Mwaka jana, mimi nilienda baharini.

Last year, I went to the ocean.

Breakdown of Mwaka jana, mimi nilienda baharini.

• mimi: I
• kuenda: to go
• mwaka jana: last year
• baharini: to the ocean

Questions & Answers about Mwaka jana, mimi nilienda baharini.

Why does this sentence use both mimi and nilienda? Doesn’t that sound like saying I I went?

In Swahili, the verb already shows the subject, so nilienda by itself means I went.

• ni- = I (subject prefix)
• -li- = past tense
• enda = go

So adding mimi is not grammatically necessary; it adds emphasis or contrast, like saying I (myself) went or As for me, I went.

Without emphasis, most speakers would simply say:

• Mwaka jana, nilienda baharini. = Last year, I went to the sea.

Can I leave out mimi in this sentence? When would I keep it?

Yes, you can absolutely leave out mimi:

• Mwaka jana, nilienda baharini.
  This is the most neutral, typical version.

You keep mimi mainly when you want emphasis or contrast, for example:

• Answering a who question:
  Ni nani aliyeenda baharini mwaka jana? – Who went to the sea last year?
  Mimi nilienda baharini mwaka jana. – I went to the sea last year.

• Contrasting with others:
  Wao walibaki nyumbani, lakini mimi nilienda baharini.
  They stayed at home, but I went to the sea.

So think of mimi as a tool for focus, not something you always need.

How is nilienda formed? What do ni-, -li-, and enda each mean?

Nilienda is made of three parts:

• ni- = I (1st person singular subject prefix)
• -li- = past tense marker
• enda = verb root go

So:

• ni-
  • -li-
    • enda → nilienda = I went

The infinitive to go is kwenda (also kuenda in some sources), but when you conjugate it, the ku-/kw- part is usually dropped, and you use the root enda with prefixes and tense markers.

Why is bahari changed to baharini? What does the -ni ending do?

The -ni ending is a locative suffix. It turns a noun into a place expression meaning in/at/on/to that place, depending on context.

• bahari = sea, ocean
• baharini = at the sea / to the sea / in the sea (location related to the sea)

Other examples:

• nyumba (house) → nyumbani (at home / to home)
• shule (school) → shuleni (at school / to school)

So nilienda baharini literally feels like I went sea-LOC, which is best translated as I went to the sea or I went to the seaside.

Does baharini mean to the sea, at the sea, or in the sea?

Baharini can cover all of those ideas; the exact English preposition depends on the verb and context.

• With a verb of motion like kwenda (to go), it usually means to the sea / to the seaside:
  Nilienda baharini. → I went to the sea / to the seaside.

• With a verb of being like kuwa (to be), it usually means at the sea:
  Nilikuwa baharini. → I was at the sea.

• In some contexts it can imply in the sea, e.g.:
  Aliogelea baharini. → He/She swam in the sea.

The Swahili -ni locative is broad; English forces you to pick one preposition based on context.

Is the comma after mwaka jana required in Swahili?

No, the comma is not required; it is a matter of style, not grammar.

You can write:

• Mwaka jana mimi nilienda baharini.
• Mwaka jana, mimi nilienda baharini.

In speech, you naturally pause a bit after mwaka jana, and the comma simply reflects that pause. Many textbooks include the comma to make the structure easier to see, but in everyday writing you will often see it omitted.

Can I change the word order? For example: Mwaka jana nilienda baharini, Mimi nilienda baharini mwaka jana, or Nilienda baharini mwaka jana. Do they all mean the same thing?

Yes, all of these are grammatically correct and have the same basic meaning (Last year, I went to the sea), but the emphasis shifts:

1. Mwaka jana nilienda baharini.
   – Neutral, with a slight emphasis on last year.

2. Mwaka jana, mimi nilienda baharini.
   – Emphasis on both last year and I (contrastive: as for me, last year I went).

3. Mimi nilienda baharini mwaka jana.
   – Strong foregrounding of I (maybe contrasting with others).

4. Nilienda baharini mwaka jana.
   – Very natural; focus is more on the action itself, and last year is extra information at the end.

Swahili word order is relatively flexible; time expressions and pronouns can be moved for emphasis while the verb remains the core of the clause.

What is the difference between nilienda and forms like nilikwenda or ninakwenda?

The verb kwenda / kuenda (to go) is slightly irregular, and both the root enda and the form kwenda appear in conjugation.

You will commonly see:

• ninaenda or ninakwenda = I am going
• nilienda or nilikwenda = I went

All of these are understood. In practice:

• ninaenda and nilienda are extremely common in everyday speech.
• ninakwenda and nilikwenda are also correct, often considered a bit more careful or formal.

For learning purposes, it is perfectly safe to stick with ninaenda / nilienda, unless your teacher or course specifically prefers the -kwenda forms.

How would I say Last year, I did not go to the sea?

Use the negative past form of kwenda:

• Mwaka jana, sikuenda baharini.

Breakdown of sikuenda:

• si- = I in the negative
• -ku- = past marker in negative
• enda = go

So sikuenda = I did not go.

You may also hear sikwenda baharini; here the u in ku merges with kwenda. Both sikuenda and sikwenda are understood, but sikuenda is clearer for learners.

Is mwaka jana the only way to say last year in Swahili?

No, there are a few common ways:

• mwaka jana – last year (literally year yesterday/past)
• mwaka uliopita – last year (literally the year that passed)
• mwaka ulioisha – the year that ended (also used for last year, but slightly more formal)

In everyday speech, mwaka jana is extremely common and is the best default choice.

What is the difference between bahari and pwani? If I want to say I went to the beach, is baharini still correct?

• bahari = sea, ocean (the large body of water)
• pwani = coast, shore, beach, coastal region

In many contexts:

• nilienda baharini will be understood as I went to the seaside / to the coast / to the sea.
• nilienda pwani emphasises the coastal area or shore, a bit closer to I went to the coast / the beach region.

For a simple learner’s sentence meaning I went to the beach, nilienda baharini is commonly accepted and understood, especially when people know you mean a trip to the seaside.

How do you pronounce mwaka and baharini? Any tips for English speakers?

Approximate pronunciations:

• mwaka → /mwáka/

  • mwa like mwa in Mwa- (say mwa as in Mwah!), then ka like car without the r.
  • Two clear syllables: mwa-ka, both short and crisp.

• baharini → /baharíni/

  • ba as in ba in banana
  • ha as in ha in haha (a real h sound)
  • ri similar to ree in reed, but shorter
  • ni as in knee, but again short
  • Syllables: ba-ha-ri-ni, all vowels pronounced clearly.

Swahili vowels are pure and short, a bit like Spanish:
a, e, i, o, u are always pronounced the same way and never become diphthongs.