Mimi ninapigia Juma simu.

I call Juma on the phone.

Breakdown of Mimi ninapigia Juma simu.

• mimi: I
• Juma: Juma
• simu: the phone
• kupigia: to call

Questions & Answers about Mimi ninapigia Juma simu.

Why is the subject “Mimi” explicitly stated when the verb already carries the subject information?

In Swahili the subject is incorporated into the verb through prefixes (here “ni‐” in “ninapigia”), so it isn’t strictly necessary to include the pronoun. However, adding Mimi (“I”) can emphasize the speaker or clarify who is performing the action.

How is the verb “ninapigia” constructed, and what does each part mean?

“Ninapigia” breaks down into three parts:
• ni- is the first-person singular subject prefix (meaning “I”).
• -na- is a marker for the present continuous (or habitual present) tense.
• piga is the verb root, which generally means “to hit” but in the combination “kupiga simu” idiomatically means “to call” (on the phone).
Together, they convey the idea “I am calling.”

What roles do “Juma” and “simu” play in the sentence?

The sentence uses two noun phrases after the verb:
• Juma is the person being called (the recipient of the call).
• Simu means “telephone” and represents the instrument or medium used for the call.
This double-object structure (recipient + instrument) is common in Swahili expressions like “kupigia simu.”

Could the sentence use object prefixes instead of naming “Juma” directly?

Yes, when the recipient is not mentioned explicitly or is already understood, an object prefix can be attached to the verb. For example, one might say Ninampigia simu (“I call him on the phone”) with the object prefix -m- indicating a third-person singular recipient. In our sentence, the recipient’s name Juma is provided, so the object prefix is not necessary.

Why does the verb “piga” take on the meaning “to call” in this context instead of its literal meaning “to hit”?

Swahili frequently uses verbs in idiomatic expressions. Although piga literally means “to hit” or “to strike,” when it is combined with simu—forming the expression “kupiga simu”—the meaning shifts to “to call on the phone.” The accompanying noun simu cues the listener that the action involves a phone call.

What is the word order of the sentence and how does it compare to English?

The typical Swahili word order places the subject first, followed by the verb, and then by additional objects. In Mimi ninapigia Juma simu, the structure is:
• Mimi (subject)
• ninapigia (verb)
• Juma (recipient)
• simu (instrument)
In English, the equivalent sentence “I am calling Juma on the phone” often follows a similar order, though prepositions like “on” are necessary to indicate the instrument. Swahili incorporates this idea into the verb phrase and object sequence without using an extra preposition.