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Mimi ninataka kuonja supu hii.

Mimi ninataka kuonja supu hii.
I want to taste this soup.
FromLesson 24inHardcore Swahili
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Breakdown of Mimi ninataka kuonja supu hii.

mimi
I
kutaka
to want
hii
this
supu
the soup
kuonja
to taste

Questions & Answers about Mimi ninataka kuonja supu hii.

Why is Mimi used at the beginning, and can I drop it?
Mimi means “I.” In Swahili the subject pronoun is optional because the verb prefix already shows the subject. Here the verb prefix in ninataka already means “I.” So you can drop Mimi and simply say Ninataka kuonja supu hii, unless you want extra emphasis or clarity.
What is the structure of ninataka?

Ninataka breaks down into:
• n- (first-person singular subject marker = “I”)
• -na- (present tense marker = “am …ing” / “wanting”)
• taka (verb root “want”)
Together, ninataka = “I want” (literally “I am wanting”).

Why is there a ku before onja?
Kuonja is the infinitive “to taste.” In Swahili you form infinitives by adding ku- to the verb root. After verbs of liking, wanting or needing, you use the infinitive to express the action you want to do.
Why do verbs like taka require the infinitive form after them?
Verbs such as taka (“want”), penda (“like”), anza (“begin”) take a verbal complement. That complement must be in the ku- infinitive form. So “I want to taste” = ninataka kuonja, not ninataka onja or ninataka ni-onja.
Why is it supu hii and not hii supu?
In Swahili adjectives and demonstratives follow the noun they modify. Supu (“soup”) comes first, and hii (“this”) follows. That order—noun + adjective/demonstrative—is standard.
Why is the demonstrative hii and not hiyo?

Swahili distinguishes proximity:
• hii = “this” (near the speaker)
• hiyo = “that” (further away)
Since you’re talking about a soup that’s here/near you, you use hii.

How would I say “I wanted to taste this soup” or “I will want to taste this soup”?

Change the tense marker in the verb:
• Past: Nilitaka kuonja supu hii (“I wanted to taste this soup”)
• Future: Nitataka kuonja supu hii (“I will want to taste this soup”)

How can I say “I would like to taste this soup” more politely?

Use a conditional/polite form of penda or taka. For example:
Ningependa kuonja supu hii = “I would like to taste this soup.”

Can I use a pronoun instead of supu hii to say “I want to taste it”?

Yes. Replace supu hii with the class-9 object pronoun i inserted after ku-:
Ninataka kuionja.
This literally means “I want to taste it,” with ku- (infinitive) + i (object pronoun for class 9) + onja (taste).

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