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Questions & Answers about Tunajivunia ushindi wetu.
How is "proud of" expressed in Swahili here? Does Swahili need a word for "of"?
Swahili uses the verb kujivunia to mean to be proud of / to take pride in. The “of” idea is built into the verb, so you follow it directly with the thing you’re proud of: Tunajivunia ushindi wetu = “We are proud of our victory.” You do not add a separate preposition like “of” or “kwa.”
What does each part of the sentence correspond to?
- tuna- = tu- (we) + -na- (present/ongoing)
- jivunia = verb stem from kujivunia “be proud of”
- ushindi = “victory”
- wetu = “our” (possessive agreeing with the noun’s class) So, Tunajivunia ushindi wetu = “We are proud of our victory.”
What does the -ji- in kujivunia do?
-ji- is the reflexive marker, indicating the action relates back to the subject (“oneself”). In this idiom, kujivunia has the established meaning “to be proud of.”
What tense/aspect is tunajivunia?
The -na- marker gives a present/ongoing or general-present sense. It can mean “we are proud (now)” or “we take pride (in general).” For completed action, use -me-: Tumejivunia… (“we have taken pride in…”). For simple past, -li-: Tulijivunia… (“we were proud of…”).
Why is it “ushindi wetu” and not “ushindi wa sisi”?
Default possession uses possessive adjectives that agree with the noun class. Ushindi takes w- for the possessive, so wetu = “our.” Ushindi wetu is the normal form. Wa sisi can appear for emphasis or in phrases like ushindi wa sisi sote (“the victory of all of us”), but wetu is the default.
What noun class is “ushindi,” and how does that affect agreement?
Ushindi is an abstract u- noun (often labeled class 14). Possessives with this class use w-: wangu, wako, wake, wetu, wenu, wao. Hence wetu. Note that ushindi typically has no plural.
Can “wetu” come before the noun?
No. Possessives follow the noun: ushindi wetu. If you want “The victory is ours,” use a predicate: Ushindi ni wetu.
How would I say “We are proud of it” (referring to “ushindi”)?
Use the object marker for class 14 (u-) on the verb and omit the noun: Tunaujivunia. Structure: tu- (we) + -na- (present) + -u- (object marker) + -jivunia.
How do I say “We are proud of you / him-her / them (people)”?
Use object markers:
- You (sg.): Tunakujivunia
- Him/Her (class 1): Tunamjivunia
- Them (people, class 2): Tunawajivunia You can also keep the noun/pronoun for clarity: Tunamjivunia mwanafunzi wetu, etc.
Is “kujivunia” positive like “to be proud,” or does it sound like boasting?
Kujivunia is generally positive/neutral (“take legitimate pride”). For boasting/showing off, use kujigamba or kujisifu. Tunajivunia ushindi wetu is not boastful by itself.
How do I negate the sentence?
Use the negative prefix ha- with the subject and change the final vowel to -i: Hatujivunii ushindi wetu = “We are not proud of our victory.”
Can I say “We are proud because of our victory”?
If you want to state the cause explicitly, it’s more natural to use a “pride” noun/verb plus “because”: Tunaona fahari kwa sababu ya ushindi wetu (“We feel pride because of our victory”). With kujivunia, adding kwa sababu ya is usually unnecessary since the object already specifies what you’re proud of.
How would I say “We are proud of what we did”?
Use a relative clause as the object: Tunajivunia kile tulichokifanya. In casual speech you may hear Tunajivunia tulichokifanya.
Is “ushindi” countable? How do I talk about multiple wins?
Ushindi is typically uncountable. To express multiple wins, refer to the events: mechi tulizoshinda (matches we won), michezo mitatu tuliyoshinda (three games we won), or ushindi wa mara tatu (a triple victory).
Any pronunciation tips?
- Tunajivunia: tu-na-ji-vu-ni-a (stress on -ni-). “j” as in “jam,” “u” like “oo” in “food.”
- ushindi: u-shin-di (“sh” as in “shoe”; “nd” together).
- wetu: we-tu (“e” as in “bet”).
Can I swap “kujivunia” for something like “have/feel pride”?
Yes. Kuwa na/kuona fahari also works: Tunayo/Tunaona fahari ya ushindi wetu. These can sound a bit more formal. Tunajivunia ushindi wetu is the most idiomatic everyday option.
Should “tunajivunia” be written as one word or two?
One word. In Swahili, subject markers, tense markers, and object markers attach to the verb as a single word: tunajivunia, not “tuna jivunia.”