Mama ameamua kualika jirani zetu ili kuzungumza juu ya mpango wa usafi.

the mother

Breakdown of Mama ameamua kualika jirani zetu ili kuzungumza juu ya mpango wa usafi.

• wa: of
• ili: in order to
• mpango: the plan
• kuamua: to decide
• jirani: the neighbor
• kuzungumza: to talk
• usafi: the cleaning

Questions & Answers about Mama ameamua kualika jirani zetu ili kuzungumza juu ya mpango wa usafi.

What does the Swahili word ameaamua indicate in terms of tense and aspect?

Ameamua is formed by the perfect marker ame- attached to the verb root amua (to decide). This present perfect construction expresses that Mama made her decision in the past and that the result of this decision is still relevant in the present.

How is the infinitive form displayed in kualika, and what does it mean?

The verb kualika is in the infinitive form, created by adding the prefix ku- to the root alika. In Swahili, this pattern is used to express actions in their basic form. Hence, kualika translates to “to invite.”

Why is the phrase jirani zetu used, and what does it tell us about noun agreement and possession in Swahili?

Jirani zetu means “our neighbors.” The noun jirani (which can refer to a neighbor or neighbors) is modified by the possessive pronoun zetu (our). In Swahili, possessives must agree with the noun class of the noun they modify, and here zetu confirms that the neighbors belong to “our” group.

What is the function of the word ili in the sentence?

Ili functions as a purpose marker and can be translated as “in order to” or “so as to” in English. It introduces the purpose clause kuzungumza juu ya mpango wa usafi, explaining why Mama took the action of inviting the neighbors.

Can you explain the breakdown of the phrase kuzungumza juu ya mpango wa usafi?

Certainly. Kuzungumza means “to talk” or “to discuss.” The phrase juu ya translates to “about,” and mpango wa usafi means “cleanliness plan” (with mpango meaning “plan” and wa usafi indicating that the plan pertains to cleanliness). Together, the phrase specifies that the discussion is focused on the cleanliness plan.