Breakdown of Ninaangalia runinga jioni.
mimi
I
katika
in
jioni
the evening
kuangalia
to watch
runinga
the television
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Questions & Answers about Ninaangalia runinga jioni.
What are the parts of ninaangalia, and what does each part do?
ni- = first person singular subject marker (“I”)
-na- = present tense marker (habitual or continuous)
angalia = verb root meaning watch
Together, ninaangalia literally means I watch or I am watching.
Why don't we need to write mimi (I) separately?
The prefix ni- on ninaangalia already marks mimi (I). Swahili verbs carry subject markers so you can drop the independent pronoun. You would only add Mimi for emphasis: Mimi ninaangalia runinga jioni.
Why isn't there an article before runinga?
Swahili has no definite or indefinite articles like the or a. A noun like runinga can mean TV, the TV, or a TV based on context.
Why isn't runinga marked as an object inside the verb?
When the object noun follows the verb, Swahili normally omits the object concord/marker. Instead of saying Ninairangalia runinga, you simply say Ninaangalia runinga. Object markers appear when the noun is absent or you need strong emphasis.
What noun class is runinga, and how can I recognize it?
runinga is in noun class 9/10, which includes many loanwords. Class 9 nouns often don’t change form between singular and plural and typically start with a consonant plus u-.
What does jioni mean, and why is there no preposition like in or at?
jioni means evening. Swahili uses time words directly as adverbs without prepositions. So jioni alone functions like in the evening.
Why is jioni placed at the end of the sentence? Can it go elsewhere?
Standard Swahili order is Subject–Verb–Object, with time/place words after the object. For emphasis, you can move jioni to the front: Jioni ninaangalia runinga (“In the evening, I watch TV”).
Does Ninaangalia runinga jioni mean “I watch TV in the evening” as a habit or “I'm watching TV this evening” right now?
The present marker -na- covers both habitual and ongoing actions. Context clarifies whether it's a regular habit or a current activity. To emphasize habit, you might say Kila jioni ninaangalia runinga (“Every evening I watch TV”). To focus on a planned session, switch to future tense.
How would I say I will watch TV in the evening in Swahili?
Use the future tense marker -ta-: Nitaangalia runinga jioni (“I will watch TV in the evening”).
Are runinga and televisheni interchangeable?
Yes. Both are loanwords meaning television. runinga is the more common colloquial term, while televisheni appears frequently in formal or written Swahili.