Demonstratives (This/That/That Over There) in Swahili

Overview

Swahili has a three-way demonstrative system that distinguishes between "this" (near the speaker), "that" (near the listener), and "that over there" (far from both). At the CEFR A1 level, learning demonstratives is essential for pointing out objects, specifying which item you mean, and navigating everyday situations like shopping or giving directions.

What makes Swahili demonstratives particularly interesting — and challenging — is that each form must agree with the noun class of the item being pointed to. English uses just "this" and "that" regardless of the noun, but Swahili has different demonstrative forms for people, objects, places, and each noun class.

The three distances are often described as: proximal (h- prefix, near speaker), medial (h-...-o, near listener), and distal (-le, far from both). Mastering all three adds precision to your communication that English simply cannot match.

How It Works

Demonstrative Forms by Noun Class

Class	This (near me)	That (near you)	That (far away)
1 (m-)	huyu	huyo	yule
2 (wa-)	hawa	hao	wale
3 (m-)	huu	huo	ule
4 (mi-)	hii	hiyo	ile
7 (ki-)	hiki	hicho	kile
8 (vi-)	hivi	hivyo	vile
9 (n-)	hii	hiyo	ile
10 (n-)	hizi	hizo	zile
5 (ji-)	hili	hilo	lile
6 (ma-)	haya	hayo	yale

Position in the Sentence

Demonstratives typically follow the noun:

• Mtu huyu (this person)
• Kitabu hiki (this book)
• Nyumba ile (that house over there)

They can also appear before the noun for emphasis:

• Huyu mtu anasoma. (THIS person is reading.)

Patterns to Notice

• Proximal (this): Starts with h- + class vowel repeated: hu-yu, ha-wa, hi-ki, hi-i
• Medial (that): h- + class vowel + -o: hu-yo, hi-cho, hi-yo
• Distal (far): class consonant + -le: yu-le, wa-le, ki-le, zi-le

Examples in Context

Swahili	English	Note
Mtu huyu ni mwalimu.	This person is a teacher.	Class 1 proximal
Kitabu hicho ni changu.	That book is mine.	Class 7 medial
Nyumba ile ni kubwa.	That house (far) is big.	Class 9 distal
Watoto hawa wanacheza.	These children are playing.	Class 2 proximal
Mti huu ni mrefu.	This tree is tall.	Class 3 proximal
Viti vile ni vipya.	Those chairs (far) are new.	Class 8 distal
Gari hili ni zuri.	This car is nice.	Class 5 proximal
Matunda hayo ni matamu.	Those fruits are sweet.	Class 6 medial
Nguo hizi ni nzuri.	These clothes are nice.	Class 10 proximal
Mwalimu yule amefika.	That teacher (far) has arrived.	Class 1 distal

Common Mistakes

Using class 1 demonstratives for objects

• Wrong: Kitabu huyu ni kizuri. (This book — using person demonstrative)
• Right: Kitabu hiki ni kizuri.
• Why: "Huyu" is for class 1 (people). "Kitabu" is class 7 and requires "hiki."

Confusing medial and distal forms

• Wrong: Using "hicho" and "kile" interchangeably
• Right: Kitabu hicho (that book near you) vs. Kitabu kile (that book over there)
• Why: The three-way distinction encodes spatial relationships. Medial refers to something near the listener; distal means far from both speakers.

Mixing class 4 and class 9 forms

• Wrong: Both use "hii/hiyo/ile" — no visible distinction
• Right: Classes 4 and 9 share demonstrative forms; context and noun clarify
• Why: Some classes share demonstrative forms. The noun itself disambiguates.

Forgetting to change demonstrative in plural

• Wrong: Vitabu hiki ni vizuri. (books this-sg)
• Right: Vitabu hivi ni vizuri. (These books are good.)
• Why: Plural nouns require plural demonstratives.

Usage Notes

In everyday speech, demonstratives are used far more frequently than in English. They often serve as definite articles (which Swahili lacks): "mtu yule" can mean "that person" or simply "the person" depending on context.

The medial demonstrative (near listener) is also commonly used to refer to something previously mentioned in conversation, similar to "the aforementioned" in formal English.

Practice Tips

1. Three-distance practice: Point to objects at three distances and name them with the correct demonstrative: "Kiti hiki (near me), kiti hicho (near you), kiti kile (far away)."
2. Class pattern memorization: Notice the pattern in proximal forms (h- + vowel + repeated vowel) and distal forms (class marker + -le). These patterns make the system more predictable.
3. Shopping role-play: Practice pointing to items as if in a market: "Ninataka kitabu hiki" (I want this book), "Hapana, kitabu kile" (No, that book over there).

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Noun Class 1/2: M-/Wa- (People) — demonstratives require noun class knowledge for correct agreement