Lesson 9: Swahili Noun Classes

Noun Classes [ngeli za Kiswahili]

Nouns in Kiswahili are grouped into various noun classes because of two main reasons: 1. their characteristics as a noun 2. Kiswahilis vowel harmony There are 9 noun classes in Kiswahili. Each noun class has both a singular and a plural form, to make 18 total.

M - WA KI - VI M - MI JI - MA N-N U-U U-U KU - KU PA - PA MU - MU

[A - WA] [KI - VI] [U - I] [LI - YA] [I - ZI] [U - ZI] [U - U] [KU - KU] [PA - PA] [MU - MU]

Lesson 9a: Noun Classes

M - WA
M - WA KI - VI M - MI JI - MA N-N U-U U-U KU - KU PA - PA MU - MU [A - WA] [KI - VI] [U - I] [LI - YA] [I - ZI] [U - ZI] [U - U] [KU - KU] [PA - PA] [MU - MU]

M - WA [A - WA]
This noun class has the following nouns: A). nouns of people that start with M- in singular and WA- in plural B). other nouns of people C). wanyama [animals] D). ndege [birds] E). wadudu [insects] F). samaki [fish]

A). Nouns of people that start with M- in singular and WA- in plural
mtoto/watoto mgeni/wageni mfaransa/wafaransa mjomba/wajomba mke/wake mkulima/wakulima mpishi/wapishi msichana/wasichana mtu/watu mume/waume mvulana/wavulana mzee/wazee mzungu/wazungu mjerumani/wajerumani mwanamume/wanaume mwanamke/wanawake mwalimu/walimu mwanafunzi/wanafunzi mwafrika/waafrika [child/children] [visitor/visitors] [French person/French people] [uncle/uncle] [wife/wives] [farmer/farmers] [cook/cooks] [girl/girls] [person/people] [husband/husbands] [boy/boys] [elder/elders] [white man/white men] [German person/German people] [man/men] [woman/women] [teacher/teachers] [student/students] [African person/African people]

B). Other nouns of people

baba/baba babu/babu dada/dada kaka/kaka mama/mama nyanya/nyanya rafiki/rafiki shangazi/shangazi kipofu/vipofu kiziwi/viziwi [father/fathers] [grandfather/grandfathers] [sister/sisters] [brother/brothers] [mother/mothers] [grandmother/grandmothers] [friend/friends] [aunt/aunts] [blind person/blind people] [deaf person/deaf people]

C). Wanyama [animals]

mbwa/mbwa paka/paka ngombe/ngombe simba/simba ndovu/ndovu [dog/dogs] [cat/cats] [cow/cows] [lion/lions] [elephant/elephants]

D). Ndege [birds]

kuku/kuku kasuku/kasuku tai/tai bata mzinga/bata mzinga [hen/hens] [parrot/parrots] [eagle/eagles] turkey/turkeys]

E). Wadudu [insects]

nyuki/nyuki mbu/mbu nzi/nzi [bee/bees] [mosquito/mosquitoes] [fly/flies]

F). Samaki [fish]

ngege/ngege papa/papa [tilapia/tilapia] [shark/sharks]

Zingatia [Note]
When using a verb, this noun class uses A- in singular and WA- in plural for sentence formation.

Sentence Formation
Mifano: 1. Mwanafunzi anasoma. Wanafunzi wanasoma. 2. Mwalimu anaimba. Walimu wanaimba. 3. Rafiki alikuja nyumbani. Rafiki walikuja nyumbani. 4. Mama anapika kuku. [The student is reading.] [The students are reading.] [The teacher is singing.] [The teachers are singing.] [The friend came home.] [The friends came home.] [The mother is cooking chicken.]

Mama wanapika kuku.

[The mothers are cooking chicken.]

