Mama anapenda kuandaa meza nyumbani.

to like

Breakdown of Mama anapenda kuandaa meza nyumbani.

• nyumba: the home
• kwenye: at
• mama: the mother
• meza: the table
• kuandaa: to set

Questions & Answers about Mama anapenda kuandaa meza nyumbani.

What does Mama mean in this sentence?

Mama translates to mother (or mom) in English. It's a familiar term used to refer to one's mother in Swahili.

How is the verb anapenda constructed and what does it mean?

Anapenda means "she likes" or "she loves." It is formed by the subject prefix a- (indicating third-person singular, applicable to both "he" and "she") and the verb root penda (meaning to like or to love). This structure shows how Swahili verbs incorporate subject information directly into the verb form.

What role does the word kuandaa play, and what is its meaning?

Kuandaa is the infinitive form of the verb meaning to prepare (or to arrange). The prefix ku- is used in Swahili to indicate the base form of the verb, similar to the “to” form in English.

What does meza mean, and how is it used in the sentence?

Meza means table in English. In this sentence, it functions as the direct object; it is what Mama is preparing.

How is the location indicated in the sentence with the word nyumbani?

Nyumbani means at home. It serves as an adverbial modifier, specifying the location where the action (preparing the table) takes place. This is similar to how English uses phrases like “at home” to describe location.

What is the overall sentence structure, and how does it compare to English sentence construction?

The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object-Adverbial pattern: • Mama (Subject) • anapenda (Verb) • kuandaa meza (Object, with an embedded infinitive clause) • nyumbani (Adverbial of location)

While this is similar to English word order, a key difference is that Swahili verbs like anapenda incorporate subject markers directly into the verb form, an element that English handles separately with personal pronouns and auxiliaries.

How is the present tense expressed in this sentence?

In Swahili, the present tense is often marked by the subject prefix in the verb form rather than by an auxiliary verb or a specific tense marker. In anapenda, the prefix a- indicates the third-person singular present tense. The tense is understood from context and the form of the verb itself, making it somewhat different from English where additional words or verb forms indicate the present tense.