Suti yangu ni mbadala.

to be

Breakdown of Suti yangu ni mbadala.

• yangu: my
• suti: the suit
• mbadala: alternative

Questions & Answers about Suti yangu ni mbadala.

What does the word suti mean in this sentence?

Suti is a borrowed term from English that means “suit” – referring to a set of matching clothes. In this sentence, suti yangu translates to “my suit.”

Why is the possessive yangu placed after suti instead of before it?

In Swahili, possessive adjectives follow the noun. This means that instead of saying “my suit” as in English, you say suti yangu, which correctly translates as “my suit.”

What role does the word ni play in this sentence?

Ni functions as the copula, which is equivalent to the English “is.” It connects the subject (suti yangu) with the complement (mbadala) to form a complete sentence.

What does mbadala mean, and does it change form to agree with suti?

Mbadala means “alternative,” “substitute,” or “replacement.” While adjectives in Swahili can sometimes agree with the noun’s class, in this copulative sentence using ni, the adjective remains in its base form without requiring any modification.

Why isn’t there any article (like “the”) used before mbadala in the sentence?

Swahili does not have definite or indefinite articles such as “the” or “a.” The sentence Suti yangu ni mbadala is complete and grammatically correct without needing articles.