Sisi tunaamua kwenda shamba.

we

Breakdown of Sisi tunaamua kwenda shamba.

• shamba: the farm
• kuenda: to go
• kuamua: to decide

Questions & Answers about Sisi tunaamua kwenda shamba.

What does each word in Sisi tunaamua kwenda shamba mean?

• Sisi means “we”.
• Tunaamua is made up of several parts:
 – tu-: the subject prefix indicating “we”.
 – na-: the present tense marker.
 – amua: the verb root meaning “decide” or “are deciding”.
• Kwenda is the infinitive form ("to go") with the marker ku-.
• Shamba means “farm”.
So, the sentence translates as “We are deciding to go to the farm.”

Why is the subject Sisi included even though tunaamua already has a subject prefix?

In Swahili, it’s quite standard to include both the explicit subject pronoun (here, Sisi) and the subject prefix (tu-) in the verb. This redundancy: • Provides clarity. • Adds emphasis. • Helps avoid ambiguity, especially in longer or more complex sentences.

How is the present tense indicated in the verb tunaamua?

The present tense is signaled by the infix na- in tunaamua. The full breakdown is: • Tu-: indicates the subject “we”. • Na-: marks the present tense, showing that the action is happening now or habitually. • Amua: is the main verb meaning “decide.” Thus, the verb literally means “we are deciding.”

Why is kwenda in its infinitive form instead of being conjugated like tunaamua?

In Swahili grammar, when one verb follows another as its complement (for example, when expressing an intention or an action’s purpose), the second verb is kept in its infinitive form. Here: • Tunaamua is the main verb expressing the decision. • Kwenda is the infinitive form, marked by ku-, meaning “to go.” This structure shows that the action of going is what is being decided upon.

Does the sentence imply that the decision to go is already complete, or is it still in process?

The use of the present tense marker na- in tunaamua indicates that the action is happening in the current moment or is a habitual action. However, in context-based usage: • It can mean “we are in the process of deciding,” or • It might be interpreted more generally as “we decide” (a habitual or general statement). The sentence does not inherently clarify whether the decision is final or still underway; additional context would be needed to determine that nuance.