Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mshirika wangu ananisaidia kuandika ripoti.

Breakdown of a-na-ni-saidia:
• a- = subject prefix for he/she (agrees with noun class 1, e.g. mshirika)
• -na- = present-tense marker (covers both simple present and present continuous)
• -ni- = object prefix for me
• saidia = verb root “help”
Putting it together: a-na-ni-saidia = “he/she is helping me.”

Why do we say mshirika wangu instead of wangu mshirika?

In Swahili the possessive pronoun follows the noun. So you always say noun + yangu/we + yako etc.
• mshirika wangu = partner my = my partner
Placing wangu before mshirika would be ungrammatical.

Why is there a ku- in kuandika? Why can’t we just say andika ripoti?

ku- is the infinitive marker in Swahili (equivalent to to in English). After verbs like saidia (“help”), you need the infinitive for the action that’s being helped:
• saidia kuandika ripoti = “help (to) write a report.”
If you said saidia andika, it would be ungrammatical—Swahili always uses the ku- form after saidia.

Why is there no a or the before ripoti? Where are the English articles?

Swahili does not use articles like a or the. Nouns simply appear without an equivalent article. Context tells you whether it’s definite or indefinite.

Why does ananisaidia have the object marker -ni-? What happens if I drop it?

The -ni- in ananisaidia marks “me” as the object.
• With -ni-: ananisaidia = “he/she is helping me.”
• Without -ni-: anasidia = “he/she helps” (no object specified).
To say “helps me,” the object prefix -ni- is mandatory.

How do I change the sentence to mean “My partner will help me write a report”?

Replace the present marker -na- with the future marker -ta- while keeping a-, -ni-, and saidia:
Mshirika wangu a-ta-ni-saidia kuandika ripoti.
→ Mshirika wangu atanisaidia kuandika ripoti.
= My partner will help me write a report.

How would I say “My partner helped me write a report” in the past tense?

Swap -na- for the past marker -li-:
Mshirika wangu a-li-ni-saidia kuandika ripoti.
→ Mshirika wangu alinisadia kuandika ripoti.
= My partner helped me write a report.

How can I specify “my report” instead of just “a report”?

Add the possessive yangu after ripoti:
• kuandika ripoti yangu = “to write my report.”
Full sentence: Mshirika wangu ananisaidia kuandika ripoti yangu.

Does the present marker -na- always mean a continuous action, or can it be habitual as well?

The Swahili -na- covers both:
• Ongoing action: ananisaidia = “he/she is helping me (right now).”
• Habitual/general truth: ananisaidia can also mean “he/she helps me (routinely).”
Context tells you which sense is intended.

How do you form the plural of ripoti if it stays the same? How do I say “reports”?

Ripoti is in noun class 9/10 (loanword). Class 9 singular and class 10 plural both have no noun-class prefix, so the form remains ripoti. To show plural you add a number or descriptor:
• ripoti mbili = two reports
• ripoti nyingi = many reports