“To live is to see”: The infinitive
Verbs in Swahili are represented with a ku- prefix that’s equivalent to “to” in English. They’re also often just written using a stem.
| English verb | Infinitive | Stem form |
|---|---|---|
| To eat | kula | -la |
| To get | kupata | -pata |
| to write | kuandika | -andika |
For sentences like “I decided to not go” form a negative infinitive:
- add a -to- after the ku-
- monosyllabic verbs: keep the stem marker keep the stem
Examples of infinitives:
| English phrase | Verb | Negative infinitive | Swahili |
|---|---|---|---|
| I have decided not to eat | kula (to eat) | kutokula | Nimeamua kutokula |
| She wants not to say anything. | kusema (to say) | kutosema | Anataka kutosema vitu. |