Possessives: my, your, our — Swahili Grammar

Swahili possessives are stems rather than whole words: -angu my, -ako your, -ake his, her, its, -etu our, -enu your to several people, -ao their. Each takes a prefix agreeing with the thing owned.

The Owner Does Not Choose the Shape

This is the reverse of what an English speaker expects. My changes shape not according to who I am, but according to what I own.

- my friend
- my book
- my name
- my hands
- my books

Jina langu ni Alex.
My name is Alex.
Vitabu vyangu viko juu ya dawati.
My books are on the desk.

The stem -angu is the same in every one. Only the prefix moves, and it comes from the thing owned.

One Word for His and Hers

covers he, she and it alike. Swahili marks no gender anywhere in its grammar, so the sentence simply does not say.

Mbwa wake mdogo anapendeza sana.
Her little dog is very sweet.
Nguo zake ni chafu.
His clothes are dirty.

Either sentence could as easily be about the other; only the wider conversation decides.

Two Ways to Say Your

addresses one person and addresses several, a distinction English lost centuries ago.

Ulete mizigo yako.
Bring your luggage.
Furahieni chakula chenu.
Enjoy your meal.

The first speaks to one traveller, the second to a table of guests.

Family Words Fuse

With a few words for close relatives and companions, the possessive joins onto the noun and is written as a single word.

- my companion: + -angu
- my child: + -angu

Mary, huyu ni mwenzangu kazini.
Mary, this is my colleague at work.

With your and his, her the ending shrinks further: -ako becomes -o, and -ake becomes -e, written -we after the noun's last vowel.

- your husband: + -ako
- her husband: + -ake
- his or her child: + -ake

Mama yangu anaitwa Lisa. Mumewe anaitwa David.
My mother's name is Lisa. Her husband's name is David.
Anamsomea mwanawe kitabu.
She is reading her child a book.

Standing Without a Noun

A possessive can stand alone, where English switches to mine or hers. Swahili changes nothing, because the prefix already says what is owned.

Viatu hivi ni vyangu.
These shoes are mine.
Kitabu hiki ni changu.
This book is mine.

At Someone's Place

Attached to the place prefix kw-, the same stems name a person's home or whereabouts.

- at my place
- at your place
- at his or her place
- at your place, to several of you

Nilikwenda kwake jana jioni kunywa chai.
I went to his place yesterday evening to drink tea.
Habari Bibi Kim, ilikuwaje kukaa kwako hospitalini?
Hello Mrs Kim, how was your stay in hospital?

Where It Sits

The possessive follows its noun, and follows a pointing word if there is one, but comes before an adjective.

Mbwa wake mdogo anapendeza sana.
Her little dog is very sweet.

comes straight after , and the adjective waits behind it.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Swahili course

111 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 1. A few of them, with the words “Possessives: my, your, our” is about in bold:

Huyu ni rafiki yangu, Anna. Yeye ni mwanafunzi.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
Nilinunua dazeni ya mayai na pipi kwa ajili yako pia.
I bought a dozen eggs and a candy bar for you too.
Lesson 47
Nina wadogo zangu wa kike wawili na dada wawili.
I have two younger sisters and two older sisters.
Lesson 138

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