Swahili pronouns

Pronouns are important in everyday Swahili because they allow speakers to refer to people and things without repeatedly using the same nouns.

Personal pronouns

Examples:

• Mimi ni mwanafunzi. — I am a student.
• Wewe ni mwalimu. — You are a teacher.
• Yeye ni rafiki yangu. — He/she is my friend.
• Sisi tunasoma. — We are studying.
• Wao wanafanya kazi. — They are working.

Possessive forms

Common possessive forms include:

• yangu — my/mine
• yako — your/yours
• yake — his/her
• yetu — our/ours
• yenu — your plural
• yao — their/theirs

Examples:

• kitabu changu — my book
• nyumba yako — your house
• rafiki yake — his/her friend
• shule yetu — our school
• gari yao — their car

The possessive form agrees with the noun class, so learners should study possessives together with noun-class agreement.

Demonstratives

Common demonstratives include:

• hii — this
• hiki — this
• huyu — this person
• hawa — these people
• hiyo — that
• hicho — that
• yule — that person
• wale — those people

The correct form depends on the noun class.

Question pronouns and expressions

Useful forms include:

• nani? — who?
• nini? — what?
• gani? — which/what kind?
• yupi? — which one/person?
• ngapi? — how many?

Practise pronouns

Replace the noun with an appropriate pronoun:

1. Asha anasoma. → ______ anasoma.
2. Juma na Ali wanacheza. → ______ wanacheza.
3. Mimi na wewe tunakwenda. → ______ tunakwenda.

Pronouns become much easier when practised in complete sentences.