Kujiamini darasani ni muhimu.

Self-confidence in class is important.

Breakdown of Kujiamini darasani ni muhimu.

• ni: to be
• muhimu: important
• darasani: in the classroom
• kujiamini: the self-confidence

Questions & Answers about Kujiamini darasani ni muhimu.

Why does the sentence start with kujiamini? Isn’t that a verb infinitive? How can it be the subject?

In Swahili, the ku- form of a verb (the infinitive) can function as a noun, very much like the English -ing form (learning, speaking, trusting).

• kujiamini literally is the verb kujiamini (to have confidence in oneself),
  but here it functions as a thing: “self-confidence” / “being self-confident.”
• So the sentence structure is:
  • Kujiamini – self-confidence / being self-confident (subject)
  • darasani – in class
  • ni muhimu – is important

So you can think of it as: “(The act of) being self-confident in class is important.”

What does kujiamini literally mean, and how is it formed?

Kujiamini can be broken down like this:

• ku- = infinitive marker (“to …”)
• -ji- = reflexive marker (“oneself”)
• -amini = verb root meaning “believe / trust.”

So ku-ji-amini is literally “to trust oneself / to believe in oneself.”
As a noun-like form, it means self-confidence or self-trust.

Why is it darasani and not just darasa?

Darasa means “class” / “classroom.”
The -ni ending is a locative suffix, turning a noun into “in/at/on [that place].”

• darasa – class / classroom
• darasani – in class, in the classroom

So:

• darasa = the room or the class as an entity
• darasani = the location: in the class / in the classroom

You’ll see this -ni on many place nouns, e.g.:

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

What is the word ni doing here? Is it the verb “to be”?

Yes, ni is functioning as a copula (a linking “to be”):

• Kujiamini darasani – self-confidence in class (subject)
• ni – is
• muhimu – important

So: “Self-confidence in class is important.”

Notes:

• In the present tense, Swahili typically uses ni as the “is/are” link in such sentences.
• There is no separate word for “it” as a subject here; kujiamini darasani itself is the subject. Swahili doesn’t need a dummy “it” like English does.

What kind of word is muhimu? Why doesn’t it change form?

Muhimu is an adjective meaning “important.”

In many cases, adjectives in Swahili agree with the noun class, but muhimu is one of a group of adjectives that are often used invariable (same form with all classes) when expressing general qualities like important, necessary, possible, etc.

So you can say:

• Chakula ni muhimu. – Food is important.
• Elimu ni muhimu. – Education is important.
• Kujiamini darasani ni muhimu. – Being self-confident in class is important.

In all cases, muhimu stays the same.

Can I change the word order to say “Ni muhimu kujiamini darasani”? Is that still correct?

Yes, that is perfectly correct and very natural.

Both of these are fine:

1. Kujiamini darasani ni muhimu.
2. Ni muhimu kujiamini darasani.

The meaning is the same: Self-confidence in class is important.

• Version 1 slightly highlights the topic (“As for self-confidence in class, it is important”).
• Version 2 sounds more like “It is important to…”, which feels very natural in English.

Swahili word order is fairly flexible in such copular sentences, especially with ni muhimu, ni lazima, etc.

What is the plural of darasa, and how does the locative work in the plural?

Darasa belongs to noun class 5/6:

• Singular: darasa – a class / classroom
• Plural: madarasa – classes / classrooms

With the locative -ni:

• darasani – in (the) class
• madarasani – in (the) classes / in classrooms

Examples:

• Wanafunzi wote wako darasani. – All the students are in class.
• Walimu wanazunguka madarasani. – Teachers move around the classrooms.

How would I say “Self-confidence in class is NOT important”?

You negate this type of sentence by changing ni to si:

• Kujiamini darasani si muhimu.
  = Self-confidence in class is not important.

Structure:

• [Subject] ni [adjective] → affirmative
• [Subject] si [adjective] → negative

How do I say “Self-confidence in class was important” or “will be important”? How do I express tense with ni muhimu?

For past and future, you usually replace the copula ni with a tensed form of “to be” (kuwa):

• Past:
  • Kujiamini darasani lilikuwa muhimu.
    (lit. “Self-confidence in class was important.”)
• Future:
  • Kujiamini darasani litakuwa muhimu.
    (lit. “Self-confidence in class will be important.”)

Why li-? Because kujiamini (infinitive as a noun) behaves like a class 5 noun (similar to darasa):

• Class 5 past “to be”: lilikuwa
• Class 5 future “to be”: litakuwa

In everyday speech, people may sometimes still use ni with time adverbs (e.g. zamani, kesho), but the fully grammatical way is to conjugate kuwa.

Does kujiamini always mean something positive, or can it sound like “boasting” or “arrogance”?

Kujiamini is generally positive: self-confidence, self-assurance.

For negative or excessive self-focus, Swahili tends to use other verbs:

• kujivuna – to boast, to brag
• kujiona – literally “to see oneself,” often used like “to think too highly of oneself” / be conceited
• kiburi (noun) – arrogance / pride (in a negative sense)

So:

• Anajiamini darasani. – He/she is confident in class. (positive)
• Anajivuna sana. – He/she boasts a lot. (negative)

How would I say “my self-confidence in class” in Swahili?

You can keep kujiamini as a noun-like word and add a possessive:

• kujiamini kwangu darasani – my self-confidence in class

Breakdown:

• kujiamini – self-confidence
• kwangu – mine / my (here agreeing with ku- / class 15 treated like class 17/locative in many grammars)
• darasani – in class

A natural sentence:

• Kujiamini kwangu darasani kumeongezeka.
  – My self-confidence in class has increased.