Lesson 9b: Noun Classes KI - VI

M - WA KI - VI M - MI JI - MA N-N U-U U-U KU - KU PA - PA MU - MU [A - WA] [KI - VI] [U - I] [LI - YA] [I - ZI] [U - ZI] [U - U] [KU - KU] [PA - PA] [MU - MU]

KI - VI [KI - VI]
This noun class has the following nouns: A). nouns that take KI- in singular and VI- in plural B). nouns that take CH- in singular and VY- in plural C). body parts [sehemu za mwili] D). names of languages [majina ya lugha]

A). Nouns that take KI- in singular and VI- in plural

kiti/viti kitabu/vitabu [chair/chairs] [book/books]

kiatu/viatu kisu/visu kikombe/vikombe kilima/vilima kisiwa/visiwa kiazi/viazi kitunguu/vitunguu kitu/vitu kitanda/vitanda kioo/vyoo kiberiti/viberiti

[shoe/shoes] [knife/knives] [cup/cups] [hill/hills] [island/islands] [potato/potatoes] [onion/onions] [thing/things] [bed/beds] [mirror/mirrors] [match/matches]

B). Nouns that take CH- in singular and VY- in plural

chuo/vyuo choo/vyoo chakula/vyakula chumba/vyumba cheti/vyeti chama/vyama chuma/vyuma chombo/vyombo cheo/vyeo [school/schools; college/colleges] [restroom/restrooms] [food/foods] [room/rooms] [certificate/certificates] [party/parties; association/associations] [iron/irons] [container/containers; utensil/utensils] [rank/ranks]

C). Body Parts [sehemu za mwili]

kichwa/vichwa kiuno/viuno kifua/vifua kidole/vidole [head/heads] [waist/waists] [chest/chests] [finger/fingers]

D). Names of Languages [majina ya lugha]

Kiarabu Kifaransa Kiingereza Kichina Kijapani [Arabic] [French] [English] [Chinese] [Japanese]

Zingatia [Note] When using a verb, this noun class uses KI- in singular and VI- in plural for sentence formation.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:

1. Kichwa kinauma. Vichwa vinauma. 2. Kiti kilivunjwa. Viti vilivunjwa. 3. Chuo kimefungwa. Vyuo vimefungwa. 4. Chakula kitapikwa. Vyakula vitapikwa.

[The head is hurting.] [The heads are hurting.] [The chair was broken.] [The chairs were broken.] [The school has been closed.] [The schools have been closed.] [The food will be cooked.] [The foods will be cooked.]

Lesson 9c: Noun Classes M - MI

M - WA KI - VI M - MI JI - MA N-N U-U U-U KU - KU PA - PA MU - MU [A - WA] [KI - VI] [U - I] [LI - YA] [I - ZI] [U - ZI] [U - U] [KU - KU] [PA - PA] [MU - MU]

M MI [U - I]
This noun class has the following nouns: A). majina ya miti [names of trees] B). majina ya mimea [names of plants] C). sehemu za mwili [body parts] D). nouns that take M- in singular and MI- in plural E). radicals that start with a vowel: i. nouns that take MW- in singular and MI- in plural ii. particular cases: singular prefix MU-

A). Majina ya miti [names of trees]

mti/miti mnazi/minazi mchungwa/michungwa mwembe/miembe mtofaa/mitofaa mpapai/mipapai mndimu/mindimu mpera/mipera mgomba/migomba [tree/trees] [coconut tree/coconut trees] [orange tree/orange trees] [mango tree/mango trees] [apple tree/apple trees] [papaya tree/papaya trees] [lime tree/lime trees] [guava tree/guava trees] [banana tree/banana trees]

B). Majina ya mimea [names of plants]

mmea/mimea [plant/plants]

C). Sehemu za mwili [body parts]

mdomo/midomo mkono/mikono mguu/miguu mfupa/mifupa mgongo/migongo moyo/mioyo mwili/miili [mouth/mouths] [hand/hands] [leg/legs] [bone/bones] [back/backs] [heart/hearts] [body/bodies

