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This post is part of a series on Swahili noun classes. For an overview, see this post. To learn about each noun class in depth, check out these posts: The A-Wa Class, the Ki-Vi Class, the Li-Ya Class, the U-I Class, the I-I Class, the U-Zi Class, the I-Zi Class, the Ya-Ya Class, the Ku-Ku Class, the PaKuMu-PoKoMo Class.

Overview

The nouns in this class typically start with ku– and are nouns derived from verbs, similar to reading or to read in English. They do not have a plural form.

• kusoma (to read, reading)
• kuimba (to sing, singing)
• kucheza (to play, playing)
• kuinama (to bend, bending)

Summary of Agreement

Adjective Agreement

The agreement prefix for the Ku-Ku class is ku-.

• kuimba kubaya  (bad singing, singing badly)
• kucheza kuzuri (playing well)
• kusoma kuzuri  (reading well)

Possessives

The possessive prefix for the Ku-Ku class is kw-.

• kuimba kwangu (my singing, how I sing)
• kucheza kwetu (our playing, how we play)
• kuimba kwako (your singing, how you sing)

Verbal Agreement

The verbal subject agreement prefix for the Ku-Ku class is the same as its name, ku-.

• Kusoma kunafurahisha.
  Reading is fun.
• Kuimba kunatuliza.
  Singing helps to relax.
• Kukimba kuna faida
  Running has benefits.

Object Infixes

The object infix for the Ku-Ku class are ku- in the singular, and  in  plural.

• Kusoma? Ninakuona.
  To read? I see it.
• Kuimba? Ninakuona.
  To sing? I see it.

Demonstratives

The demonstratives for the Ku-Ku class are huku (this), kule (that), and huko (that, previously mentioned).

• kusoma huku (this way of reading)
• kuimba huko (that way of singing)
• kucheza kule (that way of playing)

Relatives

The relative agreement infixes for the Ku-Ku noun class is ko-, which can appear as an infix in the verb of the relative clause or as a suffixes on amba.

• kusoma kulikoisha…/ kusoma ambako kumeisha… (the reading that has just ended…)
• kucheza kulikomtuliza…/ kucheza ambako kulimtuliza… (the playing that relaxed him...)

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