In this class we find names of trees, members of the human body, household articles and some physical
phenomena.
Examples:
Singular. Plural
Mti, tree. Miti, trees
Mkono, hand ,arm. Mikono, hands, arms
Mguu, leg, foot. Miguu, legs, feet
Mgongo, back. Migongo, backs
Mdomo, mouth, lip. Midomo, mouths, lips
Mwili, body. Miili, bodies
Moyo, heart. Mioyo, hearts
Moto, fire. Mioto, fires
Moshi, smoke. Mioshi, smokes
Mto, river, pillow. Mito, rivers, pillows
Mji, town, city. Miji, towns, cities
Mkate, bread. Mikate, bread (loaves of)
Mstari, line. Mistari, lines
Mtende, palm tree. Mitende, palm trees
Mwaka, year. Miaka, years
Mwezi, moon, month. Miezi ,months
Mwanzo beginning. Mianzo, beginnings
Mwisho, end. Miisho, ends
The adjectives which qualify these nouns take m and mi, thus; mti mrefu ‘a tall tree’ miti mirefu; ‘tall
trees’ mwanzo Mzuri ‘a good beginning’ mianzo mizuri; ‘good beginnings’
Using ni for is and are, we have; mtende ni mti mrefu “A palm tree is a tall tree’ Nairobi ni mji
mkubwa ‘Nairobi is a big city’ mwanzo mzuri na mwisho mbaya ‘a good beginning and a bad end’