Language Question

[commenter]

When do you use "vyetu"?
I'm a novice in Kiswahili so it would be nice to get an explanation in English 🙂

 

[SHIEKA]

When do you use "vyetu"?
I'm a novice in Kiswahili so it would be nice to get an explanation in English 🙂

Lengthy grammar lesson/explanation.
To begin with vyetu (ours) is first person plural possessive, the root possessive being -etu.
The prefix vy- represents plural noun in the noun class ch/ki- vy-, ch/ki- being singular prefix for nouns such as ki-ti,ki-tabu, ki-kapu etc, the plurals of which vi-ti, vi-tabu, and vi-kapu etc.Suppose now you want to say our books, our chairs and our baskets in swahili.It will thus be: our chairs =viti vyetu,our books = vitabu vyetu, our baskets = ?
Hope in this short explanation you have gained something.Hope too that you are attending a swahili course where you are.
Welcome to the swahili world!
SHIEKA

 

[commenter]

Thank you. You were very helpful.
I cannot wait to start learning Swahili.

Do you mind telling me what noun class the other -etu words are?

 

[SHIEKA]

Thank you. You were very helpful.
I cannot wait to start learning Swahili.

Do you mind telling me what noun class the other -etu words are?

Here we go commenter.
We do have the following noun classes in swahili, based on their singular and plural forms.
1.0 M - WA Class. (This class is for people and animals) eg
SINGULAR...........................................PLURAL
Mtu(person)....................................... Watu(persons/people)
Mtoto(a child)..................................... Watoto(children)
Mwanamke(a woman).......................... Wanawake(women)
Mwanaume(a man).............................. Wanaume(men) etc
But Note:singular animals don't take the m prefix nor the wa prefix in plural.
In animals the singular prefix m do however appear before possessives and adjectives
for example my goat in swahili will be mbuzi w-angu.Plural my goats = mbuzi w-angu.
Bit confusing with possessives but clear in adjectives eg a small goat =mbuzi m-dogo. Plural =Mbuzi wa-dogo
1.1 -etu with m-wa class in singular
english..............................................................swahili
our child............................................................mtoto wetu
our goat............................................................mbuzi wetu
our woman.........................................................mwanamke wetu
our man.............................................................mwanaume(mtu) wetu
Hope it's enough for today commenter.You are welcome for more questions
Thanks.SHIEKA

 

[commenter]

Awesome, thanks.

 

[SHIEKA]

Awesome, thanks.

Very often grammar is mind-boggling,esp swahili grammar.But never give up commenter.BTW are you a bantu?

 

[commenter]

Sorry for the late reply.

I am of the African diaspora so I do not know what I am :confused3: I enjoy linguistics so I'm definitely interested in learning Swahili.