Signification
Asking someone's age.
Contexte culturel
In Tanzania, respect for age is very high. You must always use 'Shikamoo' before asking an elder their age. It is also common for people to celebrate 'Siku ya Kuzaliwa' (Birthday) with a cake and 'Soda', but in rural areas, the exact date might be less important than the year. In urban Kenya, especially Nairobi, 'Sheng' (Swahili-English slang) is common. You might hear 'Una miaka ngapi?' (dropping the 'mi-' prefix) or 'Umri wako?' in very casual settings. Zanzibari Swahili is often considered the most 'pure' or 'standard'. Here, the full grammatical agreement 'miaka mingapi' is almost always used, and the tone is generally more formal and polite. In Eastern DRC, Swahili is a lingua franca. The phrase remains the same, but the accent might be different, and you might hear 'Uko na miaka mingapi?' (using 'uko na' for 'you have').
The 'Have' Rule
Always remember that age is a possession in Swahili. Use 'Nina' (I have), 'Una' (You have), 'Ana' (He/She has).
Greetings First
Never ask age without saying 'Hujambo' or 'Habari' first. It's the golden rule of Swahili etiquette.
Signification
Asking someone's age.
The 'Have' Rule
Always remember that age is a possession in Swahili. Use 'Nina' (I have), 'Una' (You have), 'Ana' (He/She has).
Greetings First
Never ask age without saying 'Hujambo' or 'Habari' first. It's the golden rule of Swahili etiquette.
Agreement is Key
If you forget the prefix for 'ngapi', just look at the noun. 'MI-aka' -> 'MI-ngapi'. It's a built-in cheat sheet!
Elder Respect
Be cautious asking elders their age. If you must, use a polite preamble like 'Samahani mzee...'
Teste-toi
Choose the correct Swahili translation for 'How old are you?'
How old are you?
The correct form uses 'Una' (you have) and 'miaka' (years, plural).
Fill in the missing word to complete the question.
Una miaka _______?
'Miaka' is a Class 4 noun, so the interrogative must take the 'mi-' prefix.
Complete the dialogue with the correct response.
A: Hujambo! Una miaka mingapi? B: Sijambo! _______ miaka kumi na tisa.
When answering for yourself, use 'Nina' (I have).
Match the Swahili phrase to its English meaning.
Match the following:
These show how the subject prefix changes while the rest of the phrase stays the same.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Noun Class Agreement
Class 4 (mi-)
- • miaka
- • mingapi
- • mitano
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesHow old are you?
The correct form uses 'Una' (you have) and 'miaka' (years, plural).
Una miaka _______?
'Miaka' is a Class 4 noun, so the interrogative must take the 'mi-' prefix.
A: Hujambo! Una miaka mingapi? B: Sijambo! _______ miaka kumi na tisa.
When answering for yourself, use 'Nina' (I have).
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These show how the subject prefix changes while the rest of the phrase stays the same.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsIt is 'mingapi' because 'miaka' is in the mi- class (Class 4). 'Mangapi' is for the ma- class (Class 6).
Yes, it is a very common and correct alternative, especially in Kenya.
Say 'Nina miaka ishirini.'
Generally, it is less sensitive than in the West, but still use politeness and context.
You can use your fingers or say 'Sijui' (I don't know), but learning numbers 1-100 is highly recommended!
No, for a building (jengo), you would say 'Ina miaka mingapi?'
They are asking for your birth year to determine your age-set or generation.
In Sheng, you might hear 'Una miaka ngapi?' or 'Age yako ni?'
The formal word is 'Umri'.
Mbwa wako ana miaka mingapi?
Yes, for any Class 4 plural noun, like 'miti mingapi' (how many trees).
The response starts with 'Nina miaka...' followed by the number.
Expressions liées
Nina miaka...
builds onI am ... years old
Umri wako ni upi?
synonymWhat is your age?
Umezaliwa lini?
similarWhen were you born?
Mzee
specialized formElder
Kijana
specialized formYouth
