nakupenda
/nɑ.kuˈpɛ.ⁿdɑ/
In Swahili, the phrase for "I love you" is nakupenda. Wiktionary also lists ninakupenda.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Swahili | IPA |
|---|---|
| nakupenda | /nɑ.kuˈpɛ.ⁿdɑ/ |
| ninakupenda |
The phrase is used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling.
Which one should you use?
The form ninakupenda is the full, grammatically complete version of the phrase, while nakupenda is a common shortened version used in speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "I love you too", you can add the word pia (meaning too or also) to the end of the phrase, resulting in nakupenda pia.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /nɑ.kuˈpɛ.ⁿdɑ/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
When do people say it?
If you wish to address a romantic partner as "sweetheart", you can use the word mpenzi.
Did you know?
- Because Swahili is an agglutinative language, the entire sentence 'I love you' is actually just one single, complex word. It functions as a single unit where the subject, tense, and object are all fused into the verb.
- In some East African cultures, saying nakupenda out loud to a partner is traditionally less common than expressing love through actions or indirect language. It is often reserved for very private moments or modern romantic settings.
- If you wanted to say 'I love you' to more than one person, you would change the 'ku' to 'wa'. For example, 'nawapenda' means 'I love you all'.
Examples in context
- Nakupenda.I love you.This sentence shows how to use the shortened form nakupenda.Tatoeba #369350 by Blaz, translation #1434 by awael58
- Mpenzi wangu, wewe ndiye penzi la maisha yangu.You are the love of my life.
- Penzi langu kwako ni la milele.My love for you is eternal.
- Nakupenda sana, mpenzi wangu.I love you very much, my darling.
- Najua unajua vile nakupenda.I know you know how much I love you.
Example conversation
Said and Aisha are walking in a park during sunset.
- SaidAisha, unajua nakupenda sana?Aisha, do you know I love you so much?
- AishaNakupenda pia, Said.I love you too, Said.
- SaidAsante kwa maneno yako mazuri.Thank you for your beautiful words.
- AishaWewe ni mwanaume bora.You are a wonderful man.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries nakupenda, ninakupenda, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
