Mimi ninapenda kuonyesha kitabu changu.

I like to show my book.

Breakdown of Mimi ninapenda kuonyesha kitabu changu.

• mimi: I
• kupenda: to like
• kitabu: the book
• changu: my
• kuonyesha: to show

Questions & Answers about Mimi ninapenda kuonyesha kitabu changu.

What does the sentence "Mimi ninapenda kuonyesha kitabu changu" mean, word by word?

It means "I like/love to show my book."
• Mimi – “I”
• ninapenda – “I like” or “I love” (formed by the subject prefix ni- for “I” and the present tense marker na- with the root penda)
• kuonyesha – “to show” (the ku- marks the infinitive form)
• kitabu changu – “my book” (where kitabu means “book” and changu is the possessive adjective agreeing with the noun’s class)

Why is the subject pronoun Mimi included even though the verb ninapenda already shows the subject?

In Swahili, the subject is actually built into the verb through its prefixes. However, including Mimi can be useful for emphasis or clarity—especially for learners—so that it’s explicitly clear that “I” is the subject. In everyday conversation, native speakers might often drop Mimi.

How is the verb ninapenda constructed, and what does it tell us about tense and subject?

The verb ninapenda is made up of:
• ni- – the first person singular subject prefix (“I”)
• na- – the present tense marker indicating an ongoing or habitual action
• penda – the verb root meaning “to love/like”
Thus, together it expresses “I love” or “I like” in the simple present tense.

What is the function of the prefix ku- in kuonyesha?

The ku- prefix is used to form the infinitive in Swahili. In kuonyesha, it indicates that the verb is in its base form, equivalent to “to show” in English.

How does the possessive adjective changu work in the phrase kitabu changu?

In Swahili, nouns are grouped into classes, and their possessive adjectives must agree with the noun’s class. Kitabu (book) belongs to noun class 7, and the possessive adjective corresponding to “my” in this class is changu. Therefore, kitabu changu means “my book.”

Is the word order in this sentence similar to English, and what is its structure?

Yes, the word order in the sentence is similar to English. It follows a Subject–Verb–Object structure:
• Mimi (Subject)
• ninapenda (Verb)
• kuonyesha kitabu changu (Infinitive phrase acting as the object, where the phrase itself contains the verb kuonyesha “to show” and kitabu changu “my book”)
This familiar order can make the sentence easier for English speakers to understand as they learn Swahili.