Question Words

1. Nĩ kĩĩ?

   What?

   Usage

   To ask about a thing. Works best together with pointing.

   Grammar Note

   "nĩ" is the focus particle and "kĩĩ" means "what". In the Bible: "Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte …?" (what made …?).

2. Nũũ?

   Who?

   Usage

   To ask about a person.

   Grammar Note

   In the Bible: "Nũũ ũkwĩrire …?" (who told you …?). Wiktionary also has "who".

3. Kũ?

   Where?

   Usage

   To ask about a place. Usually placed after the verb.

   Grammar Note

   In the Bible: "Arĩ kũ?" (where is he?) and "Uuma kũ?" (where do you come from?).

4. Nĩkĩ?

   Why?

   Usage

   To ask for a reason.

   Grammar Note

   In the Bible it comes at the end of the sentence: "Ũrakarĩte nĩkĩ?" (why are you angry?). Wiktionary also has "why".

5. Atĩa?

   How? / What (to do)?

   Usage

   To ask "how?" or "what shall we do?".

   Grammar Note

   In the Bible: "ithuĩ tũngĩgĩkwĩra atĩa?" (what could we say to you?), "Wĩtagwo atĩa?" (what are you called?). Wiktionary: "what, how".

6. Gĩkĩ nĩ kĩĩ?

   What is this?

   Usage

   Point at the object and ask.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words (the phrase itself is not attested). "gĩkĩ" means "this (thing)" for class-7 objects; other classes (people, trees…) take other forms.

7. Kĩoro kĩrĩ ha?

   Where is the toilet?

   Usage

   One of the first sentences to learn.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words (the phrase itself is not attested). "kĩoro" is "toilet" (Wiktionary; Bible 4x). "-rĩ ha" means "is where"; the Bible has similar forms such as "nyũmba … ĩrĩ ha?".

8. Thibitarĩ ĩrĩ ha?

   Where is the hospital?

   Usage

   When you are unwell or someone else is.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words (the phrase itself is not attested). "thibitarĩ" is a loan from English "hospital", listed in Wiktionary and Benson 1964. "ĩrĩ ha" has a Bible parallel in "nyũmba … ĩrĩ ha?".

9. Ũrĩ na maaĩ?

   Do you have water?

   Usage

   To ask a shop or host whether they have water. For one person.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words (the phrase itself is not attested). "ũrĩ na" means "you have" (Bible 279x); "maaĩ" is water (a plural-only class-6 noun).

10. Ũkwenda atĩa?

    What do you want?

    Usage

    What a shop assistant or guide might ask you, or you can ask someone.

    Grammar Note

    Attested 7x in the Bible as "Ũkwenda atĩa?" (a king asking what is wanted). "ũ-kwenda" means "you want".

11. Matukũ maigana?

    How many days?

    Usage

    To ask how many days a stay or trip lasts.

    Grammar Note

    Attested in the Bible as "matukũ maigana" (how many days). "maigana" is the class-6 (ma-) agreement form of "how many"; "matukũ" is the plural of "ũtukũ" (night).

12. Mbeeca ciigana?

    How much money?

    Usage

    To ask a price. In everyday shopping the amount itself is often said in Swahili or English.

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary-verified words (the phrase itself is not attested). "mbeeca" is money (Bible spelling; Wiktionary writes mbeca), a class-10 noun; "ciigana" is the class-10 form of "how many", as in the Bible's "ciondo ciigana".

13. Arĩ ha?

    Where is he / she?

    Usage

    When you have lost a companion or are looking for someone.

    Grammar Note

    In the Bible: "Arĩ ha mũrũ-wa-nyũkwa Habili?" (where is your brother Abel?). "arĩ" means "he/she is".

14. Ũrĩ ha?

    Where are you?

    Usage

    To ask where the other person is, e.g. when trying to meet.

    Grammar Note

    Attested 2x in the Bible as "Ũrĩ ha?" (God calling out to a person).

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