nakupenda
/nɑ.kuˈpɛ.ⁿdɑ/
In Swahili, 'i love you' is expressed as nakupenda. Wiktionary also lists ninakupenda.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Swahili | IPA |
|---|---|
| nakupenda | /nɑ.kuˈpɛ.ⁿdɑ/ |
| ninakupenda |
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling.
Which one should you use?
nakupenda is a more common, slightly more casual contraction used in everyday speech compared to the full ninakupenda.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Kenya, Nakupenda is the most common expression for 'I love you'.
How do you pronounce it?
/nɑ.kuˈpɛ.ⁿdɑ/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The phrase nakupenda is a linguistic 'lego set' where the subject, tense, and object are all fused into a single word.
- Because Swahili is a lingua franca, you might hear nakupenda used in hybrid 'Sheng' slang in Nairobi, where it is mixed with English and local languages.
- The verb stem penda is the same root used for 'liking' something, meaning the distinction between 'loving' and 'liking' can depend heavily on context and tone.
Examples in context
- Nakupenda.I love you.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase nakupenda.Tatoeba #369350 by Blaz, translation #1434 by awael58
- Nakupenda sana, mpenzi wanguI love you very much, my love
- Nakupenda sana, mpenzi wangu.I love you so much, my love.
- Je, unajua jinsi nakupenda?Do you know how much I love you?
Example conversation
A couple is having a quiet moment at sunset.
- FatumaBakari, nakupenda sana.Bakari, I love you so much.
- BakariNakupenda pia, Fatuma.I love you too, Fatuma.
- FatumaWewe ni kila kitu kwangu.You are everything to me.
- BakariAsante kwa maneno yako mazuri.Thank you for your beautiful words.
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.
