Lesson 9:

Swahili Noun Classes

Noun Classes [ngeli za Kiswahili]
Nouns in Kiswahili are grouped into various noun
classes because of two main reasons:
1. their characteristics as a noun
2. Kiswahili's vowel harmony

There are 9 noun classes in Kiswahili. Each noun class has both
a singular and a plural form, to make 18 total.

M - WA
KI - VI
M - MI
JI - MA
N-N
U-U
U-U
KU - KU
PA - PA
MU - MU

[A - WA]
[KI - VI]
[U - I]
[LI - YA]
[I - ZI]
[U - ZI]
[U - U]
[KU - KU]
[PA - PA]
[MU MU]

Lesson 9a:
Noun Classes

M - WA
M - WA

[A - WA]

KI - VI [KI - VI]
M - MI
[U - I]
JI - MA [LI - YA]
N-N
[I - ZI]
U-U
[U - ZI]
U-U
[U - U]
KU [KU - KU]
KU
[PA - PA]
PA - PA [MU - MU]
MU M - WA [A - WA]

This noun class has the following nouns:

A) . nouns of people that start with M- in singular and WA- in plural
B) . other nouns of people
C) . wanyama [animals]
D) . ndege [birds]
E) . wadudu [insects]
F) . samaki [fish]

Lesson 9a:
Noun Classes
A). Nouns of people that start with M- in singular and
WA- in plural
mtoto/watoto
mgeni/wageni
mfaransa/wafaransa
mjomba/wajomba
mke/wake
mkulima/wakulima
mpishi/wapishi
msichana/wasichana
mtu/watu
mume/waume
mvulana/wavulana
mzee/wazee
mzungu/wazungu
mjerumani/wajerumani
mwanamume/wanaume
mwanamke/wanawake
mwalimu/walimu
mwanafunzi/wanafunzi
mwafrika/waafrika

[child/children]
[visitor/visitors]
[French person/French people]
[uncle/uncle]
[wife/wives]
[farmer/farmers]
[cook/cooks]
[girl/girls]
[person/people]
[husband/husbands]
[boy/boys]
[elder/elders]
[white man/white men]
[German person/German people]
[man/men]
[woman/women]
[teacher/teachers]
[student/students]
[African person/African people]

B). Other nouns of people

baba/baba
babu/babu
dada/dada
kaka/kaka
mama/mama
nyanya/nyanya
rafiki/rafiki
shangazi/shangazi
kipofu/vipofu

[father/fathers]
[grandfather/grandfathers]
[sister/sisters]
[brother/brothers]
[mother/mothers]
[grandmother/grandmothers]
[friend/friends]
[aunt/aunts]
[blind person/blind people]

kiziwi/viziwi

[deaf person/deaf people]

Lesson 9a:
Noun Classes
C). Wanyama [animals]
mbwa/mbwa
paka/paka
ngombe/ngombe
simba/simba
ndovu/ndovu

[dog/dogs]
[cat/cats]
[cow/cows]
[lion/lions]
[elephant/elephants]

D). Ndege [birds]

kuku/kuku
kasuku/kasuku
tai/tai
bata mzinga/bata mzinga

[hen/hens]
[parrot/parrots]
[eagle/eagles]
turkey/turkeys]

E). Wadudu [insects]

nyuki/nyuki
mbu/mbu
nzi/nzi

[bee/bees]
[mosquito/mosquitoes]
[fly/flies]

F). Samaki [fish]

ngege/ngege
papa/papa

Zingatia [Note]

[tilapia/tilapia]
[shark/sharks]

When using a verb, this noun class uses A- in singular and WA- in plural for sentence formation.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:
1. Mwanafunzi anasoma.
Wanafunzi wanasoma.
2. Mwalimu anaimba.
Walimu wanaimba.
3. Rafiki alikuja nyumbani.
Rafiki walikuja nyumbani.
4. Mama anapika kuku.

[The student is reading.]

[The students are reading.]
[The teacher is singing.]
[The teachers are singing.]
[The friend came home.]
[The friends came home.]
[The mother is cooking chicken.]

Mama wanapika kuku.

[The mothers are cooking chicken.]

