Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Swahili grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ukuta ni ndefu.
What does Ukuta mean in this sentence?
Ukuta translates to “wall”. It is the noun that the sentence describes.
What is the role of ni in the sentence?
Ni serves as the copula, equivalent to the English verb “to be.” It links the subject, ukuta, with the predicate adjective, ndefu.
What does ndefu mean?
Ndefu is an adjective meaning “tall” (or “long”, depending on context). It describes the characteristic of the wall.
Why is there no word for “the” before ukuta as in English?
Swahili does not use definite articles like “the.” The noun ukuta is inherently understood to be definite from context, so no additional word is needed.
How can you turn the statement into a question in Swahili?
To form a yes/no question, you typically add je at the beginning. For example, “Je, ukuta ni ndefu?” asks “Is the wall tall?”