Mama anatarajia mimi nioshe sahani zote baada ya chakula cha jioni.

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Breakdown of Mama anatarajia mimi nioshe sahani zote baada ya chakula cha jioni.

• mama: the mother
• baada ya: after
• sahani: the plate
• kuosha: to wash
• kutarajia: to expect
• zote: all
• chakula cha jioni: dinner

Questions & Answers about Mama anatarajia mimi nioshe sahani zote baada ya chakula cha jioni.

What is the function of “Mama” versus “mimi” in this sentence?

“Mama” is the subject of the main clause and means “mother.” It is the person who has the expectation. In contrast, “mimi” means “I” and serves as the explicit subject of the subordinate clause, indicating who is expected to wash the plates. Despite the fact that the verb “nioshe” already carries a first person singular prefix, including “mimi” clarifies the shift in subject between the main clause and the subordinate clause.

How is the verb “anatarajia” formed, and what does it mean?

“Anatarajia” comes from the verb root “tarajia” which means “to expect.” The prefix “a-” indicates third person singular (referring to Mama). Thus, “anatarajia” translates to “expects” or “is expecting” in English.

Why is the subordinate clause verb “nioshe” prefixed with “ni-”, and what form is it?

The verb “nioshe” is in the subjunctive mood, which is common in subordinate clauses that follow expectations or desires. The prefix “ni-” corresponds to the first person singular subject (i.e., I). Although “mimi” explicitly means I, the verb carries this agreement to reinforce who should perform the action. The structure indicates that Mama expects me to wash (i.e., I wash) the plates.

How is the object “sahani zote” constructed, and what does it convey?

“Sahani” means “plate” (or plates in context) and “zote” means “all.” In Swahili, adjectives like “zote” must agree with the noun in class and number. Thus, “sahani zote” collectively means “all the plates.”

What does the phrase “baada ya chakula cha jioni” mean, and how does it function in the sentence?

The phrase “baada ya chakula cha jioni” means “after dinner.” “Baada ya” is a prepositional phrase meaning “after,” “chakula” means “meal,” and “jioni” means “evening.” This time expression specifies when the expected action (washing the plates) should occur.

Why doesn’t Swahili use a word equivalent to “that” to introduce the subordinate clause as in English?

Swahili grammar typically does not require a conjunction like “that” to connect the main clause with an embedded clause expressing expectation or command. The mood of the verb (in this case, the subjunctive form “nioshe”) clearly indicates that the following clause is subordinate, making an extra linking word unnecessary.