Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mwimbaji ana sauti nzuri.

In this sentence ana is the fused form of a- (he/she) + na (have/with) from the verb phrase kuwa na “to have.” So ana = “he/she has.”
The -na- you know as a present marker is used inside other verbs (e.g., anaimba “he/she is singing”), but with kuwa na, it forms these fixed “have” forms.

How do I negate “has” here?

Use the special negative forms of kuwa na:

sina (I don’t have)
huna (you sg. don’t have)
hana (he/she doesn’t have)
hatuna (we don’t have)
hamna (you pl. don’t have)
hawana (they don’t have)

So: Mwimbaji hana sauti nzuri = “The singer doesn’t have a good voice.”

How would I make the sentence plural (“singers have good voices”)?

Change the noun and the verb to class 2 (plural of class 1):

Waimbaji wana sauti nzuri. Notes:
Mwimbaji → Waimbaji
ana → wana
sauti (class 9/10) doesn’t change form for plural.
nzuri stays nzuri for class 9/10 singular and plural.

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

Swahili has no articles. Mwimbaji can mean “a singer” or “the singer” depending on context. To be explicit:

“this singer” = mwimbaji huyu
“that singer” = mwimbaji yule
“a certain/one singer” = mwimbaji mmoja

Why does the adjective come after the noun (sauti nzuri)?

In Swahili, adjectives normally follow the noun and agree with its noun class. Sauti is class 9, and the agreeing adjective is nzuri (class 9/10 form). Hence: sauti nzuri.

Should it be “mzuri” or “nzuri”? I’ve seen both.

It depends on the noun’s class:

Class 1 (people, singular): mzuri (e.g., mwimbaji mzuri = “a good singer”)
Class 2 (people, plural): wazuri (e.g., waimbaji wazuri)
Class 9/10 (like sauti): nzuri (both sg. and pl.): sauti nzuri

Is “sauti” singular or plural here?

Here it’s understood as singular (“a voice”). Class 9/10 nouns like sauti often have the same form in singular and plural, so context tells you which is meant.

Can I say “The singer’s voice is good” instead?

Yes: Sauti ya mwimbaji ni nzuri.

ya links a class 9 noun (sauti) to its possessor (mwimbaji).
ni is the copula “is.”

How do I ask “Does the singer have a good voice?”

Je, mwimbaji ana sauti nzuri?
You can also ask with rising intonation: Mwimbaji ana sauti nzuri?

What’s the difference between “mwimbaji” and “mwanamuziki”?

Mwimbaji = singer (specifically someone who sings)
Mwanamuziki = musician (could be a singer, instrumentalist, etc.)

How is “mwimbaji” formed?

Verb: kuimba (to sing)
Agentive suffix: -aji (doer of the action)
Human noun class 1 prefix: m- (surface form mw- before vowels) Result: mw- + imba + -aji → mwimbaji = “singer.”

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

Mwimbaji: break it as mwi-mba-ji. The cluster mw is like “mw” in “mwah.” Stress tends to fall on the second-to-last syllable: mwi-MBA-ji.
sauti: pronounce both vowels separately: sa-u-ti (not like English “sawty”).
nzuri: start with an audible n before z: n-ZU-ri. Stress: n-ZU-ri (penultimate syllable).

How would I intensify it: “The singer has a very good voice”?

Add sana after the adjective: Mwimbaji ana sauti nzuri sana.

Why not say “anayo sauti nzuri”?

Use anayo when the object is pronominalized or relativized (class 9 object marker -yo), e.g., Anayo? (“Does he/she have it?”) or Sauti anayo ni nzuri (“The voice that he/she has is good”). With an explicit noun object, the natural form is ana sauti nzuri.