Ninasubiri

Ninasubiri is a Swahili verb phrase that translates to "I am waiting." It is the first-person singular present form of the verb kusubiri (to wait) and is built from the subject concord ni- (I) plus the present-tense marker na- attached to the verb stem -subiri. The literal meaning is an ongoing action: the speaker is in the process of waiting.

Usage in Swahili spans everyday conversation, media, and storytelling. It can stand alone as a complete sentence or be extended with the object of waiting, for example nasubiri chakula (I am waiting for the food) or nasubiri gari (I am waiting for the car). The phrase can also be intensified with time expressions such as sasa (now) or hivi karibuni (soon) to specify timing.

Linguistic notes indicate that ninasubiri follows typical Bantu verb morphology, where subject concord and tense/aspect markers precede the verb stem. The form is widely understood across Swahili-speaking regions, including Tanzania, Kenya, and their diaspora communities. In literary and musical contexts, ninasubiri may be used as a motif to convey patience, anticipation, or longing, and can appear in titles or lyrics to evoke the theme of waiting.

See also Kusubiri, Swahili grammar, Swahili phrases for expressing time and expectation.