Applied/Prepositional Extension (-i-/-e-/-li-/-le-) in Swahili

Overview

The applied (or prepositional) verb extension is one of Swahili's most productive grammatical tools. At the CEFR B1 level, learning this extension allows you to express "for whom," "to whom," or "toward what" an action is directed — all within a single verb form, without needing separate prepositions.

The applied extension is formed by adding -i- or -e- (with vowel harmony variants -li-/-le-) before the final vowel: pika (cook) becomes pikia (cook for), soma (read) becomes somea (read to/for). This effectively incorporates the meaning of English prepositions "for," "to," "at," and "on behalf of" into the verb itself.

This extension is the first of several verb derivational extensions (applied, causative, reciprocal, passive, stative) that learners encounter. Understanding it opens the door to Swahili's remarkable verb extension system.

How It Works

Formation

Add -i- or -e- before the final -a (vowel harmony determines which):

Base Verb	Applied Form	Meaning
pika (cook)	pikia	cook for
soma (read)	somea	read for/to
andika (write)	andikia	write to/for
fanya (do)	fanyia	do for
nunua (buy)	nunulia	buy for
leta (bring)	letea	bring to
imba (sing)	imbia	sing for

Vowel Harmony Rules

Verb root vowel	Extension	Example
-a, -i, -u	-ia	pika → pikia
-e, -o	-ea	leta → letea
-la, -na endings	-lia, -nia	nunua → nunulia

Applied Form + Object Infix

The applied form commonly includes an object infix indicating who benefits:

• Ni-na-ku-pik-ia chakula. (I am cooking food for you.)
• A-li-m-andik-ia barua. (He wrote a letter for him/her.)

Examples in Context

Swahili	English	Note
Ninakupikia chakula.	I am cooking food for you.	-ku- = you, -ia = for
Alimwandikia barua.	He wrote a letter to/for him.	Object infix + applied
Tulimfanyia kazi.	We worked for him.	Benefactive
Nilinunulia watoto nguo.	I bought clothes for the children.	Beneficiary phrase
Aniimbile wimbo.	Sing me a song.	Subjunctive + applied
Anasomea watoto hadithi.	She reads stories to children.	Direction/recipient
Nimekufanyia hii.	I have done this for you.	Perfect + applied
Walinijengea nyumba.	They built a house for me.	Multiple elements
Nipikie chakula.	Cook for me.	Imperative applied
Tunawaletea zawadi.	We are bringing them gifts.	-wa- + applied

Common Mistakes

Using a separate preposition instead of the applied form

• Wrong: Ninapika chakula kwa wewe. (I cook food for you — prepositional)
• Right: Ninakupikia chakula. (I am cooking food for you.)
• Why: The applied form is the standard Swahili way to express "for" with verbs. Using "kwa" sounds foreign.

Wrong vowel harmony

• Wrong: letia (bring for — wrong vowel)
• Right: letea (bring for)
• Why: Verbs with -e- or -o- in the root use -ea, not -ia.

Forgetting the extra object

• Wrong: Ninapikia. (I am cooking for — for whom?)
• Right: Ninakupikia. (I am cooking for you.) or Ninapikia watoto. (I am cooking for the children.)
• Why: The applied form introduces a new argument (the beneficiary) that should be specified.

Usage Notes

The applied extension is one of the most frequently used extensions in Swahili. It appears in countless everyday expressions and is considered more natural than using prepositions for benefactive meaning.

Multiple extensions can stack on a single verb (applied + passive, applied + causative, etc.), which is covered at the B2 level in combined verb extensions.

Practice Tips

1. For-someone conversion: Take ten common verbs and create their applied forms, then use each in a sentence with a beneficiary.
2. Object infix combination: Practice combining applied forms with different object infixes: ninapikia, ninakupikia, ninampikia, ninatupikia.
3. Preposition replacement: Take English sentences with "for" or "to" and express them using the Swahili applied form instead.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Present Tense (-na-) — understanding verb structure before adding extensions
• Next steps: Reciprocal Extension (-an-) — mutual action extension
• Next steps: Causative Extension (-ish-/-esh-/-z-) — "cause to do" extension
• Next steps: Reversive Extension (-u-/-o-) — "undo" extension