KI - VI
M - WA

[A - WA]

KI - VI

[KI - VI]

M - MI
[U - I]
JI - MA [LI - YA]
[I - ZI]
N-N
U-U
[U - ZI]
U-U
[U - U]
KU [KU KU
PA - PA KU]
[PA - PA]
MU [MU MU
MU]
KI - VI [KI - VI]
This noun class has the following nouns:
A) . nouns that take KI- in singular and VI- in plural
B) . nouns that take CH- in singular and VY- in plural
C) . body parts [sehemu za mwili]
D) . names of languages [majina ya lugha] __________

A). Nouns that take KI- in singular and VI- in plural

kiti/viti

[chair/chairs]

kitabu/vitabu
[book/books]
kiatu/viatu
[shoe/shoes]
kisu/visu
[knife/knives]
kikombe/vikombe
[cup/cups]
kilima/vilima
[hill/hills]
kisiwa/visiwa
[island/islands]
kiazi/viazi
[potato/potatoes]
kitunguu /vitunguu [onion/onions]
kitu/vitu
[thing/things]
kitanda/vitanda
[bed/beds]
kioo/vyoo
[mirror/mirrors]
kiberiti/viberiti
[match/matches]

B). Nouns that take CH- in singular and VY- in plural

chuo/vyuo
choo/vyoo
chakula/vyakula
chumba/vyumba
cheti/vyeti
chama/vyama
chuma/vyuma
chombo/vyombo
cheo/vyeo

[school/schools; college/colleges]
[restroom/restrooms]
[food/foods]
[room/rooms]
[certificate/certificates]
[party/parties; association/associations]
[iron/irons]
[container/containers; utensil/utensils]
[rank/ranks]

C). Body Parts [sehemu za mwili]

kichwa/vichwa
kiuno/viuno
kifua/vifua
kidole/vidole

[head/heads]
[waist/waists]
[chest/chests]
[finger/fingers]

Zingatia [Note]
D). Names of Languages [majina ya lugha]
When using a verb, this noun class uses KI- in singular and VI- in plural for
sentence
Kiarabu formation.___________________________________________
[Arabic]
Kifaransa
Kiingereza
Mifano:
Kichina
1. Kichwa
Kijapani

[French]
Sentence Formation
[English]
[Chinese]
kinauma.
[The head is hurting.]
[Japanese]

Vichwa vinauma.
2. Kiti kilivunjwa.
Viti vilivunjwa.
3. Chuo kimefungwa.
Vyuo vimefungwa.
4. Chakula kitapikwa.
Vyakula vitapikwa.

[The heads are hurting.]

[The chair was broken.]
[The chairs were broken.]
[The school has been closed.]
[The schools have been closed.]
[The food will be cooked.]
[The foods will be cooked.]

M - MI
M - WA [A - WA]
KI - VI [KI - VI]
M - MI
[U - I]
JI - MA [LI - YA]
[I - ZI]
N-N
U-U
[U - ZI]
U-U
[U - U]
KU [KU KU
PA - PA KU]
[PA - PA]
MU [MU MU
MU]
M - MI [U - I]
This noun class has the following nouns:
A) . majina ya miti [names of trees]
B) . majina ya mimea [names of plants]
C) . sehemu za mwili [body parts]
D) . nouns that take M- in singular and MI- in plural
E) . radicals that start with a vowel:

i. nouns that take MW- in singular and MI- in

plural
_______ii. particular cases: singular prefix MU- ___________

A). Majina ya miti [names of trees]

mti/miti
mnazi/minazi
mchungwa /michungwa
mwembe/miembe
mtofaa/mitofaa
mpapai/mipapai
mndimu/mindimu
mpera/mipera
mgomba/migomba

[tree/trees]
[coconut tree/coconut trees]
[orange tree/orange trees]
[mango tree/mango trees]
[apple tree/apple trees]
[papaya tree/papaya trees]
[lime tree/lime trees]
[guava tree/guava trees]
[banana tree/banana trees]

B). Majina ya mimea [names of plants]

mmea/mimea

[plant/plants]

C). Sehemu za mwili [body parts]

mdomo/midomo
mkono/mikono
mguu/miguu
mfupa/mifupa
mgongo/migongo
moyo/mioyo
mwili/miili

[mouth/mouths]
[hand/hands]
[leg/legs]
[bone/bones]
[back/backs]
[heart/hearts]
[body/bodies

