Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mwezi ujao, mimi nitapanda mbegu shambani. - Next month, I will plant seeds on the farm.

In Swahili the subject prefix ni- in nitapanda already means “I.” Adding mimi (“I, myself”) simply emphasizes or contrasts the subject (e.g. “I personally will…”). It’s optional: Nitapanda mbegu shambani alone is perfectly correct for “I will plant seeds on the farm.”

What do the parts of nitapanda mean? How is the future tense formed?

nitapanda breaks down into three pieces:
• ni- = 1st person singular subject (“I”)
• -ta- = future tense marker (“will”)
• panda = verb root “to plant”
Put together, nitapanda = “I will plant.”

Why isn’t there an object marker in nitapanda mbegu? Could I include one?

Swahili allows you to leave the object as a separate noun, so mbegu (“seeds”) stands on its own. If you want an object infix, you use the class-agreement prefix: mbegu is class 4 (plural of class 3), so the O-prefix is zi-. You’d get nitazipanda mbegu (“I will plant the seeds”), though most speakers just say nitapanda mbegu.

Which noun class does mbegu belong to, and how does that affect agreement?

Mbegu takes class 3/4 morphology: a singular prefix m- (class 3) and plural prefix mi- (class 4). In practice mbegu is irregular and stays the same for both singular and plural. When matching adjectives or object prefixes, treat it as class 4 (plural). For example: mbegu nyingi (“many seeds”) uses the class 4 adjective prefix n-.

Why is Mwezi ujao used for “next month” instead of mwezi unaokuja?

ujao is an adjective formed from -ja- (“to come”) with the adjective extension -ao, so Mwezi ujao literally “the month coming.” It’s shorter and very common. mwezi unaokuja is a full relative clause (“the month that is coming”), which is more formal or wordy.

What is the function of the -ni suffix in shambani?

Attaching -ni to a place noun makes it locative (“in/at/on”). shamba = “farm/field,” so shambani = “on the farm” or “in the field.”

Can I omit mimi at the start? What changes?

Yes. Since ni- already marks “I,” you can simply say Nitapanda mbegu shambani. Omitting mimi makes the sentence neutral; including mimi adds emphasis (“I myself…”).

What’s the difference between shambani and katika shamba?

Both mean “in/on the farm.” shambani uses the locative suffix -ni. katika shamba uses the preposition katika (“inside/in”) plus the noun shamba. They are interchangeable, though shambani is more concise.

How would I turn this statement into a yes/no question?

You can add the question word je or simply use rising intonation. For example:
• Je, nitapanda mbegu shambani mwezi ujao?
• Nitapanda mbegu shambani mwezi ujao?
Both mean “Will I plant seeds on the farm next month?”