Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Swahili grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Mimi nina vitabu tatu.
What does Mimi mean here?
Mimi is the subject pronoun I. In Swahili the verb already carries a prefix showing the subject, so mimi is optional and used mainly for emphasis or clarity.
Is it necessary to say Mimi if nina already shows “I”?
No. The verb nina includes the 1st‐person prefix ni-, so nina vitabu tatu alone means I have three books. You add mimi only when you want to stress or contrast I against someone else.
Why is the verb nina translated as “have”? How is it formed?
The basic verb for “to have” is kuwa na. In present tense:
- ni- = 1st-person singular subject (“I”)
- -na- = present-tense marker
- na = stem from kuwa na (“have”)
Combined: ni-
- -na-
- na → nina (“I have”).
- -na-
What does vitabu mean, and how does it relate to kitabu?
Kitabu is the singular noun for book (noun class 7). To form the plural in class 8, the prefix ki- changes to vi-, giving vitabu = books.
Why does the number tatu come after the noun?
In Swahili, cardinal numbers from three to nine follow the noun they modify. So you say noun + number, e.g. vitabu tatu = three books.
Why doesn’t tatu take any noun-class prefix?
Only the numbers one and two agree with noun classes (e.g. kimoja, viwili). Numbers three through ten are invariable, so tatu, nne, etc., never get an extra prefix.
How do I say “I don’t have three books”?
The negative of nina is sina. So you replace ni- with si- and use sina:
Sina vitabu tatu. = I don’t have three books.
How would I ask “Do you have three books?” in Swahili?
Use Je at the beginning (or just intonation) and change to the 2nd-person prefix u-:
Je, una vitabu tatu? = Do you have three books?