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Questions & Answers about Hizi meza ni mipya.
What does the demonstrative hizi mean, and why is it used in this sentence?
Hizi translates to “these” in English. It’s used to indicate that the noun it modifies, meza, is plural. In Swahili, demonstrative adjectives must agree with the noun in terms of number and noun class, and hizi is the correct form for referring to multiple items.
What is the meaning of the noun meza, and does it change form in the plural?
Meza means “table” in English, and although its form does not change between singular and plural, the plurality is understood through the accompanying demonstrative and adjective. In this sentence, with hizi and mipya, it is clear that we are talking about multiple new tables.
What function does the word ni serve in the sentence?
Ni acts as the copula in Swahili, linking the subject to the predicate. Much like the English verb “are” in the sentence “These tables are new,” it connects the subject (hizi meza) with the descriptive adjective (mipya).
How is the adjective mipya formed, and why does it begin with mi-?
Mipya means “new” in English. The prefix mi- is used to match the noun class and number of meza. In Swahili, adjectives agree with the noun they describe. Since meza is treated as a plural in this context, the adjective takes the mi- prefix to reflect that agreement.
Is the sentence structure [demonstrative] [noun] ni [adjective] typical in Swahili, and what does it tell us about sentence formation?
Yes, this structure is typical for equational (or nominal) sentences in Swahili. The demonstrative hizi modifies the noun meza, the copula ni connects the subject to the adjective, and the adjective mipya describes the state of the subject. This clear linking of elements makes it a straightforward way to express that something has a particular quality (in this case, being new).