D). Nouns that take M- in singular and MI- in plural

mfano/mifano mji/miji mkoba/mikoba mfuko/mifuko mlango/milango mtihani/mitihani mjarabu/mijarabu mlima/milima mpira/mipira mkate/mikate mto/mito mungu/miungu [example/examples] [city/cities] [bag/bags] [bag/bags] [door/doors] [exam/exams] [test/tests] [mountain/mountains] [ball/balls] [bread/breads] [river/rivers] [god/gods]

mchezo/michezo moto/mioto mskiti/misikiti msitu/misitu mswaki/miswaki mto/mito

[game/games] [fire/fires] [mosque/mosques] [forest/forests] [toothbrush/toothbrushes] [river/rivers, pillow/pillows]

E). Radicals that start with a vowel:

i. nouns that take MW- in singular and MI- in plural
[year/years] [umbrella/umbrellas] [month/months] [thorn/thorns] [end/ ends] mwaka/miaka mwavuli/miavuli mwezi/miezi mwiba/miiba mwisho/miisho

ii.

particular cases: singular prefix MU[corn] [cassava/cassavas] [sugarcane]

muhindi/mihindi muhogo/mihogo muwa/miwa

Zingatia [Note] When using a verb, this noun class uses U- in singular and I- in plural for sentence formation.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:

1. Mti ulianguka. Miti ilianguka. 2. Mkono unauma. Mikono inauma. 3. Mkoba umeoshwa. Mikoba imeoshwa.

[The tree fell.] [The trees fell.] [The hand hurts.] [The hands hurt.] [The bag has been washed.] [The bags have been washed.]

Lesson 9d: Noun Classes JI - MA

M - WA KI - VI M - MI JI - MA N-N U-U U-U KU - KU PA - PA MU - MU [A - WA] [KI - VI] [U - I] [LI - YA] [I - ZI] [U - ZI] [U - U] [KU - KU] [PA - PA] [MU - MU]

JI - MA [LI - YA]
Nouns in this class can start with any letter in their singular form but their plural forms must take MA-. This noun class has the following nouns: A). manufactured products, natural or built places, abstract or concrete concepts B). sehemu za mwili [parts of the body] C). matunda na vitu vya kawaida [fruits and natural objects] D). majina ya vitu ambavyo havihesabiki [These nouns exist only in the plural form and are things which cannot be counted. They take MA- in both singular and plural form]

A). Manufactured products, natural or built places, abstract or concrete concepts

Manufactured products: blanketi/mablanketi [blanket/blankets] dirisha/madirisha [window/windows] gari/magari [car/cars] gazeti/magazeti [newspaper/newspapers] godoro/magodoro [mattress/mattresses] sanduku/masanduku [box/boxes] jiko/meko [gas cooker/gas cookers] Natural or Built places: baraza/mabaraza [veranda/verandas] daraja/madaraja [bridge/bridges] duka/maduka [shop/shops] shamba/mashamba [farm/farms] soko/masoko [market/markets] ziwa/maziwa [lake/lakes] jimbo/majimbo [state/states] Abstract or Concrete concepts: jina/majina [name/names] kosa/makosa [mistake/mistakes] neno/maneno [word/words] jambo/mambo [issue/issues] jiwe/mawe [stone/stones] somo/masomo [subject/subjects; lesson/lessons] wazo/mawazo [thought/thoughts] jibu/majibu [answer/answers] swali/maswali [question/questions] jukumu/majukumu [responsibility/responsibilities] juma/majuma [week/weeks]

B). Sehemu za mwili [parts of the body]

jicho/macho [eye/eyes]

jino/meno bega/mabega goti/magoti sikio/masikio tumbo/matumbo paja/mapaja

[tooth/teeth] [shoulder/shoulders] [knee/knees] [ear/ears] [stomach/bowels] [thigh/thighs]

C). Matunda na vitu vya kawaida [fruits and natural objects]

