Ninahitaji kiatu kipya kabla ya kusafiri kesho.

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Breakdown of Ninahitaji kiatu kipya kabla ya kusafiri kesho.

• kesho: tomorrow
• mpya: new
• kabla ya: before
• kusafiri: to travel
• kuhitaji: to need
• kiatu: the shoe

Questions & Answers about Ninahitaji kiatu kipya kabla ya kusafiri kesho.

What does ninahitaji mean, and how is it formed in this sentence?

Ninahitaji translates to “I need.” It is composed of the subject prefix ni- (meaning “I”), the present tense marker -na-, and the verb root -hitaji (from kuhitaji, meaning “to need”). This concatenated structure is typical in Swahili verbs.

How does the adjective kipya agree with the noun kiatu?

Both kiatu (meaning “shoe”) and kipya (meaning “new”) belong to the same noun class, which is indicated by their ki- prefix. In Swahili, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in terms of noun class, so kipya takes the class marker to properly match kiatu.

What does the phrase kabla ya mean, and what function does it serve in the sentence?

Kabla ya means “before.” It acts as a preposition that sets up a temporal relationship. In this sentence, it introduces the phrase kusafiri, indicating that the action of traveling (which occurs tomorrow) is the event that follows the need for a new shoe.

What is the role of kusafiri in this sentence?

Kusafiri is the infinitive form of the verb meaning “to travel.” Here, it is used as a verbal noun following the preposition kabla ya, forming the phrase kabla ya kusafiri (“before traveling”). In Swahili, the infinitive is commonly used in such constructions to denote the action.

What does kesho mean, and why is it placed at the end of the sentence?

Kesho means “tomorrow.” It functions as an adverb of time, specifying when the action of traveling is expected to occur. Its position at the end of the sentence follows the common Swahili word order for time expressions.

Why is there no article (like “a” or “the”) before kiatu kipya in Swahili?

Swahili does not use articles such as “a” or “the.” Nouns like kiatu stand alone, with context or noun class markers providing the necessary specificity. Therefore, kiatu kipya naturally conveys the idea of “a new shoe” without an explicit article.

Can kiatu be pluralized, and if so, how?

Yes, it can. Kiatu is in a noun class where the singular form uses the prefix ki-. To indicate the plural, that prefix changes to vi-, resulting in viatu (meaning “shoes”). This change in prefix is a common way to pluralize nouns in Swahili.