Prepositions & The Prepositional

KU

in, at, to, on, about

Ndi ku ssomero

I am at school

E

in, from (location)

Tuli e Uganda

We are in Uganda

MU

in, inside (position)

Ndi mu taxi

Im in the taxi

KUMPI NE

close, next to, near

Atudde kumpi n’omuti

He is sitting next to the tree.

WALA

far

Atudde wala okuva ku muti

He is sitting far away from the tree.

MU MAASO GA

in front of

Ali mu maaso ga meeza

He is in front of the table.

WAKATI (WA x NE y)

in the middle, between X and Y

Essomero liri wakati wa Nakulabye ne Mengo

It is between Nakulabye and Mengo.

OKUTUNULIGANA

opposite

Ebizimbe bitunuluganye

The buildings are opposite to each other ( looking at each other).

WABWERU/EBWERU

outside

Teri/Tewali muntu wabweru

There is nobody outside.

MABEGA WA

behind

Ziri mabega w’emiti

They (the goats) are behind the trees.

WANSI WA

under

Guli wansi w’emmeeza

It (the football) is under the table

WAGGUU WA

above

Eri waggulu w’ekizimbe

It (the airplane) is above the building.

If the verb does not end in za or sa AND the last vowel of the stem is a, i, or u…

turn the final a into ira

Okufumba (prep)

Okufumbira

Okumanya (to know) (prep)

Okumanyira

Okulaga (to show) (prep)

Okulagira

Okulinda (to wait) (prep)

Okulindira

If the verb does not end in za or sa AND the last vowel of the stem is e or o…

turn the final a into era

Okukola (to work) (prep)

Okukolera

Okuleeta (to bring) (prep)

Okuleetera

Okusoma (prep)

Okusomera

If the verb does end in za or sa AND the last vowel of the stem is a, i, or u…

turn the final a into iza

Okuwasa (to marry) (prep)

Okuwasiza

If the verb does end in za or sa AND the last vowel of the stem is e or o…

turn the final a into eza

Okusomesa (to teach) (prep)

Okusomeseza

Okwoza (to wash) (prep)

Okwozeza

What is one way the prepositional is used?

To give the idea that something is done for somebody

Nfumbidde maama wange emmere eno.

I cooked this food for my mother.

Yamuwandiikira bbaluwa.

He wrote her a letter.

Onkyalirako ddi?

When are you paying me a visit?

What is another way the prepositional is used?

Expresses that something happened at a specific place, using a preposition or a locative (wano, wa, wali, etc)

Bamutidde ku Jinja Road.

They killed him on Jinja road.

Wakulira wa?

Where did you grow up?

Lindira wano!

Wait here!

What is a double prepositional?

A word that when in the prepositional, has repeated endings (ira, era, iza, eza)

What is a derived meaning?

a word that when in the prepositional, has a different meaning.

okutunula

to be awake

okutunulira

to stare at

okuwulira

to hear

okuwuliriza

to listen to

okulaga

to show

okulagira

to direct/command

okumanya

to know

okumanyira

to be used to something/body

okweraba

to see oneself

okwerabira

to forget

okudda

to run

okuddirira

to come after someone; to decline

okugenda

to go

okugenderera

to intend

okulaba

to see

okulabirira

to watch over;to take care of (somebody)

okugoba

to chase away

okugoberera

to follow

okuseka

to laugh

okusekerera

to make fun of

okuwa

to give

okuweerera

to pay fees for