Matunda hayo ni mazuri.

to be

Breakdown of Matunda hayo ni mazuri.

• mzuri: nice
• tunda: the fruit
• hayo: those

Questions & Answers about Matunda hayo ni mazuri.

What does each word in Matunda hayo ni mazuri mean?

• Matunda means fruits (it is the plural form of tunda, meaning fruit).
• Hayo is a demonstrative adjective meaning those (it follows the noun as is typical in Swahili).
• Ni acts as the linking verb, equivalent to are in English in this context.
• Mazuri is an adjective meaning good or nice, agreeing with the noun matunda in its noun class.

Why does the demonstrative hayo come after the noun matunda rather than before it?

In Swahili, demonstratives follow the noun they modify. Unlike English, where we typically say “those fruits”, Swahili places the demonstrative adjective immediately after the noun, hence matunda hayo.

What is the role of the linking word ni in this sentence?

Ni functions as the copula in Swahili. It links the subject matunda hayo with the adjective mazuri, much like the verb “are” does in English sentences such as “These fruits are good.”

Why is the adjective mazuri used instead of a form like mzuri?

Swahili adjectives must agree with the noun’s class. Matunda belongs to a noun class that requires adjectives to take the ma- prefix. Therefore, the adjective for good appears as mazuri instead of mzuri to match the noun class of matunda.