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Daraja ni refu.

Daraja ni refu.
The bridge is long.

Breakdown of Daraja ni refu.

ni
to be
daraja
the bridge
refu
long
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Questions & Answers about Daraja ni refu.

What does ni do in Daraja ni refu?

Ni is the most common “linking verb” (copula) in Swahili, like is/are in English. It connects the subject daraja (bridge) to the description refu (long): Bridge + is + long.

Why is it refu and not mrefu or ndefu?

Because adjectives in Swahili change form to agree with the noun class.

  • mrefu = “long” agreeing with many m-/wa- (Class 1/2) nouns (people): mtu mrefu (a tall/long person)
  • ndefu = “long” agreeing with many N- (Class 9/10) nouns: barabara ndefu (a long road)
  • refu = “long” agreeing with many ji-/ma- (Class 5/6) nouns, including daraja: daraja refu (a long bridge)

So Daraja ni refu matches the agreement pattern for daraja.

What noun class is daraja, and how can I tell?

Daraja is usually taught as Class 5 (ji-/Ø) in singular, with plural in Class 6 (ma-).

A practical clue: its plural is madaraja (ma- plural), which strongly points to the ji-/ma- pairing.

How do I say the plural: “The bridges are long”?

Plural:

  • Madaraja ni marefu.

Changes:

  • daraja → madaraja (plural)
  • refu → marefu (adjective agreement with Class 6 ma-)
Can I drop ni and just say Daraja refu?

In careful, standard Swahili, you normally keep ni: Daraja ni refu.
You may see Daraja refu in more “telegraphic” styles (headlines, notes, labels) or very casual speech, but it can sound incomplete in full sentences.

How do I make it negative: “The bridge is not long”?

Common and straightforward:

  • Daraja si refu. = The bridge is not long.

Si is the negative form used with ni-type statements.

How do I ask a yes/no question: “Is the bridge long?”

You can use intonation (rising at the end):

  • Daraja ni refu?

Or add je at the start for clarity:

  • Je, daraja ni refu?
Does daraja only mean “bridge”?

No. Daraja can also mean:

  • bridge (most common in many beginner contexts)
  • grade/mark (e.g., an exam grade)
  • sometimes rank/level depending on context

So Daraja ni refu usually means “The bridge is long,” but context matters.

Is refu “long” or “tall”? Could this mean “The bridge is tall”?

Refu is mainly about length (“long”).
For height/tallness, Swahili often uses -refu with people (mtu mrefu = tall person), but for objects where you specifically mean high/tall, you’ll often prefer -refu only if “long” makes sense, or use other words like -kubwa (big) or -juu (high/up) depending on what you mean.

For a bridge, refu is most naturally “long.”

What’s the difference between Daraja ni refu and something like Daraja lipo refu?
  • Daraja ni refu is the basic “X is long” description.
  • Daraja lipo refu uses a locative/existence-style verb (lipo) and can sound like “The bridge is (there) and it is long,” often tying the statement to a specific place/situation.

For beginners, Daraja ni refu is the default.

How is Daraja ni refu pronounced?

Approximate pronunciation (Swahili is very regular):

  • da-RA-ja ni RE-fu Key points:
  • Stress is usually on the second-to-last syllable: da-RA-ja, RE-fu
  • Vowels are “pure”: a as in father, e as in met, i as in machine, u as in flute
  • r is often tapped/flipped lightly
Can I change the word order?

The normal order is:

  • Subject + ni + adjective: Daraja ni refu.

You can front the adjective for emphasis in some contexts, but it’s less neutral:

  • Refu, daraja ni. (uncommon/marked) Stick with Daraja ni refu as the standard pattern.