Mimi ninawasha taa nyumbani jioni.

I am turning on the light at home in the evening.

Breakdown of Mimi ninawasha taa nyumbani jioni.

• mimi: I
• nyumba: the home
• kwenye: at
• katika: in
• jioni: the evening
• kuwasha: to turn on
• taa: the light

Questions & Answers about Mimi ninawasha taa nyumbani jioni.

What does mimi mean and why is it explicitly included in the sentence?

mimi translates as I. Although Swahili verbs already indicate the subject through prefixes (in this case, ni- in ninawasha), mimi is sometimes added for emphasis or clarity.

How is the verb ninawasha structured, and what does each part indicate?

ninawasha is a combination of three parts: • ni- – the first-person singular subject marker (I). • na- – the present-tense marker, indicating an ongoing or habitual action. • washa – the verb root meaning “to turn on.” Together, they form a phrase that means “I turn on” or “I am turning on.”

What is the meaning of taa in this sentence?

taa means light (referring to an artificial source like a lamp). It is the object of the action, indicating what is being turned on.

What roles do nyumbani and jioni play in the sentence?

nyumbani is an adverb meaning “at home,” which tells us where the action occurs. jioni is another adverb meaning “in the evening,” specifying when the action takes place. They follow the object, fitting the typical Swahili sentence structure (subject – verb – object – adverbials).

Why does the sentence use both the explicit pronoun mimi and the verb prefix ni-?

While the verb prefix ni- already signals that the subject is I, retaining mimi strengthens the identification of the speaker. It can be used for emphasis, clarity, or stylistic effect, even though it is not grammatically necessary.