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Basi kubwa linaenda mjini.

Basi kubwa linaenda mjini.
The big bus is going to town.
FromLesson 7inHardcore Swahili
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Breakdown of Basi kubwa linaenda mjini.

kwenda
to go
kubwa
big
basi
the bus
mjini
to town

Questions & Answers about Basi kubwa linaenda mjini.

Why is there no word for the or a in this sentence?
Swahili doesn’t use articles like the/a. Nouns such as basi can be understood as a bus or the bus depending on context. If you need to be more specific, you typically add something like a demonstrative (e.g., basi hili = this bus, basi lile = that bus) or other context.
Why does the adjective come after the noun: basi kubwa?
In Swahili, descriptive adjectives normally follow the noun they modify. So basi kubwa is literally bus big → big bus.
What noun class is basi, and how do I know?

Basi is usually treated as Class 5 (singular), with the plural in Class 6:

  • singular: basi
  • plural: mabasi

You can often spot this by the plural ma- (Class 6), which is very common for borrowed words.

Why is it linaenda and not inaenda?

The verb agrees with the noun class of the subject. Since basi is typically Class 5, its subject marker is li-.
So: basi (Class 5) → li- in the verb → linaenda.

Can you break down linaenda?

Yes—this is a very common Swahili verb structure:

  • li- = subject marker for Class 5 (basi)
  • -na- = present/progressive marker (often “is/are …-ing”)
  • -enda = verb root meaning go

So linaenda ≈ it is going / it goes (with it referring to the Class 5 noun basi).

Does -na- mean “present” or specifically “present continuous”?
In many contexts, -na- is best translated as an action in progress (is going), but it can also function like a general present (goes) depending on context. If you want a more “habitual/general” meaning, Swahili often uses other patterns, but -na- is the default for “present action.”
Why is the verb in the sentence -enda, but the dictionary form is often kwenda or kuenda?

The dictionary/infinitive form adds ku- (to):

  • kuenda / kwenda = to go

When conjugated, Swahili drops the infinitive ku- and uses subject/tense markers instead:

  • linaenda = it is going

Also, kuenda and kwenda are both used; kwenda is a common contracted spelling/pronunciation.

What exactly does mjini mean, and why not just mji?

mji = town/city (the basic noun)
mjini = in/at/to town (a locative form, using -ni)

With a motion verb like -enda (go), mjini is naturally understood as “to town.” With a verb of location like -ko/-po (be located), it would mean “in town.”

Does mjini mean “to town” or “in town”?

By itself, mjini is locative and can be “in/at town.” The verb tells you the likely interpretation:

  • linaenda mjini → “(it) is going to town”
  • lipo mjini / liko mjini → “(it) is in town”
How do I make this sentence plural: “The big buses are going to town”?

Use the Class 6 plural mabasi and match all agreement:

  • Mabasi makubwa yanaenda mjini.

Breakdown:

  • mabasi (Class 6 plural)
  • adjective agreement: ma-kubwa → makubwa
  • verb agreement: Class 6 subject marker ya- → ya-na-enda = yanaenda
How do I negate it: “The big bus is not going to town”?

A common negative present form is:

  • Basi kubwa haliendi mjini.

Here:

  • ha- is the negative marker
  • -li- (Class 5) is reflected in the negative pattern ha-li-…
  • the verb commonly appears as -endi in this negative present form.
How do I turn it into a yes/no question?

You can simply use rising intonation in speech:

  • Basi kubwa linaenda mjini?

Or add Je, at the beginning for an explicit question marker:

  • Je, basi kubwa linaenda mjini?
How should I pronounce it (especially stress)?

Swahili stress is usually on the second-to-last syllable of a word. Roughly:

  • BA-si KU-bwa li-NA-EN-da mJI-ni

Also note:

  • mw / mj clusters like mji are common; mjini begins with that mj sound.

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