-lika

Swahili

Etymology

What are now vowel-final verb stems originally had an -l-, which resurfaces whenever a suffix is added. The rule was then extended to borrowed words by analogy.

Suffix

-lika (mid vowel harmony variant -leka)

1. Alternative form of -ika used in verbs ending in two vowels that are neither i nor e, and in some verbs ending in -ia or -ea

   ‎-vaa (“to wear”) + ‎-lika → ‎-valika (“to be wearable”)

   ‎-sahau (“to forget”) + ‎-lika → ‎-sahaulika (“to be forgotten, to be forgettable”)

   ‎-zoea (“to get used to”) + ‎leka → ‎-zoeleka (“to be familiar with”)

   ‎-zuia (“to restrain”) + ‎-lika → ‎-zuilika (“to be restrained”)

Derived terms

• Swahili stative verbs