Nimeshonwa suti mpya inayotumia kitambaa chepesi, chenye kitufe kizuri kifuani.

I have been tailored a new suit that uses lightweight fabric, with a nice button on the chest.

Breakdown of Nimeshonwa suti mpya inayotumia kitambaa chepesi, chenye kitufe kizuri kifuani.

• mimi: I
• mpya: new
• kutumia: to use
• suti: the suit
• kitambaa: the fabric
• kitufe: the button
• juu ya: on
• kifua: the chest

Questions & Answers about Nimeshonwa suti mpya inayotumia kitambaa chepesi, chenye kitufe kizuri kifuani.

What tense is used in Nimeshonwa, and how is it formed?

Nimeshonwa is in the present perfect tense. It is formed by combining nime- (meaning “I have”) with the passive verb form -shonwa (meaning “lost”). This construction indicates that the suit has been lost as a completed action.

How are the relative clauses structured in this sentence?

The sentence contains two relative clauses that further describe the suit. The first clause, inayotumia kitambaa chepesi, means “that uses light fabric,” while the second clause, chenye kitufe kizuri kifuani, means “that has a nice button on the chest.” The markers inayo- and chenye introduce these clauses and agree with their antecedent, the suit (suti).

Why does the adjective mpya follow the noun suti, unlike in English?

In Swahili, adjectives typically come after the noun they modify. Therefore, suti mpya literally translates as “suit new.” This word order is standard in Swahili, in contrast to English where adjectives normally precede the noun.

What does kitambaa chepesi mean, and how is adjective agreement handled here?

Kitambaa means “fabric” and chepesi means “light” (describing the fabric’s weight). In Swahili, adjectives agree with the noun’s class. Since kitambaa belongs to a noun class that requires the appropriate adjective prefix, chepesi is used to match it, ensuring proper agreement.

What role does chenye play in the phrase chenye kitufe kizuri kifuani?

Chenye functions as a relative adjective meaning “with” or “that has.” It introduces an additional characteristic of the suit, namely that it “has a nice button on the chest.” This is a common way in Swahili to attach further descriptive information to a noun.

How is locative information expressed in kifuani, and what does it imply?

The suffix -ni in kifuani is a locative marker that indicates a specific location. In this case, it tells us the button is positioned “on the chest” of the suit. This suffix is essential for conveying spatial details in Swahili grammar.

How does Swahili’s noun class system affect the prefixes in the relative clauses of this sentence?

Swahili’s noun class system requires that adjectives, verbs, and relative pronouns agree with the noun they modify. For instance, suti and kitambaa belong to different noun classes, which is why we see the relative marker inayo- for the suit and the class-appropriate form chepesi for the fabric. Similarly, kitufe pairs with kizuri to reflect proper agreement. This system ensures that every descriptive element aligns with its corresponding noun.