Niliona paka katikati ya sebule.

I saw the cat in the middle of the living room.

Breakdown of Niliona paka katikati ya sebule.

• mimi: I
• kuona: to see
• paka: the cat
• sebule: the living room
• katikati ya: in the middle of

Questions & Answers about Niliona paka katikati ya sebule.

What does niliona consist of?

It breaks down into three parts:
• ni- → subject prefix “I”
• -li- → past tense marker
• ona → verb root “see”
Together they form “I saw.”

Why isn’t there an English‐style article before paka?

Swahili doesn’t have separate indefinite articles (“a/an”). A bare noun like paka can mean “a cat” or simply “cat.” Definiteness is shown by context or by adding demonstratives (e.g. paka ile “that cat”).

What’s the basic word order in this sentence?

Swahili uses Subject–Verb–Object (SVO). Here:
Subject+Tense+VerbRoot (Niliona) → Verb phrase “I saw”
Object (paka) → “cat”
Location phrase follows the object.

Why do we say katikati ya sebule instead of katikati sebule?

katikati (“middle”) is a noun meaning “the middle.” To link it to another noun you need a genitive connector. Because sebule is class 9/10, the connector is ya, so katikati ya sebule = “the middle of the living room.”

How do noun classes affect the connector ya in katikati ya sebule?

Swahili nouns are grouped into classes, each with its own agreement markers.
• sebule belongs to class 9/10 (many loanwords and animal names).
• Class 9/10 genitive connector is ya.
Hence katikati ya sebule.

Can I drop ya and still be correct?

No. After katikati, a genitive connector is mandatory to link it with another noun. Omitting ya here would be ungrammatical.

If I want to say “I saw him in the middle of the living room,” how would I change it?

Use the 3 sg. object pronoun -m- before the verb root:
ni (I) + li (past) + m (him) + ona (see) → nilimona
Add the location: Nilimona katikati ya sebule.

Is it necessary to use an object marker when the noun paka is already mentioned?

No. If you explicitly state the object noun, you can omit the pronoun marker. Saying Niliona paka katikati ya sebule is perfectly fine. You could insert -m- (nilimona paka) for emphasis or clarity, but it isn’t required.

How would I make the sentence plural (“I saw cats in the middle of the living room”)?

paka is class 9/10, which often has the same singular and plural form. So the sentence stays:
Niliona paka katikati ya sebule.
If you want to stress plurality, add wengi (“many”):
Niliona paka wengi katikati ya sebule.