The #Swahili past tense is formed with (at least) three parts:
Subject Prefix + -li- Past Tense Infix + Verb Root
ni + li + sema = nilisema (I spoke)
#SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliVerbs #Languages #LearnSwahili.
thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-simp...
Subject Prefix + -li- Past Tense Infix + Verb Root
ni + li + sema = nilisema (I spoke)
#SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliVerbs #Languages #LearnSwahili.
thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-simp...
October 12, 2026 at 5:03 PM
The #Swahili past tense is formed with (at least) three parts:
Subject Prefix + -li- Past Tense Infix + Verb Root
ni + li + sema = nilisema (I spoke)
#SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliVerbs #Languages #LearnSwahili.
thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-simp...
Subject Prefix + -li- Past Tense Infix + Verb Root
ni + li + sema = nilisema (I spoke)
#SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliVerbs #Languages #LearnSwahili.
thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-simp...
The #Swahili verbal subject agreement prefixes for the Li-Ya class are li- in the singular and ya– in the plural. Jino linauma. The tooth is hurting. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-li-y...
October 7, 2026 at 12:56 AM
The #Swahili verbal subject agreement prefixes for the Li-Ya class are li- in the singular and ya– in the plural. Jino linauma. The tooth is hurting. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-li-y...
Swahili possessive prefix for the I-I class is y-. chumvi yangu (my salt) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-i-...
September 28, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Swahili possessive prefix for the I-I class is y-. chumvi yangu (my salt) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-i-...
The #Swahili possessive prefix for the U-I class is w– in singular and y- plural. mkoba wangu, mikoba yangu (my handbag, my handbags.) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-i-...
September 21, 2026 at 7:49 PM
The #Swahili possessive prefix for the U-I class is w– in singular and y- plural. mkoba wangu, mikoba yangu (my handbag, my handbags.) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-i-...
#Swahili possessive prefix for the U-Zi class is w-, in the singular and z– plural. uma wetu, nyuma zetu (our teacher, our teachers) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-zi...
September 14, 2026 at 11:25 PM
#Swahili possessive prefix for the U-Zi class is w-, in the singular and z– plural. uma wetu, nyuma zetu (our teacher, our teachers) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-zi...
The #Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the Pa-Ku-Mu class are pa, ku-, and m- in both the singular and plural. mlikuwa mzuri (a nice place, one that’s enclosed). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-paku...
September 7, 2026 at 11:18 PM
The #Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the Pa-Ku-Mu class are pa, ku-, and m- in both the singular and plural. mlikuwa mzuri (a nice place, one that’s enclosed). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-paku...
#Swahili adjective agreement prefix for the Ya-Ya class is ma– in both the singular and plural. manukato matamu (sweet fragrance). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ya-y...
September 1, 2026 at 12:30 AM
#Swahili adjective agreement prefix for the Ya-Ya class is ma– in both the singular and plural. manukato matamu (sweet fragrance). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ya-y...
The #Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the U-I class are m– in the singular and mi– in the plural. mti mdogo, miti midogo (a small tree, small trees.) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-i-...
August 25, 2026 at 12:57 AM
The #Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the U-I class are m– in the singular and mi– in the plural. mti mdogo, miti midogo (a small tree, small trees.) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-i-...
The #Swahili agreement prefix for the Ku- class is ku-. kuimba kubaya (bad singing, singing badly). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ku-n...
August 17, 2026 at 9:32 PM
The #Swahili agreement prefix for the Ku- class is ku-. kuimba kubaya (bad singing, singing badly). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ku-n...
Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the I-I class are ∅- or n-. hewa safi (clean air). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-i-...
August 10, 2026 at 6:56 PM
Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the I-I class are ∅- or n-. hewa safi (clean air). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-i-...
The #Swahili possessive prefixes for the Li-Ya class are l– in the singular and y– in plural. dawati letu, madawati yetu (our desk, our desks.) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-li-y...
August 3, 2026 at 10:26 PM
The #Swahili possessive prefixes for the Li-Ya class are l– in the singular and y– in plural. dawati letu, madawati yetu (our desk, our desks.) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-li-y...
Swahili verbs take prefixes that are identical to the name of the noun class for animal and inanimate subjects. A-Wa nouns take a- in the singular and wa- in the plural. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliVerbs #Languages #LearnSwahili. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-pres...
July 27, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Swahili verbs take prefixes that are identical to the name of the noun class for animal and inanimate subjects. A-Wa nouns take a- in the singular and wa- in the plural. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliVerbs #Languages #LearnSwahili. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-pres...
#Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the U-Zi class are m– in the singular and n– in the plural. uwanja mzuri, nyanja nzuri (a good field, good fields) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-zi...
July 23, 2026 at 7:31 PM
#Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the U-Zi class are m– in the singular and n– in the plural. uwanja mzuri, nyanja nzuri (a good field, good fields) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-zi...
The #Swahili Locative Noun class includes the noun mahali (place) and all nouns ending in the locative -ni. There are three types of locations: pa- is specific, ku- is general, and mu- is interior. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-paku...
June 21, 2026 at 2:36 PM
The #Swahili Locative Noun class includes the noun mahali (place) and all nouns ending in the locative -ni. There are three types of locations: pa- is specific, ku- is general, and mu- is interior. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-paku...
The #Swahili Ku- Noun class includes singular nouns derived from verbs starting in ku-, similar to English gerunds like reading or walking. Its subject prefixes are ku-, its possessives start with kw- and its adjectives with ku-. #SwahiliGrammar. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ku-n...
