CHAPTER 5
A LEARNER'S SYNOPSIS OF KIRUNDI STRUCTURE
What is the root in each of these forms?
tuva... | we go from... | [—v-] |
bava... | they go from... | [—v—] |
baja... | they go... | [-j-] |
baba... | they live... | [-b-] |
bakora... | they do... | [—kor—] |
baandika... | they write... | [-andik—] |
In each group of three words, state which two have roots of the same general shape (i.e. —CVC—, —VC—, etc.):
bagura | |
bagoroora | [—goroor—] |
Bamesuura | [—mesuur—] |
baba | [-b-] |
babona | |
bava | [—v—] |
By far the most common shapes for roots are -CVC- and -CV1V1C-.
In Kirundi, a verb root is always followed by one or more suffixes:
-som- | 'to read' |
-som-a | (used in certain verb forms) |
-som-ye | (used in certain other verb forms) |
-som-e | (used in still other forms) |
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