D). Nouns that take M- in singular and MI- in plural

mfano/mifano
mji/miji
mkoba/mikoba
mfuko/mifuko
mlango/milango
mtihani/mitihani
mjarabu/mij arabu
mlima/milima
mpira/mipira
mkate/mikate
mto/mito
mungu/miungu

[example/examples]
[city/cities]
[bag/bags]
[bag/bags]
[door/doors]
[exam/exams]
[test/tests]
[mountain/mountains]
[ball/balls]
[bread/breads]
[river/rivers]
[god/gods]

mchezo/michezo
moto/mioto
mskiti/misikiti
msitu/misitu
mswaki/miswaki
mto/mito

[game/games]
[fire/fires]
[mosque/mosques]
[forest/forests]
[toothbrush/toothbrushes]
[river/rivers, pillow/pillows]

E). Radicals that start with a vowel:

i. nouns that take MW- in singular and MI- in plural
mwaka/miaka
mwavuli/miavuli
mwezi/miezi
mwiba/miiba
mwisho/miisho

[year/years]
[umbrella/umbrellas]
[month/months]
[thorn/thorns]
[end/ ends]

ii. particular cases: singular prefix MUmuhindi/mihindi

muhogo/mihogo
muwa/miwa

[corn]
[cassava/cassavas]
[sugarcane]

Zingatia [Note]
When using a verb, this noun class uses U- in
singular and I- in plural for sentence formation.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:

1. Mti ulianguka.
Miti ilianguka.
2. Mkono unauma.
Mikono inauma.
3. Mkoba umeoshwa.
Mikoba imeoshwa.

[The tree fell.]

[The trees fell.]
[The hand hurts.]
[The hands hurt.]
[The bag has been washed.]
[The bags have been washed.]

JI - MA
M - WA
KI - VI
M - MI

[A - WA]
[KI - VI]
[U - I]

JI - MA

[LI - YA]

[I - ZI]
N-N
U-U
[U - ZI]
U-U
[U - U]
KU [KU KU
PA - PA KU]
[PA - PA]
MU [MU MU
MU]

JI - MA [LI - YA]
Nouns in this class can start with any letter in
their singular form but their plural forms must take
MA-.
This noun class has the following nouns:
A) . manufactured products, natural or built places,
abstract or concrete
concepts
B) . sehemu za mwili [parts of the body]
C) . matunda na vitu vya kawaida [fruits and natural
objects]
D) . majina ya vitu ambavyo havihesabiki [These nouns
exist only in the plural
form and are things which cannot be counted.
They take MA- in both singular and plural form]

A). Manufactured products, natural or built places,

abstract or concrete concepts
Manufactured products:

blanketi /mablanketi
dirisha/madirisha
gari/magari
gazeti/magazeti
godoro/magodoro
sanduku/masanduku

[blanket/blankets]
[window/windows]
[car/cars]
[newspaper/newspapers]
[mattress/mattresses]
[box/boxes]

jiko/meko

[gas cooker/gas cookers]

Natural or Built places:

baraza/mabaraza
daraja/madaraja
duka/maduka
shamba/mashamba
soko/masoko
ziwa/maziwa

[veranda/verandas]
[bridge/bridges]
[shop/shops]
[farm/farms]
[market/markets]
[lake/lakes]

jimbo/majimbo

[state/states]

Abstract or Concrete concepts:

jina/majina
kosa/makosa
neno/maneno
jambo/mambo
jiwe/mawe
somo/masomo
wazo/mawazo
jibu/majibu
swali/maswali
jukumu/majukumu
juma/majuma

[name/names]
[mistake/mistakes]
[word/words]
[issue/issues]
[stone/stones]
[subject/subjects; lesson/lessons]
[thought/thoughts]
[answer/answers]
[question/questions]
[responsibility/responsibilities]
[week/weeks]

B). Sehemu za mwili [parts of the body]

jino/meno
bega/mabega
goti/magoti
sikio/masikio
tumbo/matumbo
paja/mapaja

[tooth/teeth]
[shoulder/shoulders]
[knee/knees]
[ear/ears]
[stomach/bowels]
[thigh/thighs]

C). Matunda na vitu vya kawaida [fruits and natural

objects]
Fruits:

chungwa/machungwa
embe/maembe
limau/malimau
nanasi/mananasi
papai/mapapai
dafu/madafu
tofaa/matofaa

