u-
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u-¹
Where it comes from
Inherited from Proto-Sabaki *lu- and *wu-.
Due to sound change, Swahili merged the Bantu classes XI (from Proto-Bantu *dʊ̀-) and XIV (from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀-) into one u class_((XI)), with adjective agreement identical to that of m class_((III)). The same merger happened in the Comorian languages, such as with Ngazidja Comorian u-. Due to this merger, many original class-XI nouns were removed from the merged class due to incompatible semantics with the original class-XIV nouns, and reassigned to n class_((IX)), both in Swahili and in Comorian.
As a class-XI prefix, this is furthermore cognate with Giryama lu-, Rwanda-Rundi ru-, and Zulu lu-. As a class-XIV prefix, this is cognate with Giryama u-, Rwanda-Rundi bu-, and Zulu bu-.
prefix n- · ma- · w-
- [[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#U class|u class_((XI))]] noun prefix, denoting natural objects, extensions, abstract qualities, or collections of small things. ulimi mrefu
- -ness, -ity u- + -chafu (“dirty”) → uchafu (“dirtiness”)
- forms names of countries u- + French France (“France”) → Ufaransa (“France”)
u-²
Where it comes from
Inherited from Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.
prefix w-
-
you, 2nd person singular subject concord
Opposite: hu-
u-³
Where it comes from
Inherited from Proto-Bantu *gʊ́- and *dʊ́-.
prefix w-
-
it, [[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#M-mi class|m class_((III))]]/[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#U class|u class_((XI))]] subject concord
هُنُ اُلِمِغُ بَحَرِ تِيْسِ ، اُنَ مَتُبَوِ نَمَغِ مَاسِ،
Opposite: hau-
- verb-initial form of -u- (“it, [[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#M-mi class|m class_((III))]]/[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#U class|u class_((XI))]] object concord”)
U-⁴
prefix
- alternative letter-case form of u-
In English
Talk about this word "u-." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/sw/u-. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. u-. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/sw/u- "u-." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/sw/u-.Cite this
@misc{u_2026,
title = {u-},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/sw/u-},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
