Welcome to Lesson 10 of the Latinum Institute's Swahili course for English speakers. In this lesson, we will explore how to express "it" in Swahili, a concept that differs significantly from English. For a complete index of lessons, please visit https://latinum.substack.com/p/index.
The word "it" in Swahili does not have a single translation. Instead, Swahili uses different pronouns depending on the noun class of the object being referenced. The most common forms include: -
i- (subject prefix for M-MI class) -
ki- (subject prefix for KI-VI class) -
li- (subject prefix for JI-MA class) -
u- (subject prefix for U class) -
zi- (subject prefix for N class plural) -
hicho/kile (demonstrative pronouns meaning "that") -
hiki/hili (demonstrative pronouns meaning "this")
Question: What does "it" mean in Swahili? Answer: "It" in Swahili varies depending on the noun class of the object being referenced. Common forms include subject prefixes like i-, ki-, li-, u-, and zi-, as well as demonstrative pronouns like hicho, kile, hiki, and hili.
Course: Swahili for English Speakers Level: Beginner Topic: Pronouns - "it" Type: Language Learning Material Provider: Latinum Institute Format: Self-study Reading Lesson
In this lesson, you will encounter various ways to express "it" through natural, contextualized sentences. Each example demonstrates different noun classes and their corresponding pronouns, helping you understand this fundamental aspect of Swahili grammar.
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Swahili has no single word for "it" - the form depends on noun class -
Subject prefixes (i-, ki-, li-, etc.) often function as "it" -
Demonstrative pronouns (hicho, kile, etc.) can also mean "it" -
Context and the referenced noun determine which form to use -
Mastering noun classes is essential for correct pronoun usage
10.1 Kitabu book kiko it-is mezani on-table
10.2 Nilichukua I-took kalamu pen na and ikaanguka it-fell
10.3 Mti tree mkubwa big ulianguka it-fell barabarani on-road
10.4 Gari car limeharibika it-has-broken-down leo today
10.5 Hiki this ni is kitu thing gani what?
10.6 Mbwa dog amekimbia he-has-run lakini but atarudi he-will-return
10.7 Chakula food kimepikwa it-has-been-cooked vizuri well
10.8 Shule school imefungwa it-has-been-closed wiki week hii this
10.9 Zinaonekana they-appear mbali far sana very
10.10 Barua letter imefika it-has-arrived asubuhi morning
10.11 Kile that ni is kizuri good sana very
10.12 Maji water yamechemka it-has-boiled tayari already
10.13 Nyumba house inauzwa it-is-being-sold kwa for bei price nafuu cheap
10.14 Jibu answer lilikuwa it-was sahihi correct
10.15 Upepo wind unavuma it-is-blowing kwa with nguvu force
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10.1 Kitabu kiko mezani. The book is on the table (it is on the table).
10.2 Nilichukua kalamu na ikaanguka. I took the pen and it fell.
10.3 Mti mkubwa ulianguka barabarani. The big tree fell on the road (it fell on the road).
10.4 Gari limeharibika leo. The car has broken down today (it has broken down today).
10.5 Hiki ni kitu gani? What is this (what thing is it)?
10.6 Mbwa amekimbia lakini atarudi. The dog has run away but it will return.
10.7 Chakula kimepikwa vizuri. The food has been cooked well (it has been cooked well).
10.8 Shule imefungwa wiki hii. The school has been closed this week (it has been closed).
10.9 Zinaonekana mbali sana. They appear very far (it appears very far - referring to plural things).
10.10 Barua imefika asubuhi. The letter has arrived this morning (it has arrived).
10.11 Kile ni kizuri sana. That is very good (it is very good).
10.12 Maji yamechemka tayari. The water has already boiled (it has already boiled).
10.13 Nyumba inauzwa kwa bei nafuu. The house is being sold for a cheap price (it is being sold).
10.14 Jibu lilikuwa sahihi. The answer was correct (it was correct).
10.15 Upepo unavuma kwa nguvu. The wind is blowing strongly (it is blowing strongly).
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10.1 Kitabu kiko mezani.
10.2 Nilichukua kalamu na ikaanguka.
10.3 Mti mkubwa ulianguka barabarani.
10.4 Gari limeharibika leo.
10.5 Hiki ni kitu gani?
10.6 Mbwa amekimbia lakini atarudi.
10.7 Chakula kimepikwa vizuri.
10.8 Shule imefungwa wiki hii.
10.9 Zinaonekana mbali sana.
10.10 Barua imefika asubuhi.
10.11 Kile ni kizuri sana.
10.12 Maji yamechemka tayari.
10.13 Nyumba inauzwa kwa bei nafuu.
10.14 Jibu lilikuwa sahihi.
10.15 Upepo unavuma kwa nguvu.
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Unlike English, which uses the single pronoun "it" for all inanimate objects and animals, Swahili requires different forms based on the noun class of the referent. This is one of the most challenging aspects for English speakers learning Swahili.
