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Cardinal Numbers 1-5

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Swahili numbers 1-5 change their prefix based on the noun class they describe.

  • 1 is 'moja', 2 is 'mbili', 3 is 'tatu', 4 is 'nne', 5 is 'tano'.
  • Numbers 2-5 change their prefix to match the noun class (e.g., 'watu wawili' for two people).
  • The number 'moja' (one) also takes a prefix (e.g., 'mtu mmoja').
Noun + (Prefix) + Number

Number Agreement Table

Number Root M/WA Class (People) KI/VI Class (Things)
1
moja
mmoja
kimoja
2
-wili
wawili
viwili
3
-tatu
watatu
vitatu
4
-nne
wanne
vinne
5
-tano
watano
vitano

Reference Table

Reference table for Cardinal Numbers 1-5
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Noun + Number
Watu wawili
Negative
Noun + Number + si
Watu wawili si wengi
Question
Noun + Number + ?
Watu wawili?
Short Answer
Number
Wawili

Meanings

Cardinal numbers are used to quantify nouns. In Swahili, these numbers (except 1) are unique because they require noun class agreement prefixes.

1

Counting objects

Quantifying items in a set.

“Nina kalamu moja.”

“Kuna watoto wawili.”

Formalitätsspektrum

Formell
Nina marafiki wawili.

Nina marafiki wawili. (Social)

Neutral
Nina marafiki wawili.

Nina marafiki wawili. (Social)

Informell
Nina marafiki wawili.

Nina marafiki wawili. (Social)

Umgangssprache
Nina washikaji wawili.

Nina washikaji wawili. (Social)

Number Agreement Map

Number Roots

People

  • Wawili Two people

Things

  • Vitatu Three things

Beispiele nach Niveau

1

Nina watoto wawili.

I have two children.

2

Kuna vitabu vitatu.

There are three books.

3

Nataka soda moja.

I want one soda.

4

Nina marafiki watano.

I have five friends.

1

Kuna miti minne hapa.

There are four trees here.

2

Nina kalamu moja tu.

I have only one pen.

3

Wanafunzi watatu wamefika.

Three students have arrived.

4

Kuna nyumba tano.

There are five houses.

1

Nimeona magari mawili barabarani.

I saw two cars on the road.

2

Kuna vikombe vitano mezani.

There are five cups on the table.

3

Nina maswali manne.

I have four questions.

4

Kuna watu watatu wanaosubiri.

There are three people waiting.

1

Tuna miradi mitatu ya kukamilisha.

We have three projects to complete.

2

Kuna mambo manne ya kuzingatia.

There are four things to consider.

3

Nina saa moja ya kufanya kazi.

I have one hour to work.

4

Kuna miji mitano mikubwa nchini.

There are five big cities in the country.

1

Kuna mikakati mitano inayopendekezwa.

There are five recommended strategies.

2

Tuna maoni mawili tofauti.

We have two different opinions.

3

Kuna sababu tatu kuu.

There are three main reasons.

4

Kuna hatua nne za mchakato.

There are four steps in the process.

1

Kuna mbinu tano za kiufundi.

There are five technical methods.

2

Tuna maamuzi mawili mazito.

We have two serious decisions.

3

Kuna maeneo matatu ya utafiti.

There are three research areas.

4

Kuna changamoto nne za kimfumo.

There are four systemic challenges.

Leicht verwechselbar

Cardinal Numbers 1-5 vs. Moja vs Mmoja

Learners forget that 'moja' is the root.

Häufige Fehler

✗

Watu mbili

✓

Watu wawili

Wrong prefix used.
✗

Vitabu tatu

✓

Vitabu vitatu

Missing prefix.
✗

Mtu moja

✓

Mtu mmoja

Wrong prefix for class 1.
✗

Kiti nne

✓

Kiti vinne

Missing prefix.
✗

Miti tatu

✓

Miti mitatu

Incorrect prefix for MI class.
✗

Watu nne

✓

Watu wanne

Incorrect prefix.
✗

Nyumba tano

✓

Nyumba tano

Actually correct, but often confused.
✗

Magari tatu

✓

Magari matatu

Incorrect prefix for MA class.
✗

Watu tano

✓

Watu watano

Incorrect prefix.
✗

Vitabu nne

✓

Vitabu vinne

Incorrect prefix.
✗

Mambo nne

✓

Mambo manne

Incorrect prefix.
✗

Watu mbili

✓

Watu wawili

Incorrect prefix.
✗

Miti tano

✓

Miti mitano

Incorrect prefix.

Satzmuster

Nina ___ ___.

Real World Usage

Market constant

Nataka machungwa matatu.

💡

Prefixes

Always look at the noun's first letter.

Smart Tips

Check the noun class.

Watu mbili → Watu wawili

Aussprache

mo-ja

Vowel length

Ensure vowels are clear.

Statement

Nina watoto wawili.

Neutral declarative.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Wili, Tatu, Nne, Tano — remember the rhythm of the counting flow.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a person (wa-) holding two (wili) books (vi-) that are three (tatu) in total.

Rhyme

Moja, mbili, tatu, nne, tano, counting Swahili is the way to go!

Story

I met one (moja) friend. Then two (wawili) more came. Soon we were three (watatu) friends. Then four (wanne) and finally five (watano) friends were eating lunch.

Word Web

mojawilitatunnetanoidadihesabu

Herausforderung

Count five items in your room using the correct noun class prefix.

Kulturelle Hinweise

Numbers are used daily in markets.

Bantu roots.

Gesprächseinstiege

“

Una watoto wangapi?

Tagebuch-Impulse

Describe your family using numbers.

Häufige Fehler

Incorrect

Richtig

Incorrect

Richtig

Incorrect

Richtig

Incorrect

Richtig

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Nina watoto ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: wawili
Wawili matches the WA class.

Score: /1

Ubungsaufgaben

1 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Nina watoto ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: wawili
Wawili matches the WA class.

Score: /1

FAQ (1)

They agree with the noun class.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish low

uno, dos

Swahili uses prefixes for agreement.

French low

un, deux

Swahili prefixes are attached to the number.

German low

eins, zwei

Swahili uses noun classes.

Japanese low

ichi, ni

Swahili uses prefixes.

Arabic low

wahid, ithnan

Swahili uses class prefixes.

Chinese low

yi, er

Swahili is agglutinative.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Cardinal Numbers 6-10

Related Grammar Rules

A0

Cardinal Numbers 6-10
A0

The Invariable Numbers (6, 7, 9)
A0

Number Agreement with Nouns
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