-li-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "li"

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪ/

Infix

-li-

1. (pharmacology) a shortened allomorph of the monoclonal antibody affix -lim-, used before the affixes -xi- and -zu- for ease of pronunciation

Derived terms

English terms interfixed with -li-

Anagrams

• I'l, IL, il-

Swahili

Etymology 1

From -li, a stem of -wa (“to be”).

Infix

-li-

1. positive past tense marker

   Antonym: -ku-

   walikula ― they ate

   aliyelala ― the person who was asleep

   • 1973, Mohammed S. Abdulla, Dunianu kuna watu, page 3:

     Ilikuwa kiasi cha saa moja-unusu ya usiku Kasim alipopanda ngazi pana zilizotandikwa zulia au blanketi nene, zilizoongoza kufikia ghorofa akaayo baba yake, Bw. Hakimu Marjani.

     It was about half past seven in the night when Kasim went up the wide stairs covered with carpets or thick blankets, which led to the floor where resided his father, Mr Hakimu Marjani.

Usage notes

This marker can be used in both nonrelative and relative verbs.

Conjugation

Conjugation of -li-

		Singular	Plural
1st person		nili-	tuli-
2nd person		uli-	mli-
3rd person	m-wa(I/II)	ali-	wali-
	m-mi(III/IV)	uli-	ili-
	ji-ma(V/VI)	lili-	yali-
	ki-vi(VII/VIII)	kili-	vili-
	n(IX/X)	ili-	zili-
	u(XI)	uli-	see n(X) or ma(VI)
	ku(XV/XVII)	kuli-
	pa(XVI)	pali-
	mu(XVIII)	mli-
For more information, see Appendix:Swahili verbs.

See also

Swahili TAM markers
Initial
Positive infinitive	ku-/kw-1
Negative infinitive	kuto-
Habitual	hu-1
Telegrammic	ka-1
Final
General (positive indicative)	-a
Positive subjunctive	-e
Negative present	-i
Second person plural	-ni
Infix position positive subject concord
Positive past	-li-
Positive present	-na-
Positive future	-ta-
Negative subjunctive	-si-1
Positive present conditional	-nge-
Negative present conditional	-singe-
Positive past conditional	-ngali-
Negative past conditional	-singali-
Gnomic	-a-1
Perfect	-me-
"Already" past	-lisha-
"Already" present	-mesha-/-sha-
"If/When"	-ki-1
"If not"	-sipo-
Consecutive	-ka-1
Infix position negative subject concord
Negative past	-ku-1
Negative future	-ta-
"Not yet"	-ja-1
Negative present conditional	-nge-
Negative past conditional	-ngali-
Relative
Past	-li-
Present	-na-
Future	-taka-
Negative	-si-
1 Can take stress and therefore does not require -ku-/-kw- in monosyllabic verbs.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *dɪ́-.

Infix

-li-

1. it, ji class_(V) object concord

See also

Swahili verbal concords (third person)

Class	Subject concord		Object concord	Relative
	affirmative	negative
m(I)	a-, yu-	ha-, hayu-	-m-, -mw-, -mu-	-ye
wa(II)	wa-	hawa-	-wa-	-o
m(III)	u-	hau-	-u-	-o
mi(IV)	i-	hai-	-i-	-yo
ji(V)	li-	hali-	-li-	-lo
ma(VI)	ya-	haya-	-ya-	-yo
ki(VII)	ki-	haki-	-ki-	-cho
vi(VIII)	vi-	havi-	-vi-	-vyo
n(IX)	i-	hai-	-i-	-yo
n(X)	zi-	hazi-	-zi-	-zo
u(XI)	u-	hau-	-u-	-o
ku(XV/XVII)	ku-	haku-	-ku-	-ko
pa(XVI)	pa-	hapa-	-pa-	-po
mu(XVIII)	m-, mw-, mu-	ham-, hamw-, hamu-	-mu-	-mo
For a full table including first and second person, see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns.