"I don't need to cook"

Translation: Sihitaji kupika

[GabsWina]

is it not okay so say "Sihitajipiki"? because in negative form we should remove the "ku" and change the last vowel from an A to an I right? Or am I mistaken?

[machieng]

no, the negative form is in the 'sihitaji', because what's being refuted is the need to cook, not the action itself. For sentences that have 'need', 'like', 'want' or 'must' etc., usually their Swahili counterparts will have the negative form, and the verbs remain unchanged e.g.

Unapenda kukimbia (you like to run) - Hupendi kukimbia (you don't like to run

versus

Unakimbia (you are running) - Hukimbii (you are not running/you don't run)

Wanataka kugoma (they want to go on strike) - Hawataki kugoma (they don't want to go on strike)

Sharti/lazima uhudhurie (you must attend) - Si sharti/lazima uhudhurie (you don't have to attend)

[MisterWayn]

Nice