Swahili nouns are divided into classes, each with its own set of prefixes for subjects, objects, and adjectives. Here are the main classes and their "it" equivalents:
M-WA Class (people): -
Subject prefix: a- (he/she/it) -
Example: Mtoto ameruka (The child jumped/he jumped/it jumped)
M-MI Class (trees, plants): -
Subject prefix singular: u- -
Subject prefix plural: i- -
Example: Mti umeanguka (The tree fell/it fell)
KI-VI Class (objects, diminutives): -
Subject prefix singular: ki- -
Subject prefix plural: vi- -
Example: Kitabu kiko hapa (The book is here/it is here)
N Class (animals, things): -
Subject prefix singular: i- -
Subject prefix plural: zi- -
Example: Nyumba imejengwa (The house has been built/it has been built)
JI-MA Class (fruits, body parts): -
Subject prefix singular: li- -
Subject prefix plural: ya- -
Example: Tunda limeiva (The fruit has ripened/it has ripened)
U Class (abstract nouns): -
Subject prefix: u- -
Example: Uzuri wake unaonekana (Her beauty shows/it shows)
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Using one form for all situations -
Wrong: Kitabu iko mezani (using i- instead of ki-) -
Correct: Kitabu kiko mezani -
Forgetting agreement with adjectives -
Wrong: Gari kubwa limeharibika (adjective doesn't match) -
Correct: Gari kubwa limeharibika (both use JI-MA class agreement) -
Confusing demonstratives -
Wrong: Hilo ni kitabu (wrong demonstrative for KI-VI class) -
Correct: Hicho ni kitabu -
Ignoring animate/inanimate distinctions -
Animals often take M-WA class agreement even though they're not people -
Example: Simba amekimbia (The lion ran away/he ran away)
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Identify the noun being replaced -
What is the Swahili word for the object? -
Example: "book" = kitabu -
Determine the noun class -
Look at the prefix: ki-tabu = KI-VI class -
Check plural form if unsure: vitabu confirms KI-VI class -
Apply the appropriate subject prefix -
KI-VI class singular = ki- -
Example: Kitabu kiko... (The book is.../it is...) -
Maintain agreement throughout -
Adjectives and verbs must agree -
Example: Kitabu kizuri kimepotea (The good book is lost/it is lost)
In English: -
"The book is here. It is new." (one form) -
"The tree fell. It was old." (one form) -
"The house is big. It costs a lot." (one form)
In Swahili: -
Kitabu kiko hapa. Ni kipya. (ki- for KI-VI class) -
Mti ulianguka. Ulikuwa mkuu. (u- for M-MI class) -
Nyumba ni kubwa. Inagharimu sana. (i- for N class)
Swahili also uses demonstrative pronouns to mean "it": -
hiki/hicho/kile (this/that - KI-VI class) -
hili/hilo/lile (this/that - JI-MA class) -
hii/hiyo/ile (this/that - N class) -
huu/huo/ule (this/that - M-MI class)
These must also agree with the noun class of the referent.
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The complexity of expressing "it" in Swahili reflects deeper cultural and linguistic patterns in East African societies. The noun class system, which determines how "it" is expressed, is not merely a grammatical feature but a way of categorizing and understanding the world.
In Swahili-speaking cultures, the distinction between animate and inanimate objects is more nuanced than in English. Animals, particularly domesticated ones or those with cultural significance, often receive pronouns typically reserved for humans. For example, a beloved cow might be referred to as "ameenda" (she has gone) rather than "imeenda" (it has gone), showing respect and acknowledging the animal's importance to the family.
The noun class system reflects traditional ways of grouping objects: -
Trees and plants share characteristics of growth and life (M-MI class) -
Small, manufactured objects often fall into KI-VI class -
Natural pairs and body parts typically belong to JI-MA class
This classification system helps speakers organize their understanding of relationships between objects and concepts.
Many Swahili speakers are multilingual, often switching between Swahili, English, and local languages. The concept of "it" becomes particularly challenging in code-switching situations, where speakers must rapidly adjust between the single English "it" and the multiple Swahili forms. This has led to some simplification in urban varieties of Swahili, though standard Swahili maintains the full system.
In East African schools, teaching the proper use of noun classes and their corresponding pronouns is a significant part of Swahili education. Students spend years mastering these agreements, and proper usage is considered a mark of education and eloquence. Mistakes in noun class agreement, including the wrong "it" form, can mark someone as a non-native speaker or as having limited formal education.
