Breakdown of Kifaa ninachotumia kinahitaji umeme.
kuhitaji
to need
umeme
the electricity
kifaa
the device
ninachotumia
which I use
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Questions & Answers about Kifaa ninachotumia kinahitaji umeme.
What does each part of the sentence do, literally?
- Kifaa — device/tool (noun class 7; plural: vifaa)
- ninachotumia — ni- (I) + -na- (present) + -cho- (class 7 relative “that/which”) + -tumia (use) = “that I use”
- kinahitaji — ki- (class 7 subject agreement for kifaa) + -na- (present) + -hitaji (need) = “needs”
- umeme — electricity (mass noun; no regular plural)
Why is it kinahitaji and not inahitaji?
Because the subject is class 7 (kifaa), which takes the class 7 subject marker ki-. Inahitaji would agree with class 9 nouns like simu (phone): Simu ninayotumia inahitaji umeme.
What does the -cho- in ninachotumia mean?
-cho- is the class 7 relative marker meaning “that/which,” agreeing with kifaa. It’s placed after the tense marker: ni- (I) + -na- (present) + -cho- (rel.) + -tumia (use) → ninachotumia “that I use.”
Can I say Kifaa natumia … instead of Kifaa ninachotumia …?
No. Standard Swahili requires a relative marker (or an amba- form) to link the noun with its clause. Say either Kifaa ninachotumia … or Kifaa ambacho ninatumia …
Can I use ambacho instead of the -cho- form?
Yes: Kifaa ambacho ninatumia kinahitaji umeme. The amba- relative (ambacho) is fully correct and common; it’s a bit more explicit. The -cho- form is slightly more compact.
How would I make the sentence plural?
Vifaa ninavyotumia vinahitaji umeme. Changes:
- Kifaa → Vifaa (class 7→8)
- -cho- → -vyo- (class 8 relative)
- ki- → vi- (class 8 subject agreement)
How would I say “The device that needs electricity”?
Kifaa kinachohitaji umeme. Here the head noun (kifaa) is the subject of the relative clause, so the relative marker is on the verb that takes kifaa as subject: ki-na-cho-hitaji.
How do I negate the sentence?
Kifaa ninachotumia hakihitaji umeme. In the negative present:
- ha- (negative) + ki- (class 7 subject) + hitaji with final -i (no -na- in negative present).
Do I need a word for “the” or “a”?
No. Swahili has no articles; definiteness is inferred from context. With a relative clause, English often translates kifaa as “the device (that …).”
Is umeme the same as “power”?
Use umeme for electrical power. Nguvu means “power/strength” in a general sense, not specifically electricity. “It needs a lot of electricity” = Kinahitaji umeme mwingi.
Why is ninachotumia one word? Can I write ni na cho tumia?
Swahili writes the subject marker, tense, relative marker, and verb as one word. So ni- + -na- + -cho- + -tumia → ninachotumia (one verb complex).
Can I also add an object marker: Kifaa ninachokitumia …?
Avoid this in standard Swahili. The relative marker (-cho-) already points back to kifaa; adding the object marker (-ki-) is redundant. You’ll hear it in some speech, but it’s not standard.
How do I say this with a different noun class, e.g., “phone”?
Simu ninayotumia inahitaji umeme. Simu is class 9:
- Relative marker: -yo- (ninayo-tumia)
- Subject agreement: i- (ina-hitaji)
What does the -na- tense mean here—progressive or simple present?
-na- covers general present time (simple or ongoing), so kinahitaji is naturally “needs.” For habitual/generic statements you can also use hu-: Kifaa ninachotumia huhitaji umeme (“the device I use usually/typically needs electricity”).
Pronunciation tips?
- Stress the second-to-last syllable in each word: ki-FAA, ni-na-cho-tu-MI-a, ki-na-ha-TA-ji, u-ME-me.
- ch is like English ch in “church.”
- Every vowel is pronounced; adjacent vowels belong to separate syllables.