Kaka yetu amejifunza kuendesha pikipiki mwezi uliopita, lakini anataka pia kuendesha gari.

Our brother learned to drive a motorcycle last month, but he also wants to drive a car.

Breakdown of Kaka yetu amejifunza kuendesha pikipiki mwezi uliopita, lakini anataka pia kuendesha gari.

• pia: also
• kutaka: to want
• kujifunza: to learn
• gari: the car
• lakini: but
• kaka: the brother
• pikipiki: the motorcycle
• kuendesha: to drive
• mwezi: the month

Questions & Answers about Kaka yetu amejifunza kuendesha pikipiki mwezi uliopita, lakini anataka pia kuendesha gari.

What does kaka yetu mean in English?

Kaka yetu translates to “our brother”. In this phrase, kaka means “brother” and yetu is the possessive form for “our,” indicating a familial relationship.

How is the perfect tense formed in amejifunza?

The perfect tense in Swahili is created by attaching the auxiliary “ame-” to the verb stem. In amejifunza, “ame-” indicates that the action has been completed (i.e., “has learned”) while jifunza means “to learn.”

Why is the infinitive form kuendesha used after the main verbs?

In Swahili, following a conjugated verb (like amejifunza or anataka), the infinitive form of another verb is used to specify the action. Here, kuendesha means “to drive” (or “to ride” when referring to a motorcycle), functioning similarly to the English structure “has learned to ride” and “wants to drive.”

What does mwezi uliopita mean, and how is it used?

Mwezi uliopita literally means “the month that has passed,” which is equivalent to “last month” in English. It provides a clear time reference indicating when the action of learning occurred.

What role does pia play in this sentence?

Pia means “also” or “too.” It is used to add an additional detail, showing that besides having learned to ride a motorcycle, the subject additionally wants to drive a car.

What are the meanings of pikipiki and gari?

Pikipiki translates to “motorcycle,” and gari means “car.” The sentence explains that our brother learned to operate a motorcycle and now wishes to operate a car.

How does lakini function in this sentence?

Lakini serves as a conjunction meaning “but.” It connects the two parts of the sentence by contrasting the completed action (learning to ride a motorcycle) with the new desire (wishing to drive a car).