Simsebenzisa umsebenzi wakhe

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Verb stems are used to express cause, help, let do using the extension -is- or using the alternative endings -sa for -ka and -za for -la

-hambisa cause to walk
-enzisa help do
-susa take away -suka go away
-veza cause to appear -vela appear

NB: alternative forms:

-fudumalisa and -fudumeza warm -fudumala be warm
-ambathisa and -ambesa clothe, cover -ambatha dress

Causative verbs may take two objects:

Wakhisa ubaba indlu He helps father build a house
Simsebenzisa umsebenzi wakhe We cause hime to do his work

One subject belongs to the basic verb stem eg -sebenza and the other to the causative stem eg -sebenzisa. The first is expressed using the noun eg umsebenzi - the second is expressed using the object concord eg m- and/or the noun eg indlu. The object of the basic verb comes last.

Causative verbs mean 'just like' using the the relative concord oku- with a possesive:

Uhijimisa okukanogwaja He runs like a hare
Lesi-silwane silumisa okwnja His wild animal bites like a dog

Passive formed like other stems using -w- - NB: palatization always happens for m, b, ph, mb:

-boniswa cause to see
-gijinyiswa cause to run
Le-nyanda sayiboshiswa ngumama We were helped by mother to tie up this bundle

Sifunda isiZulu!
This page- www.newt.clara.co.uk/isizulu/hambisa.htm
6 August 2002