With the influence of English and technology, some Swahili speakers, especially in urban areas, occasionally use simplified forms. However, media, literature, and formal communication maintain the traditional noun class system. Understanding the proper forms of "it" remains essential for anyone seeking to communicate effectively in professional, educational, or formal contexts in East Africa.
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From "Uhuru wa Watumwa" by Shaaban Robert (1952):
"Jua lilichomoza mashariki, likamulika dunia yote. Ndege wakaimba kwa furaha, na maua yakafunguka. Ilikuwa siku njema, na kila kitu kilikuwa kimejaa maisha."
Jua sun lilichomoza it-rose mashariki east, likamulika it-illuminated dunia world yote whole. Ndege birds wakaimba they-sang kwa with furaha joy, na and maua flowers yakafunguka they-opened. Ilikuwa it-was siku day njema good, na and kila every kitu thing kilikuwa it-was kimejaa it-was-full-of maisha life.
"Jua lilichomoza mashariki, likamulika dunia yote. Ndege wakaimba kwa furaha, na maua yakafunguka. Ilikuwa siku njema, na kila kitu kilikuwa kimejaa maisha."
"The sun rose in the east, and it illuminated the whole world. Birds sang with joy, and flowers opened. It was a good day, and everything was full of life."
This passage from Shaaban Robert, often called the "Shakespeare of Swahili," beautifully demonstrates the various forms of "it" in Swahili. The text shows three different noun classes and their corresponding pronoun forms, making it an excellent study piece for understanding how "it" functions in literary Swahili.
The passage contains several examples of "it": -
lilichomoza/likamulika - "it rose/it illuminated" (li- for jua, JI-MA class) -
yakafunguka - "they opened" (ya- for maua, JI-MA class plural) -
Ilikuwa - "it was" (i- referring to the general situation) -
kilikuwa kimejaa - "it was full" (ki- for kitu, KI-VI class)
Note how each "it" form matches its referent's noun class. The author uses these agreements to create rhythm and cohesion in the text, demonstrating the aesthetic possibilities of the noun class system in Swahili literature.
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10.16 Hapo then zamani long-ago palikuwa there-was na with kobe tortoise mjanja clever
10.17 Siku day moja one aliona he-saw tunda fruit kubwa big na and lilikuwa it-was juu up sana very
10.18 Kobe tortoise akasema he-said, "Lile that tunda fruit ni is tamu sweet, lakini but halifikiki it-is-not-reachable"
10.19 Ndege bird mkubwa big akaja he-came na and akamuuliza he-asked-him, "Kitu thing gani what kinakusumbua it-troubles-you?"
10.20 Kobe tortoise akaonyesha he-showed tunda fruit na and akasema he-said, "Linataka it-wants kuruka to-fly ili so-that nipate I-get"
10.21 Ndege bird akacheka he-laughed na and akasema he-said, "Hilo that si not jambo matter gumu difficult"
10.22 Akalipaa he-flew-to-it na and akalileta he-brought-it chini down kwa to kobe tortoise
10.23 Tunda fruit lilipoanguka when-it-fell, lilivunjika it-broke na and utamu sweetness wake its ukatiririka it-flowed
10.24 Kobe tortoise akakasirika he-got-angry na and akasema he-said, "Kimeharibika it-has-spoiled kabisa completely!"
10.25 Ndege bird akajibu he-answered, "Lilikuwa it-was zito heavy mno too-much, sikuweza I-couldn't kulishika to-hold-it"
10.26 Baadaye later kobe tortoise akaona he-saw jiwe stone na and akasema he-said, "Hili this litanisaidia it-will-help-me"
10.27 Akaliinua he-lifted-it polepole slowly na and akaliweka he-placed-it pembeni aside
10.28 Jua sun lilipochomoza when-it-rose kesho tomorrow yake its, kobe tortoise akarudi he-returned mtini to-tree
10.29 Tunda fruit jingine another lilikuwapo it-was-there, na and lilikuwa it-was linanung'inia it-was-dangling
10.30 Akasema he-said, "Leo today litaanguka it-will-fall salama safely, nitalisubiri I-will-wait-for-it"
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10.16 Hapo zamani palikuwa na kobe mjanja. Long ago there was a clever tortoise.
10.17 Siku moja aliona tunda kubwa na lilikuwa juu sana. One day he saw a big fruit and it was very high up.
10.18 Kobe akasema, "Lile tunda ni tamu, lakini halifikiki." The tortoise said, "That fruit is sweet, but it cannot be reached."
10.19 Ndege mkubwa akaja na akamuuliza, "Kitu gani kinakusumbua?" A big bird came and asked him, "What thing troubles you (what is it that troubles you)?"
10.20 Kobe akaonyesha tunda na akasema, "Linataka kuruka ili nipate." The tortoise showed the fruit and said, "It needs to fly so that I can get it."
