Learn Hardcore Swahili: Kikombe hiki kikubwa kiko juu ya meza.

The main noun is kikombe (class 7, KI-).
Any word that grammatically “agrees” with it usually takes a class-7 marker:
- hiki – demonstrative this for class 7
- kikubwa – adjective big agreeing with a class-7 noun
- kiko – form of to be (to be located) with a class-7 subject

So the pattern is:

Noun: ki-kombe
Demonstrative: hi-ki (this, class 7)
Adjective: ki-kubwa (big, agreeing with ki-)
Verb: ki-ko (it-is-located, agreeing with ki-)

All of these markers tell you they are talking about the same kikombe.

Why is it hiki and not hii for this?

Swahili demonstratives change form depending on the noun class.

For class 7 (KI-/VI-), the proximal (near the speaker) demonstrative is hiki:

kikombe hiki – this cup
kisu hiki – this knife
kitabu hiki – this book

Hii is a demonstrative for other classes, for example class 9/10 nouns:

meza hii – this table
ndege hii – this bird / this plane

So hiki matches kikombe because they are both in class 7.

What is the difference between kiko and iko?

Both are forms of the verb to be (to be located), but they use different subject agreement markers:

kiko: ki- (class 7 subject) + -ko (locative “at / in / on”)
iko: i- (class 9 or 10 subject, or some other classes) + -ko

Examples:

Kikombe kiko juu ya meza. – The cup is on the table.
Meza iko chumbani. – The table is in the room.
Chupa iko hapa. – The bottle is here.

So kiko is used because the subject kikombe is a class 7 noun.

Is kikubwa an adjective, and why does it also start with ki-?

Yes, kikubwa is an adjective meaning big that agrees with a class-7 noun.

The root of the adjective is -kubwa (big). When used after a noun, it takes a prefix matching the noun’s class:

Class 1: mtu mkubwa – big person
Class 3: mti mkubwa – big tree
Class 7: kikombe kikubwa – big cup
Class 8: vikombe vikubwa – big cups

So ki- in kikubwa is not part of the root; it’s an agreement prefix showing that the adjective modifies a ki- noun (kikombe).

Why is the order kikombe hiki kikubwa and not like English this big cup?

Swahili noun phrase order is usually:

Noun
Demonstrative
Adjectives / other modifiers

So:

kikombe hiki kikubwa
- kikombe – cup
- hiki – this
- kikubwa – big

Literal structure: cup this big.

English often puts this and big before the noun (this big cup), but Swahili tends to keep the noun first, then the demonstrative and adjectives.

Can I say kikombe kikubwa hiki instead of kikombe hiki kikubwa?

Yes, kikombe kikubwa hiki is possible and still correct, but the most neutral, common order is:

kikombe hiki kikubwa

Putting hiki at the end (kikombe kikubwa hiki) can sound like extra emphasis on this cup, a bit like saying in English:

this big cup (right here)

So both forms are grammatical, but kikombe hiki kikubwa is the standard “plain” way to say this big cup.

What does juu ya meza literally mean, and why do we need ya?

juu ya meza literally means the top of the table or the upper part of the table.

juu – top / upper side / above
ya – a connector similar to of
meza – table

Together: juu ya meza – on top of the table / on the table.

Why ya?
Swahili often uses a noun + ya + noun structure to express relationships that English shows with prepositions:

juu ya meza – on top of the table / on the table
chini ya meza – under the table
nyuma ya nyumba – behind the house

So ya links juu and meza, making the phrase function like a preposition.

Why is there no separate word for the or a in kikombe hiki kikubwa?

Swahili does not use articles like English a or the.

Whether you mean a big cup or the big cup, you use the same Swahili form, and the context decides:

kikombe kikubwa – a big cup / the big cup

In this sentence, adding hiki (this) already makes it specific:

kikombe hiki kikubwa – this big cup (i.e., a particular one, like the big cup here)

So Swahili relies on context, demonstratives (this, that), and sometimes word order, rather than dedicated words like a and the.

How would I make this sentence plural: These big cups are on the table?

You change everything that agrees with kikombe to the plural class 8 form (vi-), but meza stays the same because it’s already a class 9 noun and its singular and plural look alike.

Singular (given):

Kikombe hiki kikubwa kiko juu ya meza.
– This big cup is on the table.

Plural:

Vikombe hivi vikubwa viko juu ya meza.
– These big cups are on the table.

Changes:

kikombe → vikombe (cup → cups)
hiki → hivi (this → these, class 7 → class 8)
kikubwa → vikubwa (big, agreeing with plural)
kiko → viko (they-are-located, plural agreement)

meza and juu ya meza stay the same.

Could I say Kikombe hiki ni kikubwa instead of kikombe hiki kikubwa?

Yes, but the meaning and structure are slightly different.

kikombe hiki kikubwa – this big cup (adjective directly modifying the noun)
Kikombe hiki ni kikubwa. – This cup is big. (full sentence with a predicate)

In kikombe hiki kikubwa, kikubwa is part of the noun phrase, just describing the cup.

In Kikombe hiki ni kikubwa, ni kikubwa is a predicate saying something about the subject:

Kikombe hiki – this cup (subject)
ni kikubwa – is big (predicate)

So you use ni when you’re making a full sentence like X is Y.

Why isn’t there any agreement marker attached to meza in juu ya meza?

In juu ya meza, meza is just an object of the prepositional-like phrase; it’s not the subject and it’s not being described by an adjective, so it doesn’t carry any extra agreement marker.

Agreement shows up on:

Verbs: to agree with the subject (like kiko agreeing with kikombe).
Adjectives and demonstratives: to agree with the noun they describe (like hiki, kikubwa).

In juu ya meza:

juu – top / above
ya – linking word (like of)
meza – table

meza is not triggering any agreement here; it’s just the noun that ya connects to juu. The agreement you see in the sentence is all driven by the main subject kikombe.