Watoto walikunywa maziwa taratibu, kisha wakaondoka kwenda shule.

The children drank milk slowly, then they left for school.

Breakdown of Watoto walikunywa maziwa taratibu, kisha wakaondoka kwenda shule.

• kunywa: to drink
• maziwa: the milk
• mtoto: the child
• shule: the school
• kwenda: to go
• taratibu: slowly
• kisha: then
• kuondoka: to leave

Questions & Answers about Watoto walikunywa maziwa taratibu, kisha wakaondoka kwenda shule.

What is the breakdown of the verb form walikunywa in this sentence?

Walikunywa can be broken down as follows: wa- is the subject prefix referring to “the children” (plural), -li- is the past tense marker indicating a completed action, and kunywa is the base verb meaning “to drink.” An object marker is also incorporated, showing agreement with maziwa (“milk”).

Why does the sentence use two different past tense markers—-li- in walikunywa and -ka- in wakaondoka?

In Swahili narrative, different past tense markers can be used to indicate the sequence of events. The -li- marker in walikunywa denotes an action that was completed (drinking milk), while the -ka- marker in wakaondoka signals a subsequent or following action (leaving for school). This helps the listener clearly follow the chronological order.

What is the role of kisha in this sentence?

Kisha means “then” and functions as a conjunction. It connects the two clauses by indicating that the action of leaving for school happened after the action of drinking the milk.

Where is taratibu placed in the sentence, and what does it modify?

Taratibu (meaning “slowly”) appears immediately after maziwa in the sentence. It modifies the verb walikunywa by describing the manner in which the children drank the milk.

How is the phrase kwenda shule structured, and what does it express?

The phrase kwenda shule literally means “to go school.” It specifies the destination or purpose of the children’s departure—in this case, indicating that they left with the intent of going to school.

What is the purpose of including an object marker in walikunywa when the object maziwa is explicitly mentioned?

In Swahili, verbs normally incorporate an object marker that agrees with the noun’s class—even when the object is stated later in the sentence. In walikunywa, the object marker (embedded in the verb) ensures grammatical agreement with maziwa (“milk”) and adds clarity to the action being described.

Does this sentence follow the typical Swahili word order, and if so, what is the order?

Yes, the sentence follows the standard Swahili word order of subject–verb–object. In the first clause, Watoto (subject) comes first, followed by walikunywa (verb) and then maziwa (object), while the adverb taratibu provides additional detail to the verb. The second clause similarly maintains a clear structure with the subject implied in wakaondoka kwenda shule.