Fruits: chungwa/machungwa embe/maembe limau/malimau nanasi/mananasi papai/mapapai dafu/madafu tofaa/matofaa Natural Objects: jani/majani yai/mayai rinda/marinda [orange/oranges] [mango/mangoes] [lemon/lemons] [pineapple/pineapples] [pawpaw/pawpaws] [coconut/coconuts (with milk)] [apple/apples]

[leaf/leaves] [egg/eggs] [dress/dresses]

D). Majina ya vitu ambavyo havihesabiki [nouns of things that cannot be counted, which exist only in the plural form
maji/maji mafuta/mafuta maharagwe/maharagwe mahindi/mahindi mali/mali maafa/maafa matata/matata [water] [oil] [beans] [corn] [wealth] [misfortune] [problems]

Zingatia [Note]

When using a verb, this noun class uses LI- in singular and YA- in plural for sentence formation.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:

1. Chungwa limenunuliwa. Machungwa yamenunuliwa. 2. Gari limefika. Magari yamefika. 3. Jicho linauma. Macho yanauma. 4. Maji yamemwangika. Maji yamemwangika.

[The orange has been bought.] [The oranges have been bought.] [The car has arrived.] [The cars have arrived.] [The eye hurts.] [The eyes hurt.] [The water has been poured.] [The water has been poured.]

Lesson 9e: Noun Classes N-N

M - WA KI - VI M - MI JI - MA N-N U-U U-U KU - KU PA - PA MU - MU [A - WA] [KI - VI] [U - I] [LI - YA] [I - ZI] [U - ZI] [U - U] [KU - KU] [PA - PA] [MU - MU]

N - N [I - ZI]
This noun class is the broadest noun class and has the following nouns: A). Manufactured products, natural or built places, abstract or concrete concepts B). Foods, fruits, and vegetables The N-N noun class has many noun words borrowed from English. It contains some nouns which start with the prefix N- although several nouns in this class do not. These nouns are written identically in singular and plural forms.

A). Manufactured products, natural or built places, abstract or concrete concepts

Manufactured objects: barua/barua [letter/letters] chupa/chupa [bottle/bottles] dawa/dawa [drug/drugs; medicine/medicines] kalamu/kalamu [pen/pens] karatasi/karatasi [paper/papers] ngoma/ngoma [drum/drums] sabuni/sabuni [soap/soaps] sahani/sahani [plate/plates] sufuria/sufuria [pan/pans] suruali/suruali [trouser/trousers] chaki/chaki [chalk/chalk] dola/dola [dollar/dollars] kompyuta/kompyuta [computer/computers] nguo/nguo [cloth/cloths] soksi/soksi [sock/socks] shilingi/shilingi [shilling/shillings] meza/meza [table/tables] taa/taa [light/lights] senti/senti [cent/cents] nyumba/nyumba [house/houses] Nature: ardhi/ardhi bahari/bahari baridi/baridi barafu/barafu hewa/hewa nuru/nuru mvua/mvua njia/njia bandari/bandari barabara/barabara nchi/nchi

[earth; ground] [sea] [cold] [ice] [air; atmosphere] [light] [rain] [way] [harbor] [road] [country]

Abstract concepts: ajali/ajali bahati/bahati furaha/furaha hasara/hasara hatari/hatari huzuni/huzuni nguvu/nguvu shida/shida thamani/thamani dakika/dakika sifa/sifa ndoto/ndoto shughuli/shughuli

[accident/accidents] [luck/lucks] [joy/joys] [loss/losses] [danger/dangers] [sadness/sadnesses] [strength/strengths] [problem/problems] [value/values] [minute/minutes] [praise/praises; reputation/reputations] [dream/dreams] [business/businesses]

B). Foods, fruits, and vegetables

chai/chai chumvi/chumvi kahawa/kahawa mboga/mboga nazi/nazi ndizi/ndizi nyama/nyama pilipili/pilipili siagi/siagi sukari/sukari njugu/njugu [tea/teas] [salt/salts] [coffee/coffees] [vegetable/vegetables] [coconut/coconuts] [banana/bananas] [meat/meats] [pepper/[peppers] [butter; margarine] [sugar/sugars] [groundnut/groundnuts]

Zingatia [Note] When using a verb, this noun class uses I- in singular and ZI- in plural for sentence formation.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:

1. Kalamu imeanguka. [The pen has fallen.] Kalamu zimeanguka. [The pens have fallen.] 2. Njia imefungwa. [The way has been closed.]