[orange/oranges]
[mango/mangoes]
[lemon/lemons]
[pineapple/pineapples]
[pawpaw/pawpaws]
[coconut/coconuts (with milk)]
[apple/apples]

Natural Objects:

jani/majani
yai/mayai
rinda/marinda

[leaf/leaves]
[egg/eggs]
[dress/dresses]

D). Majina ya vitu ambavyo havihesabiki

[nouns of things that cannot be
counted, which exist only in the plural
form
maji/maji
mafuta/mafuta
maharagwe/maharagwe
mahindi/mahindi
mali/mali
maafa/maafa

[water]
[oil]
[beans]
[corn]
[wealth]
[misfortune]

matata/matata

[problems]

Zingatia [Note]

When using a verb, this noun class uses LI- in singular and YA- in plural for
sentence formation.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:

1. Chungwa limenunuliwa.
Machungwa yamenunuliwa.
2. Gari limefika.
Magari yamefika.
3. Jicho linauma.
Macho yanauma.
4. Maji yamemwangika.
Maji yamemwangika.

[The orange has been bought.]

[The oranges have been bought.]
[The car has arrived.]
[The cars have arrived.]
[The eye hurts.]
[The eyes hurt.]
[The water has been poured.]
[The water has been poured.]

M - WA
KI - VI
M - MI
JI - MA

[A - WA]
[KI - VI]
[U - I]
[LI - YA]

N-N

[I - ZI]

U-U
U-U
KU - KU
PA - PA
MU MU

[U - ZI]
[U - U]
[KU - KU]
[PA - PA]
[MU MU]

N - N [I - ZI]
This noun class is the broadest noun class and has the
following nouns:
A) . Manufactured products, natural or built places,
abstract or concrete
concepts
B) . Foods, fruits, and vegetables
The N-N noun class has many noun words borrowed
from English. It contains some nouns which start with
the prefix N- although several nouns in this class do not.
These nouns are written identically in singular and
plural forms.

A). Manufactured products, natural or built places,

abstract or concrete concepts
Manufactured objects:

barua/barua
chupa/chupa
dawa/dawa
kalamu/kalamu
karatasi/karatasi
ngoma/ngoma
sabuni/sabuni
sahani/sahani
sufuria/sufuria
suruali/suruali
chaki/chaki
dola/dola
kompyuta/kompyuta
nguo/nguo
soksi/soksi
shilingi/shilingi
meza/meza
taa/taa
senti/senti
nyumba/nyumba

[letter/letters]
[bottle/bottles]
[drug/drugs; medicine/medicines]
[pen/pens]
[paper/papers]
[drum/drums]
[soap/soaps]
[plate/plates]
[pan/pans]
[trouser/trousers]
[chalk/chalk]
[dollar/dollars]
[computer/computers]
[cloth/cloths]
[sock/socks]
[shilling/shillings]
[table/tables]
[light/lights]
[cent/cents]
[house/houses]

Nature:

ardhi/ardhi
bahari/bahari
baridi/baridi
barafu/barafu
hewa/hewa
nuru/nuru
mvua/mvua
njia/njia
bandari/bandari
barabara/barabara
nchi/nchi

[earth; ground]
[sea]
[cold]
[ice]
[air; atmosphere]
[light]
[rain]
[way]
[harbor]
[road]
[country]

Abstract concepts:

ajali/ajali
bahati/bahati
furaha/furaha
hasara/hasara
hatari/hatari
huzuni/huzuni
nguvu/nguvu
shida/shida
thamani/thamani
dakika/dakika
sifa/sifa
ndoto/ndoto
shughuli/shughuli

[accident/accidents]
[luck/lucks]
[joy/joys]
[loss/losses]
[danger/dangers]
[sadness/sadnesses]
[strength/strengths]
[problem/problems]
[value/values]
[minute/minutes]
[praise/praises; reputation/reputations]
[dream/dreams]
[business/businesses]

B). Foods, fruits, and vegetables

chai/chai
chumvi/chumvi
kahawa/kahawa
mboga/mboga
nazi/nazi
ndizi/ndizi
nyama/nyama
pilipili/pilipili
siagi/siagi
sukari/sukari
njugu/njugu

[tea/teas]
[salt/salts]
[coffee/coffees]
[vegetable/vegetables]
[coconut/coconuts]
[banana/bananas]
[meat/meats]
[pepper/[peppers]
[butter; margarine]
[sugar/sugars]
[groundnut/groundnuts]

Zingatia [Note]
When using a verb, this noun class uses I- in singular and ZI- in plural for
sentence formation.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:

1. Kalamu imeanguka. [The pen has fallen.]

Kalamu zimeanguka. [The pens have fallen.]
2. Njia imefungwa.
[The way has been closed.]

