Ukubwa wa nyumba yangu ni muhimu.

to be

Breakdown of Ukubwa wa nyumba yangu ni muhimu.

• yangu: my
• wa: of
• nyumba: the house
• muhimu: important
• ukubwa: the size

Questions & Answers about Ukubwa wa nyumba yangu ni muhimu.

What does ukubwa mean in this sentence?

Ukubwa translates to size in English. It refers to the dimensions or magnitude of something—in this case, the house.

What is the role of wa in the phrase ukubwa wa nyumba yangu?

Wa functions as a possessive connector similar to the English word of. It links ukubwa (size) with nyumba yangu (my house), indicating that the size belongs to or is associated with the house.

How is the possessive yangu used in this sentence?

Yangu means my and follows the noun nyumba (house) to express possession. In Swahili, it’s common for possessive adjectives to come after the noun they modify, so nyumba yangu translates to my house.

Why isn’t there a definite article like the before ukubwa or nyumba?

Swahili does not use articles like the or a. The meaning is understood from the context and the structure of the sentence, so there is no need for a separate word to indicate definiteness.

What function does the word ni serve in this sentence?

Ni is a copula, equivalent to the English verb is. It connects the subject, ukubwa wa nyumba yangu (the size of my house), with the predicate adjective muhimu (important), thereby stating a quality or condition.

Why does the adjective muhimu come at the end of the sentence?

In Swahili, adjectives often appear after the linking verb or as the final element in a sentence. Here, muhimu (important) comes after ni to describe the subject’s quality, similar to how we say "is important" in English.

How does the structure of this Swahili sentence compare to an equivalent English sentence?

Although Swahili word order can differ from English in various contexts, this sentence follows a familiar pattern. It essentially mirrors the English sentence "The size of my house is important." The subject is ukubwa (size), modified by a possessive phrase wa nyumba yangu (of my house), followed by the copula ni (is), and completed with the adjective muhimu (important). This clear structure makes it relatively straightforward to understand for English speakers.