Mimi ninatumia programu mpya ya kujifunza Kiswahili.

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Breakdown of Mimi ninatumia programu mpya ya kujifunza Kiswahili.

• kujifunza: to learn
• mpya: new
• ya: of
• kutumia: to use
• Kiswahili: Swahili
• programu: the program

Questions & Answers about Mimi ninatumia programu mpya ya kujifunza Kiswahili.

Why is Mimi included at the beginning when ninatumia already indicates the subject?

In Swahili the subject prefix ni- on ninatumia already means “I.” Adding Mimi is optional and is used for:

• Emphasis (to stress “I” did this)
• Clarity (especially in a longer conversation)
  You can drop it and still be correct: Ninatumia programu mpya ya kujifunza Kiswahili.

What does the -na- in ninatumia mean, and how is this verb formed?

ninatumia = ni- (1 sg subject) + -na- (present tense marker) + tumia (verb root “use”).

• ni- shows “I”
• -na- places the action in present / habitual / continuous time
• tumia is the root meaning “use”

How would I say “I used a new app to learn Swahili” (past tense)?

Replace the present marker -na- with the past marker -li-.
So it becomes nilitumia programu mpya ya kujifunza Kiswahili.

• ni- (I)
• -li- (past)
• tumia (use)

What noun class does programu belong to, and how can I tell?

• programu is a loanword ending in -u with no Bantu prefix → it sits in class 9.
• Class 9 nouns often have no visible prefix and their plural is identical (class 10).
  Knowing the noun class tells you which agreement markers to use (e.g., ya for genitive).

Does programu change in the plural?

No. Class 9/10 nouns like programu have the same form in singular and plural.
You’d rely on context or a quantifier if you need to specify “the apps.”

Why is the adjective placed after the noun (e.g., programu mpya)?

In Swahili adjectives normally follow the noun they describe.
Structure: [Noun] + [Adjective] → programu (app) + mpya (new).

What does ya in ya kujifunza do, and why not use kwa?

ya is the genitive (linking) connector for class 9 nouns. It attaches the noun programu to another noun or infinitive (kujifunza).

• It literally gives “app of learning Swahili.”
  You could also say kwa ajili ya kujifunza Kiswahili (“for the purpose of learning…”), but ya kujifunza Kiswahili is more concise.

What kind of word is kujifunza, and how is it formed?

kujifunza is an infinitive verb (= “to learn”). It’s built from:

• ku- (infinitive prefix)
• jifunza (verb root meaning “learn/teach oneself”)
  Here it acts like a noun (a learning‐action) after ya.

Why is Kiswahili capitalized and why does it begin with ki-?

• Kiswahili is a proper noun (the name of a language), so it’s capitalized.
• Bantu languages typically use class 7 for languages/tools, marked by the prefix ki- (e.g., Kifaransa, Kijapani).

How do you ask “Which app are you using to learn Swahili?” in Swahili?

Use the question word gani (“which”) after the noun:
Unatumia programu gani ya kujifunza Kiswahili?
Literally: “You-use app which of ‘to-learn Swahili’?”