Mama alinunua mahindi sokoni, ili tuyaandae kwa chakula cha mchana.

Mother bought maize at the market so that we can prepare it for lunch.

Breakdown of Mama alinunua mahindi sokoni, ili tuyaandae kwa chakula cha mchana.

• kwenye: at
• soko: the market
• mama: the mother
• kununua: to buy
• kuandaa: to prepare
• kwa: for
• ili: so that
• chakula cha mchana: the lunch

Questions & Answers about Mama alinunua mahindi sokoni, ili tuyaandae kwa chakula cha mchana.

What is the meaning and grammatical role of the word alinunua in the sentence?

Alinunua comes from the verb kununua, meaning “to buy.” The prefix ali- indicates that the action was performed by a third-person singular subject (in this case, Mama) and marks the past tense. The infix -li- is the typical past marker in Swahili, showing that the purchase occurred in the past.

How does the word sokoni function in this sentence?

Sokoni means “at the market.” The suffix -ni is a locative marker in Swahili, and it indicates the location of the action. Thus, it tells us where Mama bought the maize.

What does mahindi mean, and is it singular or plural?

Mahindi translates to “maize” or “corn” in English. In Swahili, it is typically used as a plural noun—even though it may not have a distinct singular form—so it is understood to refer to corn in its usual, uncountable or collective sense.

What is the purpose of the conjunction ili in the sentence?

Ili is used to express purpose or intent. It translates roughly as “in order to” (or simply “to” in some contexts), linking the two clauses of the sentence. The first clause explains what happened, and ili introduces the reason or purpose behind that action.

How should we understand the form tuyaandae, and what is its structure?

Tuyaandae is a purpose clause that follows ili. It is constructed by attaching the subject prefix tu- (meaning “we”) to the verb kuandaa (meaning “to prepare”). This formation indicates that the intended action—preparing food—is to be carried out by “us.” The structure confirms that the purchase was made with the aim that we prepare the maize for lunch.

What does chakula cha mchana mean, and how is this phrase built?

Chakula cha mchana means “lunch,” or more literally, “food of the afternoon.” The phrase is built using chakula (food) and the possessive marker cha, which links it to mchana (afternoon). This construction is common in Swahili for forming compound noun phrases that specify a type or time of meal.

How are the two parts of the sentence connected in terms of meaning?

The sentence is divided into two clauses. The first clause, "Mama alinunua mahindi sokoni," describes the action undertaken by Mama (buying maize at the market). The second clause, "ili tuyaandae kwa chakula cha mchana," explains the purpose behind this action—namely, that the maize was bought so that we could prepare it for lunch. The conjunction ili plays a key role in linking the action to its intended purpose.