Usalama sokoni ni muhimu sana.

Safety at the market is very important.

Breakdown of Usalama sokoni ni muhimu sana.

• ni: to be
• kwenye: at
• soko: the market
• muhimu: important
• sana: very
• usalama: the safety

Questions & Answers about Usalama sokoni ni muhimu sana.

What does usalama mean?

Usalama is a noun meaning safety. It comes from the root -salama (“to be safe”) with the abstract noun prefix u-.

What does sokoni mean, and why is it not just soko?

soko means market. Adding the suffix -ni turns it into a locative noun (sokoni) meaning at the market. Many Swahili nouns form locatives this way (e.g. nyumba → nyumbani, mtaa → mtaani).

Why is there a ni before muhimu?

This ni is the copula (equivalent to is). In Swahili equational sentences you link subject and predicate with ni, for example Mimi ni mwalimu (I am a teacher) or Chai ni moto (Tea is hot).

Is the -ni in sokoni the same as the copula ni?

No. The -ni attached to soko is a locative suffix, while the separate word ni is the copula. They look identical but serve different functions.

Can I say Usalama kwenye soko ni muhimu sana instead?

Yes. kwenye means at or in, so Usalama kwenye soko also means safety at the market. Using sokoni is more concise; kwenye soko is more explicit or formal.

Why is sana placed after muhimu?

In Swahili, adverbs like sana (“very”) typically follow the adjective they modify (e.g. nzuri sana, rahisi sana). Putting sana before the adjective is non-standard.

Why are there no articles like the or a in this sentence?

Swahili does not use articles. Nouns appear without a or the, and context or demonstratives (e.g. hii, hiyo) clarify specificity if needed. Thus Usalama sokoni can mean either safety at the market or the safety at the market depending on context.