Weather Clauses

Level 5

Swahili expresses weather either as an active subject performing an action (e.g., 'rain is raining') or as a condition present in the environment using kuna (there is).

How It Works

To become proficient in Swahili weather expressions, you must avoid translating the English 'it is' directly.

1. Weather as an Active Subject
When weather involves a dynamic action, the weather noun is the subject of the sentence. The verb takes the subject agreement prefix for that specific noun's class.

  • Mvua (rain, Class 9) takes i-: Mvua inanyesha. (Rain is raining / It is raining.)
  • Jua (sun, Class 5) takes li-: Jua linawaka. (The sun is shining.)
  • Upepo (wind, Class 11) takes u-: Upepo unavuma. (The wind is blowing.)

Note: The i- in inanyesha is not a generic 'it'; it strictly refers to a Class 9 noun like mvua or theluji (snow). However, Swahili does have a generic 'it' for active weather verbs using the general locative prefix ku-. You will frequently hear standalone verbs like kunanyesha (it is raining) or kulinyesha (it rained) without a specific subject noun.

2. Weather as an Ambient Condition
For static environmental states, use kuna (there is / the environment has) followed by the weather noun.

  • Kuna baridi. (There is cold / It is cold.)
  • Kuna joto. (There is heat / It is hot.)
  • Kuna mawingu. (There are clouds / It is cloudy.)

Note that the active weather nouns from the first rule can also be used with kuna to describe the general condition: Kuna jua (It is sunny), Kuna upepo (It is windy), or Kuna mvua (It is rainy).

The ku- prefix can also attach to tense markers for ambient verbs, such as kumekucha (it has dawned) or kumetanda (it is overcast).

3. Personal Feelings of Weather
To say 'I am cold', do not use the copula ni. Instead, use kuwa na (to have) or verbs of perception like kusikia or kuhisi (to feel).

  • Nina baridi. (I am cold / I have cold.)
  • Ninasikia baridi. (I feel cold.)

Notice the contrast: kuna baridi means the environment is cold, while nina baridi means you personally feel cold.

Ni with an Explicit Subject:
Hali ya hewa ni nzuri means “The weather is good”; maji ni baridi means “The water is cold.” These have explicit subjects and identifying/descriptive predicates. Their use of ni does not make a bare English-style “it is” template suitable for every weather expression.

Examples (4)

  1. Mvua inanyesha sana leo, kwa hivyo chukua mwavuli.

    It is raining heavily today, so take an umbrella.

    Word by Word: Rain is raining very today, for thus take umbrella.

    The Class 9 noun 'mvua' is the active subject, taking the 'i-' subject prefix.

  2. Kuna baridi asubuhi, lakini baadaye jua linawaka.

    It is cold in the morning, but later the sun shines.

    Word by Word: There is cold morning, but later sun is shining.

    Uses 'kuna' for the ambient condition of cold, and 'jua' (Class 5) as an active subject with 'li-'.

  3. Kumekucha na upepo mkali unavuma.

    It has dawned and a strong wind is blowing.

    Word by Word: It has dawned and wind strong is blowing.

    'Kumekucha' uses the ambient 'ku-' prefix, while 'upepo' (Class 11) takes the 'u-' prefix.

  4. Nina baridi kwa sababu hakuna jua leo.

    I am cold because there is no sun today.

    Word by Word: I have cold for reason there is no sun today.

    Demonstrates the correct way to express personal temperature using 'kuwa na' (to have), literally 'I have cold'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the copula 'ni' to describe ambient weather or personal temperature.

    Mimi ni baridi.
    Nina baridi. / Ninasikia baridi.

    'Mimi ni baridi' implies your physical body is cold to the touch or you have a cold personality. To express feeling cold, use 'kuwa na' (literally 'I have cold' -> Nina baridi) or 'kusikia' (to feel). For the environment, use 'kuna baridi'.

  • Using 'ina' instead of 'kuna' for general environmental conditions.

    Ina baridi leo.
    Kuna baridi leo.

    'Ina' means a specific Class 9 object (like a house) has coldness. For the general environment, the Class 17 locative 'kuna' must be used.

How It Connects

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Weather ClausesLevel 5

Learn This First

To express weather in Swahili, you need to understand how to link weather nouns to verbs using the correct noun class subject markers, as well as how to use the existential 'kuna' (there is) for atmospheric conditions.