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Kabla ya kulala, ninatumia kioo kidogo kuona ikiwa uso wangu ni safi.

Kabla ya kulala, ninatumia kioo kidogo kuona ikiwa uso wangu ni safi.
Before sleeping, I use a small mirror to see if my face is clean.
FromLesson 8inHardcore Swahili
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Breakdown of Kabla ya kulala, ninatumia kioo kidogo kuona ikiwa uso wangu ni safi.

ni
to be
kuona
to see
kulala
to sleep
kabla ya
before
ikiwa
if
kutumia
to use
safi
clean
kidogo
small
kioo
the mirror
uso
the face
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Questions & Answers about Kabla ya kulala, ninatumia kioo kidogo kuona ikiwa uso wangu ni safi.

What does Kabla ya kulala mean in this sentence?
It means Before sleeping. Kabla ya translates directly as "before", and kulala is the infinitive form meaning "to sleep".
How is the subject I expressed in ninatumia?
In ninatumia, the prefix ni- signals the first person singular ("I"), while tumia means "to use". Together, they form "I use" or "I am using" in the present tense.
Why does the adjective kidogo come after the noun kioo, and what does kioo kidogo mean?
In Swahili, adjectives like kidogo typically follow the noun they describe. Kioo means "mirror", so kioo kidogo translates as "small mirror" or "little mirror", reflecting the standard noun–adjective order in the language.
What role does the infinitive kuona play in the sentence?
Kuona means "to see". It indicates the purpose or intended action—using the mirror in order to see if the face is clean.
Can you break down the phrase ikiwa uso wangu ni safi and explain its function?
Certainly. Ikiwa means "if", uso wangu translates as "my face" (with wangu as the possessive form for my), and ni safi means "is clean". Together, this conditional clause specifies what is being checked with the mirror.
Why is the infinitive form used after phrases like kabla ya in Swahili?
In Swahili, following certain prepositions such as kabla ya, the verb appears in its infinitive form. This construction indicates the action in a general sense—as in "before sleeping", where kulala remains un-conjugated.