Learn Hardcore Swahili: Nilibeba mkoba mzito kwenye bega langu la kushoto. - I carried a heavy bag on my left shoulder.

ni- is the subject prefix for “I.”
-li- is the past tense marker.
beba is the verb root meaning “carry.”
Together, nilibeba means “I carried” or “I was carrying.”

What does mkoba mean and which noun class is it in?

mkoba means “bag.” It belongs to noun class 3 (singular m-/mi-). The plural form is mikoba (class 4).

Why is the adjective mzito used instead of just zito?

Adjectives must agree with the noun’s class.

The root “heavy” is zito.
For class 3 nouns like mkoba, you add the class 3 adjective prefix m-, giving mzito.
So mkoba mzito = “heavy bag.”

What role does kwenye play in this sentence?

kwenye is a preposition meaning “in/at/on.” Here it functions as “on,” indicating location:
“on my left shoulder” = kwenye bega langu la kushoto.

Why are there two la in bega langu la kushoto?

The la in langu is part of the possessive suffix -angu (class 5 “my”).
The second la is a linking preposition that connects bega langu (“my shoulder”) to kushoto (“left”), literally “shoulder of left.”

What does kushoto mean and why does it require la?

kushoto means “left.” When used as a modifier of a noun, it acts like a noun itself, so you need the preposition la to link it:
la kushoto = “of left,” i.e. “left (side).”

How do you form the plural “heavy bags” in Swahili?

mkoba (class 3) → mikoba (class 4).
mzito (class 3 adjective) → mizito (class 4 adjective).
Result: mikoba mizito = “heavy bags.”

Can you omit kwenye and say nilibeba mkoba mzito bega langu la kushoto?

No. Without a locative preposition (like kwenye or juu ya), there’s nothing to mark “on.” The sentence would be incomplete.

How else could you express “on my left shoulder” in Swahili?

You can use juu ya (“on top of”) instead of kwenye:
“nilibeba mkoba mzito juu ya bega langu la kushoto”