Noun Classes: The U-I Class
Learn about the different noun classes in Kiswahili.
📚 The U-I noun class [Ngeli ya U-I]
This noun class is made up of nouns that start with 'M' in singular which changes to 'Mi' in plural.
| Kiswahili Noun (Singular) | English Noun (Singular) | Kiswahili Noun (Plural) | English Noun (Plural) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mji umejengwa | The city has been built | Mji imejengwa | The cities have been built |
| Mkoba imeraruka | The bag is torn | Mikoba imeraruka | The bags are torn |
| Mswaki umepotea | The toothbrush is lost | Miswaki imepotea | The toothbrushes are lost |
Grammar note: See how the verbs take 'u' in singular and 'i' in plural? That's where the name of this noun class comes from.
📚 More on The I-ZI noun class.
Here are some other examples of nouns in this class:
| Kiswahili Noun (Singular) | English Meaning (Singular) | Kiswahili Noun (Plural) | English Meaning (Plural) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mfano | Example | Mifano | Examples |
| Mfuko | Mifuko | Pockets | |
| Mlango | Door | Milango | Doors |
| Mlima | Mountain | Milima | Mountains |
| Mwanya | Gap | Mianya | Gaps |
| Mpira | Ball | Mipira | Balls |
| Mkakati | Process | Mikakati | Processes |
| Mkate | Bread | Mikate | Breads |
| Mradi | Project | Miradi | Projects |
| Msikiti | Mosque | Misikit | Mosques |
| Muktadha | Context | Miktadha | Contexts |
| Mchezo | Game | Michezo | Games |
| Msitu | Forest | Misitu | Forests |
📚 Adjectives in Example Sentences With U-I nouns.
Let's take a look at how to form adjectives with nouns in U-I. When forming adjectives, nouns in the this class add 'm' as a prefix to the adjective in singular form. However, the plural form takes 'mi' as the prefix.
| Kiswahili Root Adjective | English Meaning (Root) | Kiswahili Adjective (Singular) | English Meaning (Singular) | Kiswahili Adjective (Plural) | English Meaning (Plural) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -zuri | good | Mchezo mzuri | A good game | Michezo mizuri | Good games |
| -baya | bad | Mkate mbaya | Bad bread | Mikate mibaya | Bad breads |
| -kubwa | big | Mshahara mkubwa | A big salary | Mishahara mikubwa | Big salaries |
| -dogo | small | Mkia ndogo | A small tail | Mikia ndogo | Small tails |
| -refu | tall | Mkeka mrefu | A long mat | Mikeka mirefu | Long mats |
| -pya | new | Msumeno mpya | A new saw | Misumeno mipya | New saws |
📚 Possessives and Noun Agremeents in the U-I noun class
This is how possessives work for the U-I noun class.
| Kiswahili (Singular - Ngeli ya U-I) | English Meaning (Singular - Ngeli ya U-I) | Kiswahili (Plural - Ngeli ya U-I) | English Meaning (Plural - Ngeli ya U-I) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Msimamo wangu | My stand (eg. your position on a political issue) | Misimamo yetu | Our stands |
| Mstari wako | Your line | Mistari yenu | Your lines |
| Mtaa wake | His/Her street | Mitaa yao | Their streets |
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