Mimi ninapenda kasi ya gari hili.

I like the speed of this car.

Breakdown of Mimi ninapenda kasi ya gari hili.

• mimi: I
• kupenda: to like
• hili: this
• gari: the car
• ya: of
• kasi: the speed

Questions & Answers about Mimi ninapenda kasi ya gari hili.

Why do we sometimes include Mimi at the beginning? Is it necessary?

Mimi is the independent pronoun I. It’s not strictly necessary because Swahili verbs carry subject prefixes. In ninapenda, the ni- already tells you the subject is I. You include Mimi only for emphasis or clarity (“As for me, I like…”).

What does ninapenda break down into?

It’s three parts glued together:
• ni- = 1st person singular subject prefix (“I”)
• na- = present-tense marker (“am …ing” or simple present)
• penda = verb root meaning like/love
Together ninapenda means I like or I am liking (habitual/simple present).

Can I just say penda to mean “I like”?

No. penda on its own is the root and often used as an imperative (“like!” or “love!”). To express “I like,” you need at least the present-tense verb form napenda or ninapenda.

What does kasi mean in this sentence?

kasi means speed or velocity.

Why is it kasi ya gari hili and not kasi cha gari hili?

The connector (ya/cha) must agree with the noun class of the noun that follows. gari is in noun class 5 (singular), and class 5 takes ya. Classes 7/8 take cha instead.

Why is the demonstrative hili used, not hii or huu?

Every Swahili noun class has its own set of demonstratives. gari is class 5 singular, whose proximal demonstrative is hili.
• Class 5: hili
• Class 6 (plurals like magari): haya
• Class 9/10: hii/hivi, etc.

Must the demonstrative come after the noun, or can I say hili gari?

In Swahili the demonstrative follows the noun: gari hili (this car), never hili gari.

Can I drop Mimi and just say Ninapenda kasi ya gari hili?

Yes. “Ninapenda kasi ya gari hili” is perfectly natural. You only add Mimi for special emphasis (“Me, I like the speed of this car”).

Is there any nuance between ninapenda and napenda here?

They’re virtually the same in everyday speech.
• na- (present) + root = napenda
• ni+na- = ninapenda
Some learners see ni- + na- as slightly more formal or explicit, but both mean I like in the present.