Breakdown of Sijawahi kuonja pilau ya nazi, lakini leo nitajaribu.
mimi
I
leo
today
lakini
but
kujaribu
to try
ya
of
kuonja
to taste
pilau
the pilau
sijawahi
never
nazi
the coconut
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Swahili grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Sijawahi kuonja pilau ya nazi, lakini leo nitajaribu.
What does Sijawahi literally consist of, and what does it mean?
Breakdown: si-ja-wahi
- si- = 1st person singular negative subject marker (I not)
- -ja- = negative perfect (have not)
- wahi = have the chance/ever Meaning: I have never (before). The affirmative counterpart is nimewahi (ni-me-wahi) = I have (at least once) ever…
Why is it kuonja after Sijawahi?
After the verb -wahi you use the infinitive ku- before the main verb: Sijawahi ku-… (not Sijawahi onja). Examples: Sijawahi kula…, Nimewahi kwenda….
What is the difference between kuonja, kujaribu, and kula?
- kuonja = to taste, to sample a small amount (food/drink) to check the flavor.
- kujaribu = to try/attempt (general). It can mean “try it out,” including trying a food, a task, or an idea.
- kula = to eat (have a meal). So Sijawahi kuonja focuses on tasting. Leo nitajaribu means today I’ll give it a try (not necessarily only a tiny taste).
Could I say Leo nitaonja instead of Leo nitajaribu?
Yes. Leo nitaonja pilau ya nazi = Today I will taste coconut pilau (i.e., I’ll sample it). Leo nitajaribu is broader: I’ll try (it), which could mean I’ll taste it or I’ll make the attempt generally.
Why is it ya in pilau ya nazi? What determines the form of of?
The associative connector (of) agrees with the class of the first noun. Pilau is an N-class (class 9/10) noun, and the class 9/10 connector is ya. Compare:
- nyumba ya mwalimu (nyumba is class 9)
- kitabu cha mwanafunzi (kitabu is class 7)
- gari la mwalimu (gari is class 5)
Is pilau la nazi ever used?
Standard and most common is pilau ya nazi (treating pilau as class 9). You may hear la from some speakers who treat pilau as class 5, but ya is the safest and most widely accepted.
Does nazi mean coconut or coconut milk here?
Nazi means coconut(s). Pilau ya nazi usually implies the pilau is made with coconut products, typically coconut milk (tui la nazi or maziwa ya nazi). Coconut water is maji ya nazi.
How is nitajaribu put together?
ni-ta-jaribu
- ni- = I (subject)
- ta- = future tense
- jaribu = try It is written as one word: nitajaribu = I will try.
Do I need an object marker for it (e.g., nitaijaribu, kuionja)?
- Default when the object follows the verb: no object marker. Example: Nitajaribu pilau ya nazi.
- Use the object marker when the object is known/topical or not repeated. Examples:
- Nitai jaribu leo (I will try it today) → written: nitaijaribu.
- Sijawahi kuionja (I have never tasted it).
- If you front the object, you typically also use the object marker: Pilau ya nazi, nitaijaribu leo. Doubling (both OM + full noun) with a post-verbal object is less neutral in Standard Swahili.
Where can leo go, and does placement change meaning?
Flexible:
- Leo nitajaribu (fronting leo adds emphasis to today).
- Nitajaribu leo (neutral).
- Lakini leo nitajaribu or Lakini nitajaribu leo are both fine. Placement mainly affects emphasis, not core meaning.
Is the comma before lakini necessary?
No. You can write Sijawahi kuonja pilau ya nazi lakini leo nitajaribu or split it: Sijawahi kuonja pilau ya nazi. Lakini leo nitajaribu. Comma use is optional and follows general writing style preferences.
How should I pronounce the tricky parts?
- Sijawahi: si-ja-wa-hi (h is audible; j like English j in jam).
- kuonja: ku-on-ja (two vowels uo in separate syllables; nj pronounced like the n in hand + j in jam, approximating [ondʒa]).
- pilau: pi-la-u (three syllables; au pronounced a-u, not “pow”).
- nazi: na-zi (z is voiced like in zebra).
Is there a difference between Sijawahi kuonja and Sijaonja?
Yes:
- Sijawahi kuonja = I have never (ever) tasted (up to now).
- Sijaonja = I haven’t tasted (no “ever” nuance; could be just not yet).
- Bado sijaonja = I haven’t tasted yet.
How would I say I had never tasted… (past perfect)?
Two natural options when referring to a past reference point:
- Sikuwahi kuonja pilau ya nazi… (I never got to taste… up to that past time)
- Sikuwa nimewahi kuonja pilau ya nazi… (I had never tasted…) Example: Kabla ya jana, sikuwa nimewahi kuonja pilau ya nazi, lakini jana niliijaribu.
How do I ask Have you ever tasted coconut pilau?
- Je, umewahi kuonja pilau ya nazi?
- Umewahi kuonja pilau ya nazi? (je is optional) Colloquial: Ushawahi kuonja pilau ya nazi? / Umesh(w)ahi kuonja…?
Can I emphasize never more strongly?
Yes. Common intensifiers:
- kabisa (completely): Sijawahi kabisa kuonja…
- kamwe (ever/at all, in negatives): Sijawahi kuonja… kamwe.
- hata mara moja (not even once): Sijawahi kuonja… hata mara moja.