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Questions & Answers about Mimi ninaona nyota nyingi usiku.
Why is Mimi used here? Is it mandatory?
Mimi means I and adds emphasis or clarity. It’s not required because the verb already has the subject prefix ni- (1st person singular). You can say Ninaona nyota nyingi usiku without Mimi and it still means “I see many stars at night.”
What is the structure of ninaona?
ninaona breaks down into three parts:
- ni- = 1st person singular subject prefix (“I”)
- -na- = present tense marker
- ona = verb root “see”
Put together: ni + na + ona = ninaona (“I see”).
Why does nyota stay the same for singular and plural?
Nyota belongs to noun class 9/10, which uses an identical form for both singular and plural. Number is indicated by context, adjectives, or numerals, not by changing the noun itself.
How do I know nyota nyingi means “many stars”?
In class 9/10, the adjective “many” takes the prefix nyi- plus -ingi, forming nyingi. So nyota nyingi literally is “stars many,” i.e. “many stars.”
Why is there no preposition before usiku? How does it mean “at night”?
Time nouns like usiku function as adverbials in Swahili. Placed after the verb phrase, usiku naturally means “at night” without a separate preposition.
Can I put usiku at the beginning? For example, Usiku ninaona nyota nyingi?
Yes. Fronting the time expression adds emphasis but doesn’t change the meaning: “At night, I see many stars.”
How would you change the sentence to past tense (“I saw many stars at night”)?
Replace the present tense marker -na- with the past tense marker -li-:
Mimi niliona nyota nyingi usiku (“I saw many stars at night”).
How do I say “I see one star at night”?
Use the numeral moja (“one”) instead of nyingi:
Mimi ninaona nyota moja usiku.
How would you say “They see many stars at night”?
Change the subject prefix to wa- (3rd person plural):
Wanaona nyota nyingi usiku (or with pronoun: Wao wanaona nyota nyingi usiku).