mna

Mna functions as a standalone word in the present affirmative tense to mean "you all have." It is a present-tense construction formed by attaching the subject prefix m- directly to the word na (with). It belongs to a complete pronoun family for the verb kuwa na (to have), alongside nina, una, ana, tuna, and wana.

Pronunciation Note:
The m- in mna acts as a syllabic nasal. This means it is pronounced as its own distinct syllable before the consonant n (m-na).

Negative Form:
To say "you all do not have," use the negative form hamna.

Saying "You All Have It" or "Them":
When you want to say "you all have it" or "you all have them" (referring back to a specific object), you cannot just use mna. You must attach a relative suffix (often called the "o-of-reference") that agrees with the noun class of the object. For example, if referring to a kitabu (book, Class 7), you say mnacho (you all have it). For funguo (keys, Class 10), you say mnazo (you all have them).

Important Distinctions:

• Locative mna and hamna: Swahili has an identical-looking word, mna, which means "there is inside." This is formed with the Class 18 locative prefix m- (inside) and is part of a locative trio alongside kuna (Class 17, general location) and pana (Class 16, definite location). Context usually makes the meaning clear (e.g., Mna maji can mean "You all have water" or "There is water inside"). Similarly, the negative form hamna shares this exact same ambiguity, meaning either "you all do not have" or "there is nothing inside."
• Present Continuous Tense: Do not confuse the standalone word mna with the present tense marker -na- used inside verbs, such as in mnasoma (you all are reading).

Past and Future Tenses:
Because mna is a special present-tense form, you cannot simply add tense markers to it. To say "you all had" or "you all will have," you must use the full verb kuwa na (to be with):

• Past: mlikuwa na (you all had)
• Future: mtakuwa na (you all will have)

People, Tenses and Questions:
Mnaye? can mean “Do you all have him/her?” and Mnao? “Do you all have them?” The ending identifies an animate possessed/referenced participant. Write mlikuwa na (you all had) and mtakuwa na (you all will have) as two words. In speech, Mna pesa? (Do you all have money?) can be asked with question intonation and no extra question word.