Questions & Answers about Mimi ninapenda kupiga simu baada ya kazi.
Why is mimi used at the beginning of the sentence? Is it necessary?
Mimi means I and is a subject pronoun. In Swahili the verb prefix (here ni- in ninapenda) already tells you the subject, so mimi is optional. You include mimi only for extra emphasis or to contrast with someone else (“Mimi ninapenda…, lakini yeye hapendi”).
What do the prefixes ni- and -na- in ninapenda signify?
ninapenda splits into three parts:
• ni- = subject prefix “I”
• -na- = present/habitual tense marker (“am/always …ing” or “like to …”)
• penda = verb root “love/like”
Altogether ninapenda means “I like” or “I (habitually) like to …”.
Why does the verb phrase kupiga simu start with ku- instead of a conjugated form?
In Swahili, ku- is the infinitive prefix—equivalent to English to. After certain verbs of preference or ability (like penda, weza, anza) the following verb stays in the infinitive form (ku-root). So ninapenda kupiga simu literally is “I like to call.”
What is the literal translation of kupiga simu?
Literally, means “strike/press,” and means “earpiece/phone.” So is “to press (on) a phone,” idiomatically “to make a call” or “to phone someone.”