Ninakuchukia
The English phrase "I hate you" is translated into Swahili as Ninakuchukia.
Ninakuchukia is used as an expression of intense dislike towards someone.
Meaning: expression of intense dislike (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The form Ninakuchukia is composed of the subject prefix ni- (I), the tense marker -na- (present continuous), the object infix -ku- (you) and the verb stem -chukia (hate).
How does it change in a sentence?
Ninakuchukia uses the object infix -ku-, which refers to a single person being addressed. To say "I hate him" or "I hate her", you change the object infix -ku- to -m-, resulting in Ninamchukia. To express the phrase in the past tense, replace the present tense marker -na- with the past tense marker -li-, making it Nilikuchukia.
Did you know?
- Because Ninakuchukia is so strong, Swahili speakers often use the phrase Sikupendi which literally means 'I do not love you' to express dislike in a less aggressive way.
- The verb stem -chukia comes from the word chuki, which means 'hatred' or 'enmity'. In Swahili culture, expressing chuki openly is often seen as more extreme than in English, as social harmony is highly valued.
- The prefix ni- in Ninakuchukia can be dropped in casual conversation, shortening the word to Nakuchukia without changing the meaning.
Examples in context
- Ninakuchukia sana.I hate you very much.
- Ninakuchukia kwa sababu ya uongo wako.I hate you because of your lies.
Example conversation
A heated argument between a couple in their living room.
- OmariNinakuchukia!I hate you!
- AishaUsiseme hivyo, Omari.Don't say that, Omari.
- OmariHuwezi kubadilika.You cannot change.
- AishaInaniumiza sana.It hurts me a lot.
