I, You, He/She: Singular Prefixes
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Swahili, the subject is attached to the verb as a prefix; 'I' is 'ni-', 'you' is 'u-', and 'he/she' is 'a-'.
- Use 'ni-' for I: 'Ninasoma' (I am reading).
- Use 'u-' for You: 'Unasoma' (You are reading).
- Use 'a-' for He/She: 'Anasoma' (He/she is reading).
Subject Prefix Conjugation (Present Tense)
| Person | Prefix | Tense | Verb Root | Full Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st Sing
|
ni-
|
-na-
|
-soma
|
ninasoma
|
|
2nd Sing
|
u-
|
-na-
|
-soma
|
unasoma
|
|
3rd Sing
|
a-
|
-na-
|
-soma
|
anasoma
|
Meanings
Subject prefixes are mandatory markers attached to the start of verbs to indicate the person performing the action.
1st Person Singular
Indicates the speaker (I).
“Ninasoma”
“Ninakula”
2nd Person Singular
Indicates the person being addressed (You).
“Unasoma”
“Unakula”
3rd Person Singular
Indicates a third party (He/She).
“Anasoma”
“Anakula”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Prefix + na + Root
|
Ninasoma
|
|
Negative
|
ha + Prefix + Root + i
|
Hasomi
|
|
Question
|
Prefix + na + Root?
|
Unasoma?
|
|
Past
|
Prefix + li + Root
|
Nilisoma
|
|
Future
|
Prefix + ta + Root
|
Nitasoma
|
|
Perfect
|
Prefix + me + Root
|
Nimesoma
|
Spectre de formalité
Ninaenda dukani. (Daily life)
Ninaenda dukani. (Daily life)
Naenda dukani. (Daily life)
Naenda duka. (Daily life)
The Subject Prefix Map
1st Person
- ni- I
2nd Person
- u- You
3rd Person
- a- He/She
Prefixes vs Pronouns
Exemples par niveau
Ninasoma.
I am reading.
Unasoma.
You are reading.
Anasoma.
He is reading.
Ninaenda.
I am going.
Sisomi.
I am not reading.
Huisomi.
You are not reading.
Hasomi.
He is not reading.
Ninafanya kazi.
I am working.
Nimefika nyumbani.
I have arrived home.
Umeona nini?
What have you seen?
Ameondoka mapema.
He has left early.
Sijafika bado.
I haven't arrived yet.
Nitafanya hivyo kesho.
I will do that tomorrow.
Utajifunza mengi.
You will learn a lot.
Atafika saa kumi.
He will arrive at four.
Sitafanya tena.
I will not do it again.
Nikienda, nitakuita.
If I go, I will call you.
Ukienda, utaona.
If you go, you will see.
Akienda, ataona.
If he goes, he will see.
Sijui kama atakuja.
I don't know if he will come.
Ningeenda, ningeona.
If I had gone, I would have seen.
Ungeenda, ungeona.
If you had gone, you would have seen.
Angeenda, angeona.
If he had gone, he would have seen.
Nisingefanya hivyo.
I wouldn't have done that.
Facile à confondre
Learners think they need both.
Both are singular.
Mixing up -na- and -li-.
Erreurs courantes
Mimi soma
Ninasoma
Wewe soma
Unasoma
Yeye soma
Anasoma
Ninasoma mimi
Ninasoma
Hanasoma
Hasomi
Ninasoma si
Sisomi
Unasoma si
Huisomi
Nimesoma jana
Nilisoma jana
Nitasoma jana
Nilisoma jana
Anasoma jana
Alisoma jana
Nikiwa ninasoma
Nikisoma
Angekuwa anasoma
Angesoma
Nisingekuwa nimesoma
Nisingesoma
Structures de phrases
___nasoma.
___naenda dukani.
___nakula chakula.
___nafanya kazi.
Real World Usage
Naenda.
Ninafanya kazi kwa...
Ninafika saa ngapi?
Unataka nini?
Anasoma kitabu.
Ninasoma.
Drop the pronoun
Don't forget the prefix
Listen for the prefix
Be polite
Smart Tips
Start with 'ni-'.
Use 'u-'.
Use 'a-'.
Use 'ha-' and change the ending.
Prononciation
Vowel clarity
Swahili vowels are pure and short.
Statement
Ninasoma. ↘
Falling intonation for facts.
Question
Unasoma? ↗
Rising intonation for questions.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
NI-ce to meet you (I), U-are great (You), A-mazing person (He/She).
Association visuelle
Imagine a tiny sticker labeled 'ni-' stuck to your chest, a 'u-' sticker on your friend, and an 'a-' sticker on a stranger.
Rhyme
Ni is for me, U is for you, A is for him, that is true.
Story
I (ni-) walk into a room. You (u-) see me. He (a-) watches us from the corner. We all use our prefixes to act.
Word Web
Défi
Write 3 sentences about your day using ni-, u-, and a-.
Notes culturelles
Swahili is the national language; prefixes are used with high precision in formal settings.
Sheng (slang) often drops prefixes, but standard Swahili remains the norm.
Traditional Swahili uses these prefixes with great respect for elders.
These prefixes derive from Proto-Bantu class markers.
Amorces de conversation
Unafanya nini?
Unaenda wapi?
Unasoma nini?
Anafanya kazi gani?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
___nasoma.
Which is 'You are reading'?
Find and fix the mistake:
Mimi ninasoma.
I + am + reading.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
___soma
Prefixes are optional.
A: Unafanya nini? B: ___nasoma.
Score: /8
Exercices pratiques
8 exercises___nasoma.
Which is 'You are reading'?
Find and fix the mistake:
Mimi ninasoma.
I + am + reading.
ni- : I, u- : You, a- : He/She
___soma
Prefixes are optional.
A: Unafanya nini? B: ___nasoma.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
Yes, it is mandatory for grammar.
Yes, for emphasis, but it's redundant.
No, it works for both he and she.
You need plural prefixes.
Yes, they are standard in all writing.
That's the negative form.
No, it's very consistent.
Match it to the person you are talking about.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Verb endings
Swahili prefixes are mandatory.
Subject pronouns
Swahili integrates the subject.
Verb endings
Swahili prefix system is more rigid.
Particles
Swahili uses verb morphology.
Verb prefixes/suffixes
Swahili is strictly prefix-based.
None
Swahili is highly inflected.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
We, You all, They: Plural Prefixes
Dropping Independent Pronouns
Demonstratives of Proximity (huyu, hiki, huu)
Overview Welcome to the world of pointing! In Swahili, pointing at things is an art form. You don't just say "this." Yo...
Demonstratives huyu/yule (This/That for M-Wa Class)
Overview Welcome to the world of Swahili demonstratives! These are words we use to point things out. In English, we just...
Possessive Stems -angu, -ako, -ake (My, Your, His/Her)
Overview Welcome to the world of Swahili! Today, we master the art of ownership. You will learn to say "mine," "yours,"...
