-lia

See also: Appendix:Variations of "lia"

Swahili

Etymology

What are now vowel-final verb stems originally had an -l-, which resurfaces whenever a suffix is added.

Suffix

-lia (mid vowel harmony variant -lea)

1. Alternative form of -ia used after a stem ending in a vowel

   ‎-andaa (“to prepare”) + ‎-lia → ‎-andalia (“to prepare for”)

   ‎-zoa (“to pick up”) + ‎-lea → ‎-zolea (“to pick up for”)

Derived terms

• Swahili applicative verbs