavumbua yavumbua ki-vi(VII/VIII) chavumbua vyavumbua n(IX/X) yavumbua zavumbua u(XI) wavumbua see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwavumbua pa(XVI) pavumbua mu(XVIII) mwavumbua
Perfect positive subject concord + -mevumbua "Already" positive subject concord + -meshavumbua "Not yet" negative subject concord + -javumbua "If/When" positive subject concord + -kivumbua "If not" positive subject concord + -sipovumbua Consecutive kavumbua / positive subject concord + -kavumbua Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kavumbue
Object concord (indicative positive) Singular Plural 1st person -nivumbua -tuvumbua 2nd person -kuvumbua -wavumbua/-kuvumbueni/-wavumbueni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mvumbua -wavumbua m-mi(III/IV) -uvumbua -ivumbua ji-ma(V/VI) -livumbua -yavumbua ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kivumbua -vivumbua n(IX/X) -ivumbua -zivumbua u(XI) -uvumbua see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kuvumbua pa(XVI) -pavumbua mu(XVIII) -muvumbua Reflexive -jivumbua
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -vumbua- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -vumbuaye -vumbuao m-mi(III/IV) -vumbuao -vumbuayo ji-ma(V/VI) -vumbualo -vumbuayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -vumbuacho -vumbuavyo n(IX/X) -vumbuayo -vumbuazo u(XI) -vumbuao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -vumbuako pa(XVI) -vumbuapo mu(XVIII) -vumbuamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -vumbua) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yevumbua -ovumbua m-mi(III/IV) -ovumbua -yovumbua ji-ma(V/VI) -lovumbua -yovumbua ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chovumbua -vyovumbua n(IX/X) -yovumbua -zovumbua u(XI) -ovumbua see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kovumbua pa(XVI) -povumbua mu(XVIII) -movumbua
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Derived terms

• Nominal derivations:
  • mvumbuzi
  • uvumbuaji

Related terms

• -vumbika (“bury or cover something”)