Baba alisema kwamba kukosa fahamu ya teknolojia huzuia maendeleo.

the father

Breakdown of Baba alisema kwamba kukosa fahamu ya teknolojia huzuia maendeleo.

• ya: of
• kusema: to say
• kwamba: that
• kukosa: to lack
• teknolojia: the technology
• maendeleo: the development
• kuzuia: to hinder

Questions & Answers about Baba alisema kwamba kukosa fahamu ya teknolojia huzuia maendeleo.

What is the purpose of kwamba in this sentence?

Kwamba functions as a conjunction that introduces reported or indirect speech. It connects the main clause (Baba alisema – “Father said”) with the subordinate clause that follows, much like the English word “that” in reported speech.

How does the use of the infinitive kukosa work grammatically here?

The word kukosa is an infinitive formed with the prefix ku-, which is used in Swahili to express actions or states in an abstract sense. In this sentence, kukosa (“to lack”) acts as a noun phrase referring to the condition of lacking understanding. It essentially serves as the subject of the subordinate clause.

How is reported speech structured in this sentence?

Swahili typically forms reported speech by starting with a reporting verb—in this case, alisema (“said”)—followed by kwamba to introduce what was said. The structure is: main clause (reporting verb) + kwamba + subordinate clause containing the reported content. Here, Baba alisema is the main clause and everything from kwamba onward is the indirect quotation.

What can be observed about the verb tenses in alisema and huzuia?

Alisema is in the past tense, indicating that the “saying” happened in the past. In contrast, huzuia is in the present tense and agrees with its subject (the abstract notion of “lacking understanding”). This use of the present tense suggests that the condition described is a general truth or an ongoing state—namely, that a lack of understanding of technology prevents progress.

Why are there no articles before words like Baba, teknolojia, and maendeleo?

Swahili does not use definite or indefinite articles like English does (“the” or “a”). Nouns such as Baba (“father”), teknolojia (“technology”), and maendeleo (“development/progress”) appear without articles, and their definiteness or specificity is understood from context.

How do the words fahamu ya teknolojia work together in this sentence?

The phrase fahamu ya teknolojia literally translates as “understanding of technology.” Fahamu means “understanding” or “knowledge,” while ya acts as a possessive or linking word that connects the noun fahamu with teknolojia. This construction is common in Swahili for expressing that one noun qualifies or describes another, much like the English “of.”