hu-

A lenited, fused form of ni ku- (“is [verb]ing”).

hu-

1. habitual aspect marker; indicates an action is routine or characteristic[1]

   Jua huchomoza mashariki.

   The sun rises in the east.

   • 2022, Muungano wa Tanganyika na Zanzibar: Chimbuko, Misingi na Maendeleo, Serikali ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, →ISBN:

     Ni dhahiri kuwa huu ni mfumo unaopendwa kutokana na urahisi katika kuuendesha kwa kuwa huwa na mamlaka moja kuu yenye mtandao mmoja wa uongozi mpaka chini kupitia mfumo wa ugatuzi wa madaraka.

     It is obvious that this system is popular due to how easy it is to run it, as it has one central authority with one leadership network all the way to the bottom through a system of decentralization.

There is no subject concord with this marker. Instead, independent pronouns can be used:

mimi hula ― I usually eat

This is also analyzed as a gnomic marker.[2]

In colloquial speech, this is often replaced by the -na- marker, eventually preceded by huwa (the habitual form of -wa):

huwa tunakunywa ― we habitually drink

From the same source as ha-.

hu-

1. you do not, 2nd person singular negative subject concord

   Antonym: u-

   • 18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi‎, translation from R. Allen (1946) “Inkishafi—a translation from the Swahili”, in African Studies, volume 5, number 4, →DOI, pages 243–249, stanza 11:

     مُيُ وَاغُ نِنِ هُزُدُكَانِ ، لِكُغُرِيِلُ هِيْلَ نِنْنِ ،

     Moyo wangu nini huzundukani, likughuriyelo hela ni-n'ni?

     Soul, why not awake? Hi! what is it that cheats you?

• hy-

From Proto-Celtic *su-.

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /hɨː/, /hɨ̞/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /hiː/, /hɪ/

hu-

1. affirmative prefix, emphasises prefixed word

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “hu-”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies