Intensive

Besides derivation by means of combining roots or attaching affixes, there is a more internal way of extending the meaning of words. This method involves a partial reduplication of  the initial syllable of a word. This partial reduplication involves the initial consonant, stripped of an eventual glide following it, and only the initial vowel: Words with the syllabic structure CVN instead of prefixing this reduplication to the word root, add the reduplication to the end of the word: Words with the syllabic structure CVV add the reduplication to the end of the word as well:

Verbs
Intensive verb forms express a certain kind of intensity in an action:

Other intensive verbs have a more repetitive, habitual or continuative nature, meaning something is happening over and over again:

Iterative
Iterative verbs express the repetition of an action:

Habituative
Habituative verbs denote actions that are carried out regularly or habitually. Compare:

Continuative
Continuative verbs express an action is of a perpetual nature:

Nouns
Some intensive forms are nouns. Many of those express an occupation ("someone habitually carrying out an action"): Note this practice is not compulsory. Many professions are expressed by words that are no intensive forms:

umukwan - teacher

udaiche - percussionist

urenka - judge

Inalienables
Another class of nouns describing inalienable things like family members and body parts too is characterized by reduplication:

mama - mommy

baba - daddy

memea - sister

bamba - heart

sese - muscle

titi - head Kinship terms expressed by a reduplication are informal terms expressing a personal relationship caracterized by endearment. Compare: The basic roots used in the words above also occur in formal speech as honorifics:

ba - mister

ma - miss, mrs.,ms.

bua - young man, used for male children

mea - young woman, used for female children