Maji ni baridi.

to be

Breakdown of Maji ni baridi.

• maji: the water
• baridi: cold

Questions & Answers about Maji ni baridi.

What is the role of ni in the sentence?

Ni is the copula in Swahili—it connects the subject maji to its predicate baridi. This word functions similarly to the English to be (as in “is” or “are”), establishing the relationship between water and its quality.

Does the adjective baridi change form to agree with maji?

No, adjectives like baridi in Swahili generally remain unchanged regardless of whether the noun is singular or plural. Even though maji may look plural, baridi stays the same when describing it.

Why doesn’t this sentence include articles like the or a?

Swahili does not use articles. Nouns stand alone without words for the or a, and context or noun class markers provide the necessary information about definiteness.

Maji appears as a plural form. How does that work when water is considered uncountable in English?

In Swahili, maji is part of a noun class system where certain nouns take a plural form even when referring to a singular, collective substance. Although it looks plural, maji functions as a mass noun, much like water in English.

What is the sentence structure of Maji ni baridi, and how does it compare to English?

The sentence follows a Subject-Copula-Predicate structure:  • Maji is the subject,  • ni is the copula (equivalent to “is”), and  • baridi is the predicate adjective describing the subject. This structure is quite similar to English, making it easier for learners to understand.