suffixe – LUBANATION.COM

-ul-, -un-, -uk-

The verb formed with the radical plus the above suffixes indicates an opposite action to the one described with the initial verb. There exist two forms of reversive suffixes: active and passive.

Reversive active suffixes: -ul-, -un-

Verbs thus formed are transitive. They need an object.

Examples:

kukànga (fermer, to close) → kukangula (ouvrir, to open)

kuvwàla (vêtir, to put clothes on) → kuvùùla (dévêtir, to put clothes off)

kulamika (coller, attacher, to glue, to attach) → kulamuna (détacher, to detach)

Reversive passive suffix : -uk-

Verbs including this suffix are intransitive and imply a state or a condition in which the subject sustains an opposite action.

Examples:

kukanga (fermer, to close) → kukanguka (s’ouvrir, to be opened)

kubutula (exterminer, exterminate) → kubutuka (se faire exterminer , to be exterminated)

kupapula (effrayer, to frighten) → kupapuka (s’effrayer, to be frightened)

kwambula (porter, to lift up) → kwambuka (se faire porter, to be lifted)

Source: CRIC

No, I’m not talking about school but grammar!!! Here we are going to tackle something essential to understand. A first classification of words has been done in the 19th century. The linguists classified words in main 8 categories but later on, the linguists became more precise and now the number of classes has doubled. Over the years, it came down to the following list. Those classes are important to know because they will determine how you form, not only the plural form of words, but the adjectives and adverbs as well.

Classe	Type	Description	Examples
1	mu-	words defining people, gender, family members, trades, professions, etc.	mwana (child), muledi (parent), mukaji (woman), mulume (man), mulongeshi (teacher), mufudi (forgeron)
2	ba-	plural form of words from class 1	muntu -> bantu (man, men); muledi -> baledi parent(s); mukaji -> bakaji: woman, women; mukalenge -> bakalenge: chief(s)
3	mu-	animals, inanimated objects, instruments, actions, consequences, body parts, products, etc.	mulangi (bottle), mucima (heart, liver, morals), mwendu (lamp)
4	mi-	plural form of words from class 3	munu -> minu: finger(s); muci -> mici: tree(s); musulu -> misulu: river(s); musoko -> misoko: village(s)
5	di-	body parts going into pairs, liquids, feelings, various objects	dilongu, dici (ear), dikasa (foot)
6	ma-	plural form of words from class 5 & 14	CLASS 5: diboku -> maboku: arm(s); ditama -> matama: cheek(s); dicuwa -> macuwa: rechaud(s)CLASS 14: bwalu -> malu: affairs, problems; buloba -> maloba: land(s); buta -> mata: bow(s); bukalu -> malalu: bed(s)
7	ci-	locations, inanimated agents, instruments, products, Surnames, feelings, vices, etc.	cilamba (bridge), cibota (banana), cikumbi (stable, fence)
8	bi-	plural form of words from class 7	cilembi -> bilembi: hunter(s); cinji -> binji; anger(s); cisalu -> bisalu: market(s)
9	n-/m-	animals,	nzoolu (chicken), ngombe (cow), mbuji (goat)
10	n-/m-	plural form of words from class 9 & 11	CLASS 9: nyoka -> nyoka: snake(s); mbuji -> mbuji: goat(s); mbwa -> mbwa: dog(s)CLASS 11: lusuki -> nsuki: hair(s); lupusu -> mpusu: spot(s); luzadi -> nzadi: nail(s)
11	lu-		lupangu (plot-land), ludimi (tongue), lukambu (powerful man)
12	ka-		kashingi (needle), kapaaya (razor), kambela
13	tu- / ka-	plural form of words from class 12	tushingi, tupaaya, tumbela
14	bu-	concepts, abstract, nature, characteristics, instruments, locations, etc.	budimi (agriculture), bwatu (boat), bukondu
15	ku-	basic forms of verbs	kudya (to eat), kulaala (to sleep), kukwata (to work), kufwidikija (to think)
16	pa-	adverbs	pambelu (at home)
17	ku-	adverbs	kumbelu (from home), kunyima (in the back, behind, after)
18	mu-	adverbs	munjila (on the road, on the way)

I must admit that it is difficult for me to remember what class a word belongs to so what I do is just remember how each word forms its plural. Why is it important to know word classes or at least have a rough idea of what it looks like? Because to build a correct sentence, you have to match the adjectives and determinants that follow a word according to its class.