Subira ni muhimu wakati trafiki inapokuwa kubwa, ili kuepuka ajali.

Patience is important when traffic is heavy, in order to avoid accidents.

Breakdown of Subira ni muhimu wakati trafiki inapokuwa kubwa, ili kuepuka ajali.

• ni: to be
• kuwa: to be
• wakati: the time
• muhimu: important
• ili: in order to
• kuepuka: to avoid
• trafiki: the traffic
• ajali: the accident

Questions & Answers about Subira ni muhimu wakati trafiki inapokuwa kubwa, ili kuepuka ajali.

What does subira mean in this sentence?

Subira means "patience." It’s the subject of the sentence, suggesting that having patience is key, especially in challenging traffic conditions.

How does the phrase ni muhimu function within the sentence?

Ni is the present tense form of "to be" (is), and muhimu means "important." Together they form the predicate "is important," linking the subject (subira) to its quality of being essential.

How is the condition "when traffic is heavy" expressed in wakati trafiki inapokuwa kubwa?

This part of the sentence sets a condition. Wakati translates to "when," trafiki is the Swahili borrowing for "traffic," and inapokuwa (from the verb kuwa, meaning "to be") establishes the state of the traffic. Kubwa means "big" or "heavy." In combination, they describe the situation in which patience becomes especially important.

Why does the adjective kubwa come after trafiki?

In Swahili, adjectives typically follow the nouns they modify. So kubwa is positioned after trafiki to describe its characteristics, following standard Swahili word order.

What role does the word ili play in the phrase ili kuepuka ajali?

Ili expresses purpose. It can be translated as "in order to" or "so as to." In this context, it introduces the infinitive phrase kuepuka ajali, which means "to avoid accidents." This construction explains why patience is important in heavy traffic.

Can you explain the formation and use of inapokuwa in this sentence?

Inapokuwa is a conjugated form of the verb kuwa ("to be"). It includes the subject prefix ina- (agreeing with trafiki) combined with a relative construction to express a condition. Essentially, it means "when it is" or "when it becomes," setting up the temporal clause that describes the state of heavy traffic.