"My hoe"

Translation: Jembe langu

[Olashmartinez]

Hehe

[WynneBeers]

How does one know to use langu and not yangu with Jembe?

[flor_jasmin]

It varies according to noun class. Jembe is part of the m/ma noun class. In that one the singular nouns correspond with the langu, lako, lake etc. possessives. The plural nouns take yangu, yako, yake etc.
So my ❤❤❤ - jembe langu
My hoes - majembe yangu

[CeeCeeSong]

Thank you. This is the first explanation AT ALL that i've seen of the possessive pronouns, and it is incomplete. I'm so thoroughly confused about them!!! So now I know that L goes with m/ma...if only I knew how to determine what m/ma is! J is not M, so still confused, but this helps a little. Lingot for you.

[akswrn]

With you on this one. I have no idea... someone help.

[ElDoctr]

Jembe/majembe is (ji)/ma class so it follows the ji/ma rules. That's something you just have to memorize. But, the great thing about Swahili is that you will still be understood, even if you use the wrong noun class, in most cases.

[CeeCeeSong]

i'm not against memorizing, but we need some kind of a chart that tells us WHAT to memorize! I miss so many because of confusion between yangu/kwangu/langu, etc.