funza

Swahili

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-túnda.

Verb

-funza (infinitive kufunza)

1. to educate, teach
2. (reflexive) to learn

Usage notes

This verb is principally used as a reflexive -jifunza ("to learn"); the original sense "to teach" is much rarer than the usual -fundisha and is mainly used in reference to teaching someone manners.

Conjugation

Conjugation of -funza
Positive present -nafunza Subjunctive -funze Negative -funzi Imperative singular funza
Infinitives
Positive kufunza Negative kutofunza
Imperatives
Singular funza Plural funzeni
Tensed forms
Habitual hufunza Positive past positive subject concord + -lifunza Negative past negative subject concord + -kufunza
Positive present (positive subject concord + -nafunza) Singular Plural 1st person ninafunza/nafunza tunafunza 2nd person unafunza mnafunza 3rd person m-wa(I/II) anafunza wanafunza other classes positive subject concord + -nafunza
Negative present (negative subject concord + -funzi) Singular Plural 1st person sifunzi hatufunzi 2nd person hufunzi hamfunzi 3rd person m-wa(I/II) hafunzi hawafunzi other classes negative subject concord + -funzi
Positive future positive subject concord + -tafunza Negative future negative subject concord + -tafunza
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -funze) Singular Plural 1st person nifunze tufunze 2nd person ufunze mfunze 3rd person m-wa(I/II) afunze wafunze other classes positive subject concord + -funze
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -sifunze Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngefunza Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singefunza Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalifunza Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalifunza
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -afunza) Singular Plural 1st person nafunza twafunza 2nd person wafunza mwafunza 3rd person m-wa(I/II) afunza wafunza m-mi(III/IV) wafunza yafunza ji-ma(V/VI) lafunza yafunza ki-vi(VII/VIII) chafunza vyafunza n(IX/X) yafunza zafunza u(XI) wafunza see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwafunza pa(XVI) pafunza mu(XVIII) mwafunza
Perfect positive subject concord + -mefunza "Already" positive subject concord + -meshafunza "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jafunza "If/When" positive subject concord + -kifunza "If not" positive subject concord + -sipofunza Consecutive kafunza / positive subject concord + -kafunza Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kafunze
Object concord (indicative positive) Singular Plural 1st person -nifunza -tufunza 2nd person -kufunza -wafunza/-kufunzeni/-wafunzeni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mfunza -wafunza m-mi(III/IV) -ufunza -ifunza ji-ma(V/VI) -lifunza -yafunza ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kifunza -vifunza n(IX/X) -ifunza -zifunza u(XI) -ufunza see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kufunza pa(XVI) -pafunza mu(XVIII) -mufunza Reflexive -jifunza
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -funza- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -funzaye -funzao m-mi(III/IV) -funzao -funzayo ji-ma(V/VI) -funzalo -funzayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -funzacho -funzavyo n(IX/X) -funzayo -funzazo u(XI) -funzao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -funzako pa(XVI) -funzapo mu(XVIII) -funzamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -funza) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yefunza -ofunza m-mi(III/IV) -ofunza -yofunza ji-ma(V/VI) -lofunza -yofunza ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chofunza -vyofunza n(IX/X) -yofunza -zofunza u(XI) -ofunza see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kofunza pa(XVI) -pofunza mu(XVIII) -mofunza
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Derived terms

• Verbal derivations:
  • Passive: -funzwa

• Nominal derivations:
  • funzo (“a lesson”)

Etymology 2

Noun

funza class V (plural mafunza class VI)

1. worm, grub, caterpillar

Venda

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-túnda.

Verb

funza

1. to learn