Vitu visivyotumika viko nyumbani.

to be

Breakdown of Vitu visivyotumika viko nyumbani.

• nyumba: the home
• kitu: the thing
• visivyotumika: unused

Questions & Answers about Vitu visivyotumika viko nyumbani.

What is the basic meaning of Vitu visivyotumika viko nyumbani?

It means "The unused things are at home." In other words, it indicates that the things that are not being used can be found at home.

How is the adjective visivyotumika constructed in this sentence?

The adjective is built from the root verb tumika (meaning "to be used") combined with a negative relative marker. Because vitu belongs to noun class 5 (which uses the vi- prefix), the negative form becomes visivyotumika, effectively meaning "that are not used."

Why is the verb form viko used instead of another form like vili or vime?

In Swahili, verbs agree with the noun class of their subject. Here, vitu is a class 5 noun, so the correct present tense form of kuwa (to be) is viko. This ensures the verb matches the noun in both class and number.

What does nyumbani mean, and how is it used in this sentence?

Nyumbani means "at home." It functions as an adverb of place, indicating the location where the unused things are located. It is derived from the noun nyumba (house).

Can you explain how noun-adjective agreement is demonstrated in this sentence?

Certainly. In Swahili, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in terms of class. Since vitu is a class 5 noun (marked by the prefix vi-), the adjective is formed with the corresponding negative marker to become visivyotumika. Similarly, the verb viko is conjugated to match class 5. This consistency across noun, adjective, and verb is a key feature of Swahili grammar.