Ufaulu ni muhimu darasani.

to be

Breakdown of Ufaulu ni muhimu darasani.

• katika: in
• muhimu: important
• darasa: the classroom
• ufaulu: the success

Questions & Answers about Ufaulu ni muhimu darasani.

What does ufaulu mean, and how is it formed?

Ufaulu means success.
It’s formed from:

• Prefix u- (marks an abstract noun, noun class 15)
• Root -faulu (from the verb ku-faulu, “to succeed”)

What’s the difference between faulu and ufaulu?

• Faulu (from ku-faulu) is the verb to succeed or to pass.
• Ufaulu is the noun success, made by adding the abstract prefix u- to faulu.

Why is ni used between ufaulu and muhimu?

Swahili uses the copula ni to link a noun with an adjective or noun complement in a positive statement. It functions like is in English when there’s no tense or subject prefix.

How would I say “Success is not important in class” in Swahili?

Use the negative copula sio (not ni) because ufaulu starts with a vowel:
Ufaulu sio muhimu darasani.
This directly means “Success is not important in class.”

What does darasani mean, and why is there no separate word for “in”?

• Darasani means in the classroom or in class.
• It’s darasa (class) + the locative suffix -ni (meaning “in/at”).
  Swahili expresses location with suffixes rather than separate prepositions.

Why is muhimu not given a noun-class agreement prefix here?

The adjective muhimu belongs to a small group of adjectives of state that do not take noun-class prefixes when they follow the copula ni. It remains muhimu for all noun classes in that position.

What noun class does ufaulu belong to, and does it have a plural form?

Ufaulu is in noun class 15 (abstract nouns), marked by u-. Class 15 nouns usually express abstract concepts and generally have no plural form.

Can I change the word order to emphasize darasani?

Yes. Swahili is flexible, so you can front the locative for emphasis:
Darasani ufaulu ni muhimu.
This highlights “in class” without changing the basic meaning.