6 min read
Mathew Wahome
Nouns (Nomino)
What is a noun in Kiswahili?
A noun, called nomino, names a person, animal, place or thing. The KICD Grade 5 Kiswahili curriculum teaches learners to use nouns and change them from singular (umoja) to plural (wingi). This lesson is taught in English.
Noun classes
Kiswahili nouns are grouped by their beginnings, called classes.
| Class | Singular | Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| M-/Wa- (people) | mtu | watu | person, people |
| M-/Wa- | mwalimu | walimu | teacher |
| M-/Mi- (plants) | mti | miti | tree |
| Ji-/Ma- | jiko | meko | cooker, kitchen |
| Ki-/Vi- (things) | kikombe | vikombe | cup |
| N- (no change) | ndizi | ndizi | banana |
Special groups
- Majina ya pekee (proper nouns): Kenya, Wanjiru, Kisumu.
- Majina ya jamii (collective nouns): kundi (group), darasa (class).
- Majina ya kawaida (common nouns): kitabu, mbwa (dog), nyumba (house).
Forming plurals
- Mtoto becomes watoto (children).
- Kiti becomes viti (chairs).
- Mkono becomes mikono (hands).
- Nyumba stays nyumba (house, houses).
In a sentence
- Watoto wanacheza uwanjani. (The children are playing in the field.)
- Mti ni mrefu. (The tree is tall.)
Try it
- Write the plural of kikapu (basket), mkulima (farmer) and mlima (mountain).
- Make a sentence using a proper noun.
- Match: mbwa, kitabu, shule with dog, book, school.