10.21 Ndege akacheka na akasema, "Hilo si jambo gumu." The bird laughed and said, "That is not a difficult matter (it is not difficult)."
10.22 Akalipaa na akalileta chini kwa kobe. He flew to it and brought it down to the tortoise.
10.23 Tunda lilipoanguka, lilivunjika na utamu wake ukatiririka. When the fruit fell, it broke and its sweetness flowed out.
10.24 Kobe akakasirika na akasema, "Kimeharibika kabisa!" The tortoise got angry and said, "It has completely spoiled!"
10.25 Ndege akajibu, "Lilikuwa zito mno, sikuweza kulishika." The bird answered, "It was too heavy, I couldn't hold it."
10.26 Baadaye kobe akaona jiwe na akasema, "Hili litanisaidia." Later the tortoise saw a stone and said, "This will help me (it will help me)."
10.27 Akaliinua polepole na akaliweka pembeni. He lifted it slowly and placed it aside.
10.28 Jua lilipochomoza kesho yake, kobe akarudi mtini. When the sun rose the next day, the tortoise returned to the tree.
10.29 Tunda jingine lilikuwapo, na lilikuwa linanung'inia. Another fruit was there, and it was dangling.
10.30 Akasema, "Leo litaanguka salama, nitalisubiri." He said, "Today it will fall safely, I will wait for it."
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10.16 Hapo zamani palikuwa na kobe mjanja.
10.17 Siku moja aliona tunda kubwa na lilikuwa juu sana.
10.18 Kobe akasema, "Lile tunda ni tamu, lakini halifikiki."
10.19 Ndege mkubwa akaja na akamuuliza, "Kitu gani kinakusumbua?"
10.20 Kobe akaonyesha tunda na akasema, "Linataka kuruka ili nipate."
10.21 Ndege akacheka na akasema, "Hilo si jambo gumu."
10.22 Akalipaa na akalileta chini kwa kobe.
10.23 Tunda lilipoanguka, lilivunjika na utamu wake ukatiririka.
10.24 Kobe akakasirika na akasema, "Kimeharibika kabisa!"
10.25 Ndege akajibu, "Lilikuwa zito mno, sikuweza kulishika."
10.26 Baadaye kobe akaona jiwe na akasema, "Hili litanisaidia."
10.27 Akaliinua polepole na akaliweka pembeni.
10.28 Jua lilipochomoza kesho yake, kobe akarudi mtini.
10.29 Tunda jingine lilikuwapo, na lilikuwa linanung'inia.
10.30 Akasema, "Leo litaanguka salama, nitalisubiri."
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This folk tale demonstrates several important patterns in how "it" is expressed in Swahili narrative:
JI-MA Class (tunda - fruit): -
li- prefix: lilikuwa (it was), halifikiki (it cannot be reached) -
Demonstrative: lile (that one) -
Object infix: -li-: akalileta (he brought it), kulishika (to hold it)
KI-VI Class (kitu - thing): -
ki- prefix: kinakusumbua (it troubles you), kimeharibika (it has spoiled)
JI-MA Class (jiwe - stone): -
li- prefix: litanisaidia (it will help me) -
Demonstrative: hili (this one)
Folk tales often use demonstratives (hilo, lile, hili) more frequently than subject prefixes alone, adding emphasis and helping listeners follow the story. This is particularly important in oral storytelling traditions.
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Object tracking: The story carefully tracks objects (fruit, stone) using consistent noun class agreement -
Pronoun chains: Once an object is introduced, subsequent references maintain the same class agreement -
Demonstrative emphasis: Important objects often get demonstrative pronouns for clarity -
Temporal markers with "it": lilipochomoza (when it rose), lilipoanguka (when it fell)
Swahili folk tales preserve traditional grammatical patterns that might be simplified in everyday speech. The consistent use of proper noun class agreement throughout the narrative serves both grammatical and aesthetic purposes, creating rhythm and reinforcing the oral nature of these stories.
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The Latinum Institute has been pioneering online language learning since 2006, developing innovative methods for autodidactic study. Our approach, detailed at latinum.substack.com and latinum.org.uk, combines traditional philological methods with modern pedagogical insights.
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See immediate word-for-word correspondences -
Understand grammatical structures in context -
Build vocabulary naturally through repeated exposure -
Progress from assisted reading to independent comprehension
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Cultural Integration: Literary excerpts and genre sections provide authentic language use -
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Authentic texts from the beginning
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Each lesson includes: -
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Detailed grammar explanations -
Cultural context sections -
Literary excerpts with analysis -
Genre-specific examples
This comprehensive approach ensures that learners not only understand the language mechanically but also appreciate its cultural and literary dimensions.
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