Mimi ninataka kuuliza swali.

I

Breakdown of Mimi ninataka kuuliza swali.

• kutaka: to want
• swali: the question
• kuuliza: to ask

Questions & Answers about Mimi ninataka kuuliza swali.

What does each word in "Mimi ninataka kuuliza swali" mean?

Mimi means I. Ninataka is made up of the subject prefix ni- (indicating I) combined with taka, which means want—so together it translates as I want. Kuuliza is the infinitive form of ask (marked by the ku- prefix), and swali means question.

Why is the subject pronoun Mimi explicitly stated when ninataka already includes the subject marker?

In Swahili, verbs carry subject information through their prefixes, so including Mimi isn’t strictly necessary. However, it is often added for emphasis, clarity, or stylistic reasons—especially useful for beginners learning the structure.

How is the verb ninataka constructed grammatically?

Ninataka combines the first-person singular subject prefix ni- with the base verb taka (to want). This construction clearly indicates that the sentence’s subject is I and expresses the speaker’s desire.

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

The ku- prefix marks the infinitive form of verbs in Swahili. In this sentence, kuuliza means to ask and serves as the verb that follows the main verb ninataka. It shows that the action of asking is what the speaker wants to do.

How does the structure of this Swahili sentence compare to its English translation?

The Swahili sentence follows a Subject (Mimi) + Verb (ninataka) + Infinitive (kuuliza) + Object (swali) order, which mirrors English to some extent—I want to ask a question. However, Swahili explicitly uses subject prefixes and the ku- marker for infinitives, features that may differ in usage and emphasis compared to English syntax.