The Ki-Vi Noun Class

The Ki-Vi noun class mostly includes inanimate objects.

If the root part of the noun does not begin with a vowel, the prefixes are "ki-" and "vi-"

The singular form begins with "ki-"

The plural form begins with "vi-"

Examples

kitanda/vitanda
bed(s)

kiti/viti
chair(s)

kitabu/vitabu
book(s)

kitu/vitu
thing(s)

kichwa/vichwa
head(s)

kikombe/vikombe
cup(s)



If the root part of the noun begins with a vowel the prefixes become "ch-" and "vy-"

chumba/vyumba
room(s)

chakula/vyakala
food(s)

Possessive pronouns like; "my", "your", "his", "our", and "their"

Possesive pronouns show ownership or belonging, like the words "my" and "your" in English.

In Swahili we have possesive roots which must be prefixed depending on the noun class.

-angu my
-ako your (s.)
-ake his
-etu our
-enu your (pl.)
-ao their

For the M-Wa class of nouns the prefix to be used is "w-" for both plurals and singular forms.

Examples

Hawa ni watoto wangu.
These are my children.

Yule ni mwalimu wetu.
That is our teacher.

Hawa ni wazazi wenu?
Are these your parents?

Hawa ni wazazi wetu.
These are our parents.

Wale ni watoto wao.
Those are their children.

Mume wake anasema Kiswahili
Her husband speaks Swahili

Demonstrative pronouns; this, these, that and those

Demonstratives are the words used to point to people or things; "this", "these", "that" and "those".

For nouns in the m-wa class the demonstratives are:-

huyu this
hawa these
yule that
wale those

Examples

Huyu ni Kevin. Yule ni Andrew.
This is Kevin. That is Andrew

Hawa ni Kevin na Fakiri.
These are Kevin and Fakiri

Negation of sentences using "hapana" and "si"

Mimi ni mwanafunzi.
Hapana, mini si mwanafunzi

Wewe ni Mmarekani
Hapana, wewe si Mmarekani

Yeye ni mwalimu
Hapana, yeye si mwalimu

Sisi ni wanfunzi
Hapana, sis si wanfunzi

Nyinyi ni Wamarekani
Hapana, nyinyi si Wamarekani

Wao ni Watanzania
Hapana, wao si Watanzania