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Breakdown of Kesho, mimi ninataka kununua shati sokoni.
mimi
I
kutaka
to want
kwenye
at
soko
the market
kesho
tomorrow
kununua
to buy
shati
the shirt
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Questions & Answers about Kesho, mimi ninataka kununua shati sokoni.
Why does the sentence use mimi ninataka instead of just ninataka?
In Swahili, you can use ninataka on its own because the verb prefix ni- already indicates I. However, sometimes speakers include mimi (meaning I/me) for emphasis or clarity. Both forms are grammatically correct; ninataka is simply more concise.
What is the function of ni- at the beginning of ninataka?
In Swahili, verbs often have subject prefixes that indicate who is doing the action. The prefix ni- means I (first person singular). So, ninataka translates roughly to I want.
Why do we use kununua here?
The word kununua is the infinitive form of the verb to buy. In Swahili, when you follow a verb like ninataka (I want), you typically attach ku- to the verb stem to show you want to do that action. Hence ninataka kununua means I want to buy.
What does shati mean, and is it the only word for a shirt in Swahili?
Shati is the standard Swahili word for shirt. You might also hear fulana (more like a casual T-shirt), depending on regional usage or the type of garment. But for a general shirt, shati is common.
Why do we say sokoni and not sokoni?
Sokoni means at the market. The suffix -ni often indicates a location or direction in Swahili. So soko is market, and sokoni implies to/at the market.