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Questions & Answers about Ukweli ni muhimu.
What does Ukweli mean in this sentence?
Ukweli translates to truth. It is the main subject of the sentence and refers to the idea or concept of truth.
What role does the word ni play in this sentence?
The word ni is the copula in Swahili—it functions like the verb "is" in English, linking the subject (Ukweli) to the adjective (muhimu).
What does muhimu mean?
Muhimu means important. It is used to describe the subject (Ukweli), indicating that truth is important.
How does the sentence structure of Ukweli ni muhimu compare to an English sentence like "Truth is important"?
The structure is quite similar. Both sentences follow a Subject-Copula-Predicate (adjective) order. In Swahili, Ukweli (truth) is the subject, ni serves as the linking verb (is), and muhimu (important) is the predicate adjective.
Do adjectives in Swahili change form based on the noun they modify, as seen with muhimu?
While many Swahili adjectives can change to match the noun class of the subject, adjectives like muhimu often remain in an invariant form—meaning they do not change regardless of the noun’s class. In this sentence, muhimu stays the same.
Is the copula ni always used in the same form regardless of the subject in Swahili?
Yes, in many simple nominal sentences, the copula ni is used in its uninflected form, regardless of the subject. Unlike English, which conjugates the verb to be differently (am, is, are), ni remains constant when linking a subject with a predicate adjective or noun.
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