Nchi ni kubwa.

The country is big.

Breakdown of Nchi ni kubwa.

• ni: to be
• kubwa: big
• nchi: the country

Questions & Answers about Nchi ni kubwa.

What does the word nchi mean, and why is there no article before it?

Nchi means country. In Swahili, definite or indefinite articles like the or a are not used; context is enough to indicate whether the noun is specific or general.

What role does ni play in this sentence?

Ni acts as the copula, which is similar to the English verb is. It links the subject nchi to the predicate adjective kubwa, describing the state or quality of the noun.

How is the adjective kubwa used in the sentence?

Kubwa means big. In Swahili, adjectives typically follow the noun they modify and generally remain in a base form. Here, kubwa describes nchi without any additional changes.

Does the adjective kubwa need to agree with the noun nchi in any way?

In Swahili, adjectives can show agreement with the noun class by using concords in some constructions, but in simple descriptive sentences like this, the adjective remains unchanged. Kubwa is used as is to describe nchi.

How would you form the negative version of the sentence Nchi ni kubwa?

To create the negative version, you replace ni with si. The negated sentence becomes Nchi si kubwa, which translates to The country is not big.