lakini

But with Lakini

Level 1

Lakini is the most common way to say "but" in Swahili.

How It Works

In Swahili, lakini is used to connect two independent clauses or ideas that contrast with each other, much like "but" or "however" in English.

Because it is an Arabic loanword, it is an invariable conjunction. You simply place it between the two ideas you want to contrast. It does not take any prefixes or suffixes and completely ignores the Bantu noun-class agreement system. When writing, using a comma before lakini is common but flexible; it is not strictly required. You can also place lakini at the very beginning of a new sentence to contrast with a previous thought. However, unlike the English words "though" or "however," you cannot place lakini at the end of a sentence. Additionally, lakini can connect clauses of completely different tenses (for example, a past tense action contrasting with a present tense situation) without requiring any special grammatical agreement.

Important Distinctions and Related Words:
While English uses "but" for several different purposes, Swahili has a few options depending on the context.

  • For correcting a negative statement ("Not X, but Y"), use Corrective but bali.
  • For exceptions ("Everyone but him"), use Except or But ila. However, in spoken Swahili, ila is also frequently used as a softer, conversational synonym for lakini (e.g., Nataka kuja, ila sina muda - "I want to come, but I don't have time").
  • A highly common phrase in spoken Swahili is lakini pia ("but also"), used to add complementary information. However, in formal writing, there is prescriptivist pushback against this phrase as a tautology. To express "not only... but also" formally, you should use the fixed idiom Not Only...But Also.
  • A useful related word is walakini, which can be used as a formal conjunction meaning "however" or "nevertheless," as well as a noun meaning "a catch," "a flaw," or "a doubt" (e.g., Kuna walakini - "There is a catch").

Examples (4)

  1. Nataka kwenda, lakini sina muda.

    I want to go, but I don't have time.

    Word by Word: I want to go, but I don't have time.

    A classic example of two contrasting independent clauses connected by lakini.

  2. Anapenda kusoma lakini ni mvivu.

    He likes studying but he is lazy.

    Word by Word: He likes to read but is lazy.

    Lakini introduces the unexpected contrast to liking to study.

  3. Nilitaka kwenda sokoni, lakini ilikuwa inanyesha mvua.

    I wanted to go to the market, but it was raining.

    Word by Word: I wanted to go to market, but it was raining rain.

    Lakini explains the obstacle or contrasting situation that prevented the action.

  4. Chakula ni kizuri, lakini ni ghali.

    The food is good, but it is expensive.

    Word by Word: Food is good, but is expensive.

    Used to contrast two adjectives describing the same subject.

Common Mistakes

  • Using lakini to correct a negative statement.

    Si maji, lakini soda.
    Si maji, bali soda.

    English speakers often translate "It is not water, but soda" directly using lakini. In Swahili, when you are correcting a negative statement ("Not this, but rather that"), you must use Corrective but bali. lakini is strictly for general contrast.

  • Placing lakini at the end of a sentence.

    Ni ghali, ninataka kuinunua lakini.
    Ni ghali, lakini ninataka kuinunua.

    English speakers often put "though" or "however" at the end of a sentence (e.g., "It is expensive, I want to buy it though"). In Swahili, lakini must always come before the contrasting clause or at the beginning of the sentence, never at the end.

How It Connects

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lakiniLevel 1But with Lakini

Learn This First

Lakini is a coordinating conjunction used to contrast two ideas. To use it effectively, a learner should already be able to construct basic sentences and understand how simple conjunctions like 'na' function to link parts of speech.

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lakini