-ote
quantifier
all; the whole of.
Choose the form that agrees with the noun or pronoun and put it after that word. With a singular noun it describes the whole thing; with a plural noun it includes every member.
Forms
- wote
- watu wote · all the people; mti wote · the whole tree; wao wote · all of them.
- yote
- miti yote · all the trees; maua yote · all the flowers; merikebu yote · the whole ship.
- lote
- tunda lote · the whole fruit.
- chote
- kiti chote · the whole chair.
- vyote
- viti vyote · all the chairs.
- zote
- kuta zote · all the walls; merikebu zote · all the ships.
- kote
- kucheza kote · all the playing.
- pote
- hapa pote · all around here.
- mote
- humu mote · throughout here, inside.
- sote
- sisi sote · all of us.
- nyote
- ninyi nyote · all of you.
Origins
Its earlier history is still under review.
Sources3
A. C. Madan, Swahili-English Dictionary (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1903), Printed page 207, PDF page 323, -ote.
Records the -ote agreement family and the all or whole meanings.
Edward Steere, A Handbook of the Swahili Language as Spoken at Zanzibar (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1884), Printed page 94, PDF page 124; PDF page 395, -ote.
Records all and whole uses and personal forms sote and nyote.
African Studies Institute, University of Georgia, KIKO: Kiswahili kwa kompyuta (University of Georgia), Year 2, Unit 7, section 3: totality and agreement table.
Shows noun agreement forms and locative forms pote and mote.
Examples
Wageni wote wamefika.
All the guests have arrived.
Mti wote umeanguka.
The whole tree has fallen.
Miti yote imekauka.
All the trees have dried out.
Tunda lote limeoza.
The whole fruit has rotted.
Kiti chote kimelowa.
The whole chair has gotten wet.
Viti vyote vimevunjika.
All the chairs are broken.
Funguo zote ziko mezani.
All the keys are on the table.
Sote tunakungoja.
We are all waiting for you.
Karibuni nyote.
You are all welcome.
