Tunakupenda
The Swahili phrase for "we love you" is Tunakupenda.
This phrase is used by a group of people to express their affection or love for another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Tunakupenda is composed of the subject prefix tu- (we), the tense marker -na- (present), the object marker -ku- (you) and the verb root -penda (love).
Which one should you use?
Use Tunakupenda when speaking to one person, and use Tunawapenda when speaking to a group of people.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form Tunakupenda uses the object marker -ku-, which refers to a single person being loved. To say "we love you" to a group of people, the object marker -ku- must be changed to -wa- to form Tunawapenda.
Did you know?
- The word upendo, the noun form of the root in Tunakupenda, is a central theme in Swahili poetry and songs used to promote national unity and peace.
- Because Swahili uses subject and object markers, the sentence 'we love you' can be compressed into a single, long word.
- If you wish to say 'we loved you' in the past, the tense marker -na- in Tunakupenda is replaced by -li- to create Tulikupenda.
Examples in context
- Mama, tunakupenda sana.Mom, we love you very much.
- Tunakupenda sana, rafiki yetu.We love you very much, our friend.
- Tunakupenda kwa dhati.We love you sincerely.
- Jua kwamba tunakupenda.Know that we love you.
Example conversation
Omari and his children are saying goodbye to Zuwena.
- OmariSafari njema, Zuwena.Have a safe trip, Zuwena.
- ZuwenaAsante, nitawakumbuka.Thank you, I will miss you all.
- OmariTunakupenda, mpendwa wetu.We love you, our dear.
- ZuwenaNami pia nawapenda.I love you all too.
