Sisi tunapenda machweo ukingoni mwa bahari.

We like the sunset by the ocean.

Breakdown of Sisi tunapenda machweo ukingoni mwa bahari.

• sisi: we
• kupenda: to like
• bahari: the ocean
• ukingoni mwa: at the edge of
• machweo: the sunset

Questions & Answers about Sisi tunapenda machweo ukingoni mwa bahari.

Why is Sisi there if tunapenda already means “we like”?

Swahili builds the subject into the verb, so Sisi is optional. It’s used for emphasis or contrast: “We (as opposed to others) like…”. Without it, the sentence is perfectly correct: Tunapenda machweo ukingoni mwa bahari.

What does tunapenda break down into?

• tu- = we (1st-person plural subject marker)
• -na- = present/ongoing/general tense-aspect
• penda = like/love (verb stem)

Related forms: tulipenda (we liked), tutapenda (we will like), tungependa (we would like).

Does -na- mean “are liking” (progressive) or simple present?

With stative verbs like penda, -na- maps to simple present in English: “we like/love.” With action verbs, -na- often corresponds to “be doing”: Tunacheza = “We are playing.”

Is machweo singular or plural?

It’s usually a class 6 (ma-) plural/collective meaning “sunsets” or “sunset (in general).” For one specific sunset, many speakers still say machweo ya leo (“today’s sunset”), or you can use the singular-looking expression kuchwa kwa jua (la leo) (“the setting of the sun [today]”).

How would I say “We like the sunsets” (specific ones already mentioned)?

Use the class-6 object marker -ya- in the verb: Sisi tunayapenda machweo. Without the object marker, tunapenda machweo sounds general/indefinite.

Can I add an adjective, like “beautiful sunsets”?

Yes—match class 6 agreement: machweo mazuri. Full sentence: Tunapenda machweo mazuri ukingoni mwa bahari.

What exactly does ukingoni mean?

It’s ukingo (edge/bank/rim) + locative suffix -ni = “on/at the edge.” So ukingoni mwa bahari = “at the edge of the sea,” i.e., the seashore.

Why is it mwa bahari and not wa bahari or ya bahari?

mwa is a euphonic variant of the genitive wa commonly used after certain locative forms (like those ending in -ni). The set phrase is ukingoni mwa bahari. Using wa here is less idiomatic.

Could I just say “by the sea” or “at the beach” instead?

Yes:

• kando ya bahari = by/beside the sea
• ufukweni = on the beach (sand area)
• pwani = the coast; also used for coastal regions
• mwambao = coastline
  Examples: Tunapenda machweo kando ya bahari / Tunapenda machweo ufukweni.

Why not baharini? What’s the difference?

baharini means “in/on/at the sea” (out at sea, on the water). ukingoni mwa bahari, kando ya bahari, or ufukweni put you on land at the shore.

Can I move the place phrase to the front?

Yes. Topic-fronting is natural: Ukingoni mwa bahari, tunapenda machweo. You can also front the object with an object marker: Machweo, tunayapenda (sana).

How do I say “We love watching sunsets at the seashore”?

Add an infinitive: Tunapenda kutazama machweo ukingoni mwa bahari. (kuangalia is also fine instead of kutazama.)

If I want a stronger “love,” what should I add?

Use sana (“very/much”): Tunapenda sana machweo ukingoni mwa bahari. For specific sunsets: Sisi tunayapenda sana machweo.

Could hu- be used for a general, habitual liking?

Yes: Sisi hupenda machweo ukingoni mwa bahari. The habitual hu- (which doesn’t take a subject marker) means “(typically) like.” Sisi is added for clarity/emphasis.

How would I say “We, not they, like sunsets by the sea”?

Use focus: Sisi ndiyo tunapenda machweo ukingoni mwa bahari, si wao. This highlights “we (and not them).”