Njia zimefungwa.

[The ways have been closed.]

M - WA [A - WA]
KI - VI [KI - VI]
M - MI
[U - I]
JI - MA [LI - YA]
N-N
[I - ZI]
U-U
[U - ZI]
U-U
[U - U]
KU [KU KU
PA - PA KU]
[PA - PA]
MU [MU MU
MU]
U - U [U - ZI]
U - U [U - U]
This noun class has the following nouns:
A) . concrete nouns with various plurals
B) . uncountable nouns, with no plural form
C) . nouns that are mostly formed from adjectives, nominals, or verbal roots
D) . names of countries

A). Concrete nouns with various plurals

U - NY:
uso/nyuso
uzi/nyuzi
ua/nyua
ufa/nyufa
uma/nyuma
U - ND:
ulimi/ndimi
udevu/ndevu

[face/faces]
[thread/threads]
[courtyard/courtyards]
[crack/cracks]
[fork/forks]

[tongue/tongues]
[beard/beards]

U - MB:
ubao/mbao
ubavu/mbavu
ubawa/mbawa
U - 0:
unywele/nywele
ufunguo/funguo
ukuta/kuta
upande/pande
uvumbi/vumbi
upanga/panga
upepo/pepo
W - NY:
wakati/nyakati
wembe/nyembe
wimbo/nyimbo

[board/boards]
[rib/ribs]
[wing/wings]

[one hair/hair]
[key/keys]
[wall/walls]
[side/sides]
[grain of dust/dust]
[machete/machetes]
[wind/winds]
[time/times]
[razor blade/razor blades]
[song/songs]

B). Uncountable nouns, with no plural form

Nouns in this category remain the same in both singular and plural sentence formation when using a
verb(s).

udongo/udongo
ugali/ugali
uji/uji

[soil; ground]
[corn paste]
[porridge]

ulimwengu/ulimwengu
umeme/umeme
umri/umri
unga/unga
usingizi/usingizi
uwongo/uwongo

[world]
[electricity]
[age]
[flour]
[sleep]
[a lie]

C). Nouns that are mostly formed from adjectives,

nominals,or verbal roots
Nouns in this category remain the same in both singular and plural sentence formation when using
a verb(s).

Nominal roots:

NOUN - NOUN

jamaa - ujamaa
kijana - ujana

[group of people - community]

[young person - young age]

mzee - uzee
maskini - umaskini
mchawi - uchawi
mfalme - ufalme
mtoto - utoto

[old person - old age]

[poor person - poverty]
[witch - witchcraft]
[king - kingdom]
[child - childhood]

Verbal roots:

VERB - NOUN

kuiba - uwizi
kukosa - ukosefu
kupenda - upendo
kuweza - uwezo
kusahau - usahaulifu

[to steal - theft]

[to miss - deficiency]
[to love - love]
[to be able - capacity]
[to forget - forgetfulness]

D). Names of countries

Ufaransa
Uganda
Uingereza
Ujerumani
Ureno
Urusi

[France]
[Uganda]
[England]
[Germany]
[Portugal]
[Russia]

Zingatia [Note]
When using a verb, this noun class uses U- in singular and ZI- in plural for
sentence formation. However, uncountable nouns and nouns that are formed
from adjectival, nominal, or verbal roots only use U-.

Sentence Formation
Mifano:

1. Ulimi unauma.
Ndimi zinauma.
2. Ufunguo umepotea.
Funguo zimepotea.
3. Ubavu umevunjika.
Mbavu zimevunjika.
4. Ugali umepikwa.
Ugali umepikwa.
5. Upendo wao umesifika.
Upendo wao umesifika.

[The tongue hurts.]

[The tongues hurt.]
[The key has been lost.]
[The keys have been lost.]
[The rib has broken.]
[The ribs have broken.]
[The cornmeal has been cooked.]
[The cornmeal has been cooked.]
[Their love has been praised.]
[Their love has been praised.]