Log inSign up

Barabara ni nzuri.

Barabara ni nzuri.
The road is nice.
FromLesson 4inHardcore Swahili
…

Breakdown of Barabara ni nzuri.

ni
to be
nzuri
nice
barabara
the road
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Swahili grammar?”
Swahili grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Swahili

Master Swahili — from Barabara ni nzuri to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Swahili freeBrowse the full course

More from this lesson

kahawamkateLeo asubuhi, mimi ninataka kunywa kahawa na kula mkate.mwandishitaratibuMwandishi ambaye anaandika gazeti hili anapenda kunywa kahawa taratibu kila asubuhi.mgahawakusubiri

Questions & Answers about Barabara ni nzuri.

What does ni mean in the sentence Barabara ni nzuri?
Ni is the copula, functioning much like the English verb is. It links the subject barabara (road) to the predicate adjective nzuri (nice).
Why isn’t there an article like the before barabara?
Swahili does not have definite or indefinite articles. So barabara can translate as either road or the road depending on the context.
How does the adjective nzuri agree with the noun barabara?
In Swahili adjectives typically agree with the noun class of the noun they qualify. Barabara belongs to a noun class that uses the unmodified form nzuri to mean nice, so no additional changes are required.
What is the sentence structure of Barabara ni nzuri compared to an English sentence?
The structure is subject–copula–adjective: barabara (subject) + ni (copula, meaning is) + nzuri (adjective). This mirrors the English sentence The road is nice, apart from the absence of an article in Swahili.
How should I pronounce Barabara ni nzuri, and does Swahili have regular pronunciation rules?
Swahili is largely phonetic. You can pronounce it as ba-ra-ba-ra nee n-zoo-ree. Each syllable is pronounced clearly with a consistent rhythm, and the stress generally falls on the penultimate syllable.