zaidi

Understanding how to use zaidi will help you express 'more' accurately in Swahili:

• Position: As an adverb, zaidi comes after the noun, adjective, or verb it modifies (e.g., maji zaidi = more water, nzuri zaidi = more beautiful). However, when used as the phrase zaidi ya (more than), it comes before the noun it governs (e.g., zaidi ya watu kumi = more than ten people).
• Modifying Verbs: When expressing that an action is done 'more', zaidi follows the verb (e.g., Anapenda kusoma zaidi = He likes reading more).
• Invariable Form: Because it is an Arabic loanword functioning as an adverb or adjective, it never takes agreement markers. Do not add prefixes to it.
• Comparisons: When comparing two things, you can use either zaidi ya or Than with kuliko (e.g., kubwa zaidi ya or kubwa zaidi kuliko = bigger than). They are often interchangeable for adjectives, but zaidi ya is used before numbers to mean 'more than' (e.g., zaidi ya watu kumi = more than ten people). Note that placing zaidi after a number means 'additional' (e.g., watu kumi zaidi = ten more people). Note that while kuliko functions as 'than' in comparisons, it literally translates to 'where there is' (ku-li-ko). It can be paired with adjectives (e.g., kubwa kuliko = bigger than) or used directly with verbs to compare actions (e.g., Anakimbia kuliko mimi = He runs more than me). When comparing with people, you must use independent pronouns like First-Person Singular Pronoun, Second-Person Singular Pronoun, or Third-Person Singular Pronoun. Adding zaidi provides extra emphasis.
• Superlatives: Zaidi alone means 'more' (e.g., ushauri mbaya zaidi = worse advice). To make a true superlative ('the most' or '-est'), you must compare the subject to 'all' using All or Whole with -ote. The stem -ote requires the correct noun-class agreement for the comparison set, whether plural or a singular mass/abstract noun (e.g., mkubwa zaidi kuliko wote = the biggest of all [people], ushauri mbaya kuliko wote = the worst advice [compared with all that advice, Class 14 singular/mass agreement]).
• Besides / In Addition To: When paired with demonstratives, zaidi ya acts as a conjunction meaning 'besides', 'moreover', or 'furthermore' (e.g., zaidi ya hayo = besides that).
• Related Concepts: The word zaidi and the verb Exceed with -zidi (to increase or exceed) are cognates, both borrowed from the same Arabic root. Swahili speakers frequently use kuzidi instead of adjectives for comparisons (e.g., Ananizidi urefu = He exceeds me in height). You will also hear the common phrase zaidi na zaidi (more and more). Additionally, comparisons can be made using the verbs kushinda (to defeat/surpass) and kupita (to pass), which function similarly to 'more than' (e.g., Mrefu kushinda mimi = Taller than me).