Diminutive and Augmentative Nouns

Diminutives express smallness; when a noun becomes diminutive, it belongs to the KI-/VI- class and follows the agreement rules for this class.

Augmentatives express largeness; they take ji- and ma- prefixes from the JI-/MA- noun class and follow the agreement rules for this class.

Regular	Diminutive (Singular/ Plural)
Mtoto [Baby]	Kitoto/ Vitoto
Mbwa [Dog]	Kijibwa/ Vijibwa
Nyumba [House]	Chumba/ Vyumba
Mlima [Mountgain]	Kilima/ Vilima
Msichana [Girl]	Kisichana/ Visichana
Kiatu [Shoe]	Kijiatu/Vijiatu
Mto [River]	Kijito/ Vijito
Mwiko [Serving  Spoon]	Kijiko/Vijiko
Kitanda [Bed]	Kijitanda/Vijitanda

Regular	Augmentative (Singular/ Plural)
Mlango [Door]	Lango/Malango
Mbwa [Dog]	Jibwa/Majibwa
Mguu [Leg]	Guu/Jiguu
Mkono [Hand]	Kono/Makono
Kiatu [Shoe]	Jiatu/Majiatu
Kikombe [Cup]	Jikombe/Majikombe
Mtu [Person]	Jitu/Majitu
Nyumba [House]	Jumba/Majumba
Mto [River]	Jito/Majito

 

Mifano

1.      Tuliona vilima vingi [we saw many small mountains/hills]

2.     Visichana vinajificha vivulana vile [the small girls are hiding from those small boys]

3.     Kijiatu hiki ni cha nani? [Whose tiny shoe is this?]

4.    Malango makubwa yamefunguliwa [the big doors have been opened]

5.     Jitu hilo lina maguu mafupi [that huge person/giant has short big legs]

6.    Majito mengi yamekauka [many big rivers have dried up]

 

Exercise

 What is the diminutive form of: Baby

Jitoto

Mtoto

Kitoto

Litoto

What is the diminutive form of: Hand

Kikono

Likono

Jikono 

Mkono

Convert to plural: kitunda

Matunda

Mavitunda

Jitunda

Vitunda

Convert to singular: Visichana

Msichana

Wasichana

Kisichana

Vijisichana

What is the augmentative form of: Knife

Kisu

Kijisu

Visu

Jisu

What is the augmentative form of: Person

Jitu

Mtu

Watu 

Kijitu

What is the augmentative form of: House

Jumba

Nyumba

Linyumba

Kinyumba

Convert to plural: Jito

Mito

Mamto

Majito

Vijito