ninakupenda
ninakupenda is the Swahili way to say "I like you".
While it can be translated as "I like you", it is more commonly understood to mean "I love you" when used in a romantic or deep emotional context.
Meaning: I like you (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The word ninakupenda is composed of the subject prefix ni- (I), the tense marker -na- (present continuous), the object marker -ku- (you) and the verb -penda (love/like).
Which one should you use?
ninakupenda is the full form of the phrase, while nakupenda is a shortened version used in casual speech where the subject prefix ni- is dropped.
Did you know?
- In many East African cultures, it is traditionally more common to show affection through actions than to verbally say ninakupenda to family members.
- Because Swahili is an agglutinative language, the phrase ninakupenda functions like a single long word containing an entire sentence's worth of information.
- While ninakupenda is used for people, Swahili uses different phrasing when expressing that you 'like' or 'love' a specific object or food.
Example conversation
Zuwena and Bakari are talking privately in a park.
- ZuwenaBakari, ninakupenda.Bakari, I like you.
- BakariHata mimi ninakupenda, Zuwena.I like you too, Zuwena.
- ZuwenaUmeisema kweli?Did you say that truthfully?
- BakariNdiyo, ninamaanisha.Yes, I mean it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ninakupenda, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