June 11, 2026 at 11:24 AM
The #Swahili Ku- Noun class includes singular nouns derived from verbs starting in ku-, similar to English gerunds like reading or walking. Its subject prefixes are ku-, its possessives start with kw- and its adjectives with ku-. #SwahiliGrammar. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ku-n...
The #Swahili Ya-Ya Noun class is not very common, but it includes a few important nouns. Its subject prefixes are ya-/ya-, its possessives are y-/y- and its adjectives are m-/m-. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ya-y...
May 17, 2026 at 12:36 PM
The #Swahili Ya-Ya Noun class is not very common, but it includes a few important nouns. Its subject prefixes are ya-/ya-, its possessives are y-/y- and its adjectives are m-/m-. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ya-y...
The #Swahili I-I Noun class includes uncountable nouns, that nouns that refer to differences of time or seasons, and feelings or abstract ideas. Its subject prefixes are i-/i-, its possessives are y-/y- and its adjectives are ∅-/ n-. #SwahiliGrammar. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-i-...
May 8, 2026 at 9:48 PM
The #Swahili I-I Noun class includes uncountable nouns, that nouns that refer to differences of time or seasons, and feelings or abstract ideas. Its subject prefixes are i-/i-, its possessives are y-/y- and its adjectives are ∅-/ n-. #SwahiliGrammar. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-i-...
The U-Zi noun class includes nouns beginning with u– (or w-) in the singular, and ny-/nd-/nj-/ng-/mb– or ∅ in the plural. Its subject prefixes are u-/zi-, its possessives are w-/z- and its adjectives are m-/n-. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-zi...
April 23, 2026 at 10:48 PM
The U-Zi noun class includes nouns beginning with u– (or w-) in the singular, and ny-/nd-/nj-/ng-/mb– or ∅ in the plural. Its subject prefixes are u-/zi-, its possessives are w-/z- and its adjectives are m-/n-. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-u-zi...
The #Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the Li-Ya class are ∅– in the singular and ma– in the plural. –pya (new) is jipya in the singular. jiko zuri, jiko mazuri (a good stove, good stoves.) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-li-y...
April 13, 2026 at 11:51 AM
The #Swahili adjective agreement prefixes for the Li-Ya class are ∅– in the singular and ma– in the plural. –pya (new) is jipya in the singular. jiko zuri, jiko mazuri (a good stove, good stoves.) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-li-y...
The #Swahili I-Zi class takes the prefixes i- and zi–on the locatives –ko (general location), –po (specific location), and –mo (interior location). Betri iko wapi? Betri iko garini. Where is the battery? The battery is in the car. #SwahiliGrammar. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-zi...
March 30, 2026 at 11:47 AM
The #Swahili I-Zi class takes the prefixes i- and zi–on the locatives –ko (general location), –po (specific location), and –mo (interior location). Betri iko wapi? Betri iko garini. Where is the battery? The battery is in the car. #SwahiliGrammar. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-zi...
The #Swahili demonstratives for the A-Wa class are huyu (this), hawa (these), huyo (that), hao (those), yule (that over there), wale (those over there). mwanamke huyu (this woman) wanawake hawa (these women) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-a-wa...
February 26, 2026 at 3:10 PM
The #Swahili demonstratives for the A-Wa class are huyu (this), hawa (these), huyo (that), hao (those), yule (that over there), wale (those over there). mwanamke huyu (this woman) wanawake hawa (these women) #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-a-wa...
#Swahili object infixes for the A-Wa class are m(w)- in the singular, and wa– in the plural. For humans, use –ni– (me), –ku– (you, singular), –m/mw– (him, her), –tu– (us), –wa– (you, plural), –wa– (them). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-a-wa...
February 9, 2026 at 1:03 PM
#Swahili object infixes for the A-Wa class are m(w)- in the singular, and wa– in the plural. For humans, use –ni– (me), –ku– (you, singular), –m/mw– (him, her), –tu– (us), –wa– (you, plural), –wa– (them). #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-a-wa...
#Swahili verbs take special prefixes for human subjects: ni-, u-, a- in the singular, and tu-, m-, wa- in the plural. Ninajifunza Kiswahili. I’m learning Swahili. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliVerbs #Languages #LearnSwahili. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-pres...
January 29, 2026 at 12:53 PM
#Swahili verbs take special prefixes for human subjects: ni-, u-, a- in the singular, and tu-, m-, wa- in the plural. Ninajifunza Kiswahili. I’m learning Swahili. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliVerbs #Languages #LearnSwahili. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-pres...
The #Swahili verbal subject agreement prefixes for the Ki-Vi class are ki- in the singular and vi– in the plural. Kiti kimevunjika. The chair is broken. Vitabu vimeraruka. The books are torn. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ki-v...
January 15, 2026 at 2:34 PM
The #Swahili verbal subject agreement prefixes for the Ki-Vi class are ki- in the singular and vi– in the plural. Kiti kimevunjika. The chair is broken. Vitabu vimeraruka. The books are torn. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-ki-v...
The verbal subject agreement prefixes for the #Swahili I-Zi class are i- in the singular and zi– in the plural. Karatasi imeraruka. The paper is torn. Karatasi zimeraruka. The papers are torn. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-zi...
December 16, 2025 at 1:07 AM
The verbal subject agreement prefixes for the #Swahili I-Zi class are i- in the singular and zi– in the plural. Karatasi imeraruka. The paper is torn. Karatasi zimeraruka. The papers are torn. #SwahiliGrammar #SwahiliNounClasses. thelanguagegarage.com/swahili-i-zi...