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Mnara ni mzuri usiku.

Mnara ni mzuri usiku.
The tower is nice at night.
FromLesson 26inHardcore Swahili
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Breakdown of Mnara ni mzuri usiku.

kuwa
to be
mzuri
nice
usiku
at night
mnara
the tower

Questions & Answers about Mnara ni mzuri usiku.

Why do we use ni in this sentence? What is its function?
In Swahili, ni is the copula (the equivalent of the English verb “to be”) used in equational sentences. It links the subject (mnara) with the predicate adjective (mzuri), so Mnara ni mzuri literally means “The tower is beautiful.”
Why is there no article like the before mnara? How would I say the tower specifically?

Swahili has no separate words for a or the. A bare noun can be definite or indefinite by context. To specify “that tower,” you add a demonstrative:
mnara huo ni mzuri usiku
= “That tower is beautiful at night.”

Where does the m- in mzuri come from? Why isn’t it just zuri?
Adjectives in Swahili agree with their noun’s class. Mnara is a class 3 noun (prefix m-), so the adjective root zuri takes the same prefix: mzuri.
Why is there no preposition before usiku? How do we say at night in Swahili?
Time words like usiku (“night”) are used without a preposition to mean “at night.” You can also say katika usiku (“during the night”) or kwa usiku (“for the night”), but simply usiku is the usual way to express “at night.”
Can I move usiku around in the sentence? Is Usiku mnara ni mzuri correct?

Yes. Swahili allows flexible word order for adverbials.
Usiku mnara ni mzuri
or
Mnara usiku ni mzuri
both mean “The tower is beautiful at night,” with slight differences in emphasis on “night.”

How would I say towers are beautiful at night (plural)?

Use the plural noun minara (class 4) and its adjective agreement prefix mi- on zuri:
minara ni mizuri usiku
= “Towers are beautiful at night.”

What happens if I drop ni and say Mnara mzuri usiku?
Without ni, you get a noun phrase—“a beautiful tower at night”—not a full sentence. In equational statements linking a noun to an adjective, the copula ni is required.
How do I intensify mzuri to say very beautiful?

Add sana after the adjective:
Mnara ni mzuri sana usiku
= “The tower is very beautiful at night.”

More from this lesson

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