| katueu | s/he hides it (anim) from someone | tshikatuatin | I hide it (anim) from you |
Like VTA u-stems that alternate with a, an a surfaces in the inverse forms of these stems (e.g., tshikatuatin). However, this a doesn’t alternate with u, but is added after the stem (e.g., katu-). A verb like katueu has a u-stem that doesn’t alternate. For example, compare the homonyms petueu s/he brings her/him something and petueu s/he hears something
| tshipetuatin | I bring you something | tshipetatin | I hear you |
| nipetuakᵘ | s/he brings me something | nipetak | s/he hears me |
| tshipetuakaunau | we bring you (pl) something | tshipetakaunau | we hear you (pl) |
VTA u-stems (non-alternating) belong to a category of verbs called Applicatives. They’re referred to as applicatives (or benefactives) because they are formed from a VAI+O to which a beneficiary is added to the action, i.e. the action is done for or to someone.
| petau | s/he brings something | petueu | s/he brings something for her/him |
| katau | s/he hides something | katueu | s/he hides something from/for her/him |
| pimutatau | s/he sells something door to door | pimutatueu | s/he sells something door to door for her/him |
See also Applicatives (Benefactives) and VTA u-stems (alternating with a)