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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