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Questions & Answers about Mimi sina pochi leo.
Is the pronoun Mimi necessary here?
No. The verb form sina already shows the subject (1st person singular). You can simply say Sina pochi leo. Keeping Mimi adds emphasis, roughly “As for me, I don’t have a purse today.”
What exactly is sina and how is it formed?
Sina is the negative present form of “to have.” It comes from the negative subject prefix si- (I don’t) + na (have/with), fused as one word. Other persons:
- I have: nina | I don’t have: sina
- You (sg.) have: una | don’t: huna
- He/She has: ana | don’t: hana
- We have: tuna | don’t: hatuna
- You (pl.) have: mna | don’t: hamna
- They have: wana | don’t: hawana
Why isn’t it written as two words (si na)?
Standard Swahili writes it as one word: sina. You may see si na informally, but the correct, usual spelling is fused.
Where is the verb “to have” in Swahili?
Swahili typically expresses “to have” with the construction kuwa na (“to be with”). In the present, it’s realized as the short forms above (e.g., nina, una, sina). So Mimi sina pochi leo literally is “I am-not with purse today.”
Can the time word leo go somewhere else in the sentence?
Yes. Common options:
- Leo sina pochi.
- Sina pochi leo.
- Mimi sina pochi leo. All are natural; putting leo first emphasizes “today.”
What does pochi mean exactly—purse or wallet?
It covers small money-carrying items: a purse, wallet, or coin purse. In East Africa:
- pochi often = a wallet or a small/ladies’ purse.
- For a handbag, people often use mkoba. Context clarifies which English item is meant; if needed you can say pochi la pesa (money wallet) or mkoba (handbag).
How do I say “my purse” or “your purse” here?
You add a possessive that agrees with the noun class of pochi:
- Many speakers treat pochi as class 9/10: pochi yangu, pochi yako, pochi yake, etc.
- Dictionaries/standard also allow class 5/6: singular pochi langu, plural mapochi (then possessive plural mapochi yangu). Both patterns are heard. Locally, pochi yangu is very common.
What’s the plural of pochi?
Two patterns exist:
- Class 5/6 (very common in dictionaries): singular pochi, plural mapochi.
- Class 9/10 (some speakers): plural also pochi (no change), with plural agreement on modifiers. You’ll encounter both; follow the pattern the people around you use.
Could I say “I don’t have it today” without naming the item?
Yes: Sina leo can work if the item is obvious from context, but it’s clearer to say Sina (hiyo) leo or simply repeat the noun: Sina pochi leo. For “I don’t have any,” you can use Sina chochote (I don’t have anything) or with the noun: Sina pochi yoyote (I don’t have any purse).
How would I ask someone “Do you have a purse today?”
- Neutral: Je, una pochi leo?
- Conversational: Una pochi leo? For “Don’t you have a purse today?”: Huna pochi leo?
Is there any difference between Mimi sina pochi leo and saying Leo hii sina pochi?
Leo hii means “this very day/today specifically” and adds emphasis or immediacy. It’s a bit stronger than plain leo, but both are fine.
How should I pronounce the words and where is the stress?
- Mimi: “MEE-mee” (stress on the first syllable; Swahili stress is on the second-to-last syllable).
- sina: “SEE-nah” (stress on “si”).
- pochi: “POH-chee” (stress on “po”; ch = English “ch”).
- leo: “LEH-oh” (two syllables, stress on “le”).