Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mimi ninakopa pesa kutoka benki kila mwezi. - I borrow money from the bank every month.

Independent pronouns like mimi are optional in Swahili. The subject prefix ni- on ninakopa (“I borrow”) already tells you the subject is “I.” You include mimi only for emphasis or clarity. You could perfectly say Ninakopa pesa… without mimi.

How is ninakopa formed, and what does each piece mean?

ninakopa breaks down into three parts:
• ni- (subject prefix for “I”)
• -na- (present/habitual tense marker)
• kopa (verb root “borrow”)
Together, they literally mean “I am borrowing” or simply “I borrow.”

Does -na- in ninakopa express a one-time action or a regular habit?

The tense marker -na- typically indicates a present or habitual action. In this sentence, kila mwezi (“every month”) makes it clear that borrowing happens regularly, so it’s habitual here.

What is pesa, and why doesn’t it change form between singular and plural?

pesa means “money.” It’s a mass (uncountable) noun, so it doesn’t take separate singular or plural markers. Many abstract or collective nouns in Swahili behave the same way.

What role does kutoka play in this sentence?

kutoka comes from the infinitive -toka (“to come out, originate”) and functions as a preposition meaning “from.” So kutoka benki literally means “from the bank.”

Why is there no word for “the” or “a” before benki?

Swahili has no definite or indefinite articles like “the” or “a.” Whether something is definite or indefinite is inferred from context or added with demonstratives (e.g., benki hiyo for “that bank”).

What does kila mwezi mean, and why does it appear at the end?

kila means “every” and mwezi means “month,” so kila mwezi is “every month.” In Swahili, time expressions often come after the verb-object phrase, so placing kila mwezi at the end is the normal word order.