Swahili Relative Pronouns and Emphatic ndi-

The emphatic ndi- forms are closely connected to relative pronouns. These small markers link a noun to extra information about it — such as who did something, what was involved, or which item is being discussed.

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Examples of Relative Pronouns

• who: Mtu ambaye alikuja (mtu aliyekuja) jana ni rafiki yangu.
  [The person who came yesterday is my friend.]

• which: Kitabu ambacho nilikopa (kitabu nilichokopa) kutoka kwa maktaba.
  [The book which I borrowed from the library.]

• that: Kiti kilichovunjika (kiti ambacho kilivunjika).
  [The chair that broke.]

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Table: Relative Pronouns and ndi- Forms by Noun Class

Noun Class	Relative Pronoun	Emphatic ndi-	Example
M-WA (sing.)	-ye	ndiye	Yeye ndiye mwalimu wangu
M-WA (pl.)	-o	ndio	Wao ndio walimpiga
KI-VI (sing.)	-cho	ndicho	Kiti hicho ndicho kipya
KI-VI (pl.)	-vyo	ndivyo	Viti hivyo ndivyo vipya
JI-MA (sing.)	-lo	ndilo	Jino hili ndilo linauma
JI-MA (pl.)	-yo	ndiyo	Meno haya ndiyo yanauma
N (sing.)	-yo	ndiyo	Nyumba hii ndiyo yake
N (pl.)	-zo	ndizo	Nyumba hizo ndizo zake
M-MI (sing.)	-o	ndio	Mti huu ndio alipanda
M-MI (pl.)	-yo	ndiyo	Miti hii ndiyo alipanda
PA	-po	ndipo	Hapa ndipo alianguka
KU	-ko	ndiko	Kulia huku ndiko sipendi

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Relative Pronouns & Emphatic ndi- Quiz

 Part A: Multiple Choice – Relative Pronouns

Choose the correct relative pronoun to complete each sentence:

1. Mtu ______ alikuja jana ni jirani yangu.
   a) ambaye    b) ambacho    c) walio    d) ambayo
2. Kitabu ______ ulisoma kilikuwa kizuri sana.
   a) ambayo    b) ambao    c) ambacho    d) aliye
3. Nyumba ______ walinunua iko karibu na barabara.
   a) ambao    b) walio    c) waliyo    d) ambayo
4. Mwalimu ______ tunampenda ni mkali lakini mwerevu.
   a) ambaye    b) ambacho    c) ambao    d) walio

Part B: Fill in the Blanks – Emphatic ndi- Forms

1. Sahani _____ ilivunjika.
   (It is the plate that broke.)
2. Yeye _____ alileta zawadi.
   (He is the one who brought the gift.)
3. Wao _____ walipika chakula.
   (They are the ones who cooked the food.)
4. Sisi _____ tuliona ajali.
   (It is indeed us who saw the accident.)

Part C: Translation

Translate the following into Kiswahili using either a relative pronoun or an emphatic ndi- form:

1. The man who spoke is the manager.
2. It is the tree that fell.
3. The girl who sings lives nearby.
4. It is you who helped me.
5. The car that was stolen has been found.

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💡 Tip: Practice these patterns in writing and conversation to strengthen your fluency and confidence using complex Kiswahili structures!