Mimi sioni simu yangu.

I

Breakdown of Mimi sioni simu yangu.

• kuona: to see
• simu: the phone
• yangu: my

Questions & Answers about Mimi sioni simu yangu.

Why is Mimi used here instead of just starting with sioni?

In Swahili, Mimi means "I," and it can be used for emphasis or clarity. You could drop Mimi and say Sioni simu yangu, which is perfectly correct, but including Mimi puts emphasis on the speaker.

What exactly does sioni mean, and how does it work?

Sioni is formed from the verb -ona (to see) with the negative marker si- attached to it. So sioni literally means "I do not see." The -i at the end indicates the negative present tense for the verb.

How is yangu formed, and why does it come after simu?

In Swahili, the possessive adjective depends on the noun class. Simu is in a noun class where the possessive form "my" is yangu. This possessive form follows the noun, so you get simu yangu (my phone).

Is there any difference between saying Mimi sioni simu yangu and Sioni simu yangu?

Grammatically, both are correct and they mean the same thing. The only difference is that Mimi sioni simu yangu puts extra emphasis on "I" because you explicitly mention the pronoun Mimi.

Can I use siioni instead of sioni for "I don't see it"?

Yes, but it changes the meaning slightly. Siioni (with two "i"s) means "I do not see it," where the object you’re not seeing is built into the verb. In "sioni simu yangu, the word simu remains separate, so you don’t incorporate an object marker in the verb. Both forms are valid, but siioni is specifically referencing the phone as the object in the verb itself.