Kile nilipata sokoni ni zawadi.

to be

Breakdown of Kile nilipata sokoni ni zawadi.

• kwenye: at
• soko: the market
• kupata: to get
• zawadi: the gift
• kile: that

Questions & Answers about Kile nilipata sokoni ni zawadi.

What does kile mean in the sentence "Kile nilipata sokoni ni zawadi"?

Kile is a demonstrative pronoun that roughly translates to “that” or “the thing” in English. It serves to point out or emphasize a specific object or event—in this case, the particular item mentioned later as a gift.

How is nilipata constructed, and what does it tell us about the subject and tense?

Nilipata comes from the verb kupata, meaning “to get” or “to obtain.” The word splits into three parts: ni- is the first person singular subject prefix (meaning “I”), -li- is the marker for the simple past tense, and -pata is the verb stem. Thus, nilipata means “I got” or “I obtained.”

What is the role of sokoni, and how does the locative form work in this word?

Sokoni derives from soko, which means “market.” The added -ni suffix is a locative marker that indicates “at” or “in” a place. Therefore, sokoni translates to “at the market,” specifying the location where the action took place.

How does the copula ni function in "ni zawadi"?

In this sentence, ni acts as a linking verb, similar to “is” in English. It connects the subject (the thing obtained) to its complement, zawadi (gift), thereby affirming that the object is, in fact, a gift. In Swahili, ni is commonly used in equative sentences to state identity or classification.

Why is the demonstrative kile used at the beginning of the sentence instead of a common noun?

Using kile allows the speaker to refer to a specific, identifiable item—“the thing”—without naming it directly. This usage is helpful when the object in question has been previously mentioned or is clearly understood from context. Essentially, it emphasizes that the particular item obtained at the market is being highlighted as a gift.