Jua linawaka sana mchana, lakini sipendi kuvaa mwavuli sasa.

The sun is shining a lot in the afternoon, but I do not like to use an umbrella right now.

Breakdown of Jua linawaka sana mchana, lakini sipendi kuvaa mwavuli sasa.

• mimi: I
• kupenda: to like
• sasa: right now
• mchana: the afternoon
• jua: the sun
• kuwaka: to shine
• sana: a lot
• lakini: but
• kuvaa: to wear/use
• mwavuli: the umbrella

Questions & Answers about Jua linawaka sana mchana, lakini sipendi kuvaa mwavuli sasa.

What is the literal meaning of linawaka?

Linawaka is derived from the verb kuwaka, meaning “to shine,” “to burn,” or “to give off light.” The prefix li- is used because jua (the sun) is a class 5 noun (Ji-/Ma- class in Swahili), which takes li- in the singular form.

When should I use mchana instead of asubuhi or jioni?

Mchana generally refers to midday or the main portion of the day (around 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Asubuhi means morning, and jioni means evening. These time periods can overlap slightly in casual conversation, but mchana always points to midday hours.

Why do we say sipendi for “I don’t like”?

In Swahili, to negate a present-tense verb in the first person, you replace the affirmative subject prefix ni- with si-. So napenda (“I like”) changes to sipendi (“I don’t like”).

Is kuvaa mwavuli common, or should I say kubeba mwavuli or kutumia mwavuli?

Many speakers prefer kubeba mwavuli (“to carry an umbrella”) or kutumia mwavuli (“to use an umbrella”). You may still encounter kuvaa mwavuli (“to wear an umbrella”) in some regions, but it’s less common.

What is the role of sasa at the end of the sentence?

Sasa means “now.” It emphasizes that the speaker is referring to the current moment or situation, highlighting that “I don’t like to carry/wear/use an umbrella now.”