English
Etymology
From Cantonese 師傅／师傅 (si1 fu6-2, “master”) and 師父／师父 (si1 fu6-2, “my master”), both also conveying the sense of teacher.
Noun
sifu (plural sifu or sifus)
- A master or teacher in the context of martial arts, especially kung fu and tai chi.
1998, Dana Stabenow, Fire and Ice, page 134:Who is -- don't get cute with me, you dumb bastard, I'm your sifu.
- A spiritual father in esoteric contexts.
Synonyms
Translations
Anagrams
Old English
Numeral
sifu (Northumbrian)
- alternative form of seofon
Swahili
Etymology
Borrowed from Arabic [Term?].
Pronunciation
Verb
-sifu (infinitive kusifu)
- to praise, admire, commend
- (reflexive) to boast, brag
Conjugation
| Conjugation of -sifu
|
| Positive present
|
-nasifu
|
| Subjunctive
|
-sifu
|
| Negative
|
-sifu
|
| Imperative singular
|
sifu
|
|
| Infinitives
|
| Positive
|
kusifu
|
| Negative
|
kutosifu
|
|
| Imperatives
|
| Singular
|
sifu
|
| Plural
|
sifuni
|
|
| Tensed forms
|
| Habitual
|
husifu
|
| Positive past
|
positive subject concord + -lisifu
|
| Negative past
|
negative subject concord + -kusifu
|
|
| Positive present (positive subject concord + -nasifu)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
ninasifu/nasifu
|
tunasifu
|
| 2nd person
|
unasifu
|
mnasifu
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
anasifu
|
wanasifu
|
| other classes
|
positive subject concord + -nasifu
|
|
| Negative present (negative subject concord + -sifu)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
sisifu
|
hatusifu
|
| 2nd person
|
husifu
|
hamsifu
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
hasifu
|
hawasifu
|
| other classes
|
negative subject concord + -sifu
|
|
| Positive future
|
positive subject concord + -tasifu
|
| Negative future
|
negative subject concord + -tasifu
|
|
| Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -sifu)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
nisifu
|
tusifu
|
| 2nd person
|
usifu
|
msifu
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
asifu
|
wasifu
|
| other classes
|
positive subject concord + -sifu
|
|
| Negative subjunctive
|
positive subject concord + -sisifu
|
| Positive present conditional
|
positive subject concord + -ngesifu
|
| Negative present conditional
|
positive subject concord + -singesifu
|
| Positive past conditional
|
positive subject concord + -ngalisifu
|
| Negative past conditional
|
positive subject concord + -singalisifu
|
|
| Gnomic (positive subject concord + -asifu)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
nasifu
|
twasifu
|
| 2nd person
|
wasifu
|
mwasifu
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
asifu
|
wasifu
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
wasifu
|
yasifu
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
lasifu
|
yasifu
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
chasifu
|
vyasifu
|
| n(IX/X)
|
yasifu
|
zasifu
|
| u(XI)
|
wasifu
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
kwasifu
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
pasifu
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
mwasifu
|
|
|
| Perfect
|
positive subject concord + -mesifu
|
| "Already"
|
positive subject concord + -meshasifu
|
| "Not yet"
|
negative subject concord + -jasifu
|
| "If/When"
|
positive subject concord + -kisifu
|
| "If not"
|
positive subject concord + -siposifu
|
| Consecutive
|
kasifu / positive subject concord + -kasifu
|
| Consecutive subjunctive
|
positive subject concord + -kasifu
|
|
| Object concord (indicative positive)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-nisifu
|
-tusifu
|
| 2nd person
|
-kusifu
|
-wasifu/-kusifuni/-wasifuni
|
| 3rd person
|
m-wa(I/II)
|
-msifu
|
-wasifu
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
-usifu
|
-isifu
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
-lisifu
|
-yasifu
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
-kisifu
|
-visifu
|
| n(IX/X)
|
-isifu
|
-zisifu
|
| u(XI)
|
-usifu
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
-kusifu
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
-pasifu
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
-musifu
|
|
| Reflexive
|
-jisifu
|
|
| Relative forms
|
| General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -sifu- + relative marker)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| m-wa(I/II)
|
-sifuye
|
-sifuo
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
-sifuo
|
-sifuyo
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
-sifulo
|
-sifuyo
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
-sifucho
|
-sifuvyo
|
| n(IX/X)
|
-sifuyo
|
-sifuzo
|
| u(XI)
|
-sifuo
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
-sifuko
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
-sifupo
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
-sifumo
|
|
|
| Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -sifu)
|
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| m-wa(I/II)
|
-yesifu
|
-osifu
|
| m-mi(III/IV)
|
-osifu
|
-yosifu
|
| ji-ma(V/VI)
|
-losifu
|
-yosifu
|
| ki-vi(VII/VIII)
|
-chosifu
|
-vyosifu
|
| n(IX/X)
|
-yosifu
|
-zosifu
|
| u(XI)
|
-osifu
|
see n(X) or ma(VI) class
|
| ku(XV/XVII)
|
-kosifu
|
|
| pa(XVI)
|
-posifu
|
|
| mu(XVIII)
|
-mosifu
|
|
|
|
| Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.
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