Benchi iko katikati ya bustani.

to be

Breakdown of Benchi iko katikati ya bustani.

• ya: of
• bustani: the garden
• katikati: in the middle

Questions & Answers about Benchi iko katikati ya bustani.

Why is the verb iko used here instead of ni?

Swahili has two basic “to be” verbs:

• ni for identification or classification (e.g. Benchi ni la kuni “The bench is made of wood”).
• ko for location or existence in a place.

In our sentence Benchi iko katikati ya bustani, we’re talking about where the bench is. So we use iko (subject prefix i- for benchi + -ko) to mean “is located.”

What exactly does iko consist of, and why does it begin with i-?

iko = i- + -ko

• i- is the subject prefix for noun class 9 (to which benchi belongs).
• -ko is the root meaning “to be at/in a place.”
  Together they form “it is located.”

What does katikati mean, and how do you use it?

katikati means “middle” or “center.” It is a noun used in the fixed expression katikati ya X, which translates as “in the middle of X.” You never say katika katikati—it’s always katikati ya plus whatever place follows.