Njia zimefungwa.

[The ways have been closed.]

Lesson 9f: Noun Classes

U-U
M - WA KI - VI M - MI JI - MA N-N U-U U-U KU - KU PA - PA MU - MU [A - WA] [KI - VI] [U - I] [LI - YA] [I - ZI] [U - ZI] [U - U] [KU - KU] [PA - PA] [MU - MU]

U - U [U - ZI] U - U [U - U]
This noun class has the following nouns: A). concrete nouns with various plurals B). uncountable nouns, with no plural form C). nouns that are mostly formed from adjectives, nominals, or verbal roots D). names of countries

A). Concrete nouns with various plurals

U - NY: uso/nyuso uzi/nyuzi ua/nyua ufa/nyufa uma/nyuma U - ND: ulimi/ndimi udevu/ndevu U - MB: ubao/mbao ubavu/mbavu ubawa/mbawa U - : unywele/nywele ufunguo/funguo ukuta/kuta upande/pande uvumbi/vumbi upanga/panga upepo/pepo W - NY: wakati/nyakati wembe/nyembe wimbo/nyimbo [face/faces] [thread/threads] [courtyard/courtyards] [crack/cracks] [fork/forks]

[tongue/tongues] [beard/beards]

[board/boards] [rib/ribs] [wing/wings]

[one hair/hair] [key/keys] [wall/walls] [side/sides] [grain of dust/dust] [machete/machetes] [wind/winds]

[time/times] [razor blade/razor blades] [song/songs]

B). Uncountable nouns, with no plural form

Nouns in this category remain the same in both singular and plural sentence formation when using a verb(s).

udongo/udongo ugali/ugali uji/uji

[soil; ground] [corn paste] [porridge]

ulimwengu/ulimwengu umeme/umeme umri/umri unga/unga usingizi/usingizi uwongo/uwongo

[world] [electricity] [age] [flour] [sleep] [a lie]

C). Nouns that are mostly formed from adjectives, nominals, or verbal roots
Nouns in this category remain the same in both singular and plural sentence formation when using a verb(s).

Nominal roots: jamaa - ujamaa kijana - ujana mzee - uzee maskini - umaskini mchawi - uchawi mfalme - ufalme mtoto - utoto Verbal roots: kuiba - uwizi kukosa - ukosefu kupenda - upendo kuweza - uwezo kusahau - usahaulifu

NOUN - NOUN [group of people - community] [young person - young age] [old person - old age] [poor person - poverty] [witch - witchcraft] [king - kingdom] [child - childhood] VERB - NOUN [to steal - theft] [to miss - deficiency] [to love - love] [to be able - capacity] [to forget - forgetfulness]

D). Names of countries

Ufaransa Uganda Uingereza Ujerumani Ureno Urusi [France] [Uganda] [England] [Germany] [Portugal] [Russia]

Zingatia [Note]

When using a verb, this noun class uses U- in singular and ZI- in plural for sentence formation. However, uncountable nouns and nouns that are formed from adjectival, nominal, or verbal roots only use U-.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:

1. Ulimi unauma. Ndimi zinauma. 2. Ufunguo umepotea. Funguo zimepotea. 3. Ubavu umevunjika. Mbavu zimevunjika. 4. Ugali umepikwa. Ugali umepikwa. 5. Upendo wao umesifika. Upendo wao umesifika.

[The tongue hurts.] [The tongues hurt.] [The key has been lost.] [The keys have been lost.] [The rib has broken.] [The ribs have broken.] [The cornmeal has been cooked.] [The cornmeal has been cooked.] [Their love has been praised.] [Their love has been praised.]