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Kitabu chetu ni kizuri.

Kitabu chetu ni kizuri.
Our book is good.
FromLesson 10inHardcore Swahili
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Breakdown of Kitabu chetu ni kizuri.

ni
to be
kitabu
the book
kizuri
good
chetu
our
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Questions & Answers about Kitabu chetu ni kizuri.

What does kitabu chetu ni kizuri mean when broken down word by word?
Kitabu means book, chetu means our, ni is the equivalent of is, and kizuri means good. So, the sentence translates as "Our book is good."
Why is the adjective written as kizuri instead of just zuri?
In Swahili, adjectives must agree with the noun class of the noun they describe. Since kitabu belongs to the ki/vi class, the adjective takes the ki- prefix, becoming kizuri rather than the bare form zuri.
How does the possessive chetu work with kitabu?
Swahili possessives agree with the noun class of the noun they modify. Since kitabu is in the ki/vi class, the possessive form chetu is used to mean our. This agreement ensures that the possessive and the noun align properly in class.
What role does ni serve in this sentence?
Ni functions as the copula, equivalent to the English verb is. It connects the subject (kitabu chetu) to the predicate adjective (kizuri), forming a complete descriptive statement.
How does the structure of this Swahili sentence compare to an English sentence?
The structure is quite similar, following a subject-copula-predicate pattern (i.e., Our book is good). However, in Swahili, both adjectives and possessives must change form to agree with the noun’s class, which is a feature that English does not have.