Etymology Explorer › Swahili

Where does “hu-” come from?

hu- (Swahili) comes from Proto-Celtic su-, from Proto-Indo-European h₁su-, from Proto-Indo-European h₁wes- — good; to be cheerful, happy; to eat, to feast.

hu- (Swahili): Forms the habitual aspect in verbs; Negates a...

Definitions

  1. Forms the habitual aspect in verbs; Negates a...

Ancestry of “hu-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Celticsu-good, well
2Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁su-good
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁wes-good; to be cheerful, happy; to eat, to feast
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁wes- →