Je, unajua idadi kamili ya wageni watakaofika leo jioni?

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Breakdown of Je, unajua idadi kamili ya wageni watakaofika leo jioni?

• jioni: the evening
• leo: today
• ya: of
• mgeni: the guest
• kujua: to know
• kufika: to arrive
• idadi: the number

Questions & Answers about Je, unajua idadi kamili ya wageni watakaofika leo jioni?

What is the function of Je, at the beginning of the sentence?

Je, serves as a question marker in Swahili. It indicates that the sentence is to be understood as a yes/no question—much like beginning an English sentence with “Do” to signal that an answer is expected.

How is the verb unajua constructed, and what does it mean in this context?

Unajua comes from the verb jua (to know) combined with the prefix u-, which indicates the second person singular (you). Thus, unajua translates as “you know,” meaning the sentence is addressing one person.

Why does the adjective kamili come after the noun idadi in idadi kamili?

In Swahili, adjectives generally follow the nouns they modify. The noun idadi means “number,” and the adjective kamili means “exact” or “complete.” Together, they form idadi kamili, which translates to “the exact number.” This order contrasts with English, where adjectives customarily precede the noun.

What does the relative clause watakaofika mean, and how is it formed?

Watakaofika is a relative clause meaning “who will arrive.” It’s constructed by: • Using the subject prefix wa- from wageni (guests), which indicates the plural form. • Adding the future tense marker ta- to signal that the action will occur in the future. • Appending the base verb fika (to arrive) with a linking vowel o for smooth pronunciation. Altogether, it describes the guests who are expected to arrive later.

What does the phrase leo jioni indicate about the timing of the arrival?

Leo jioni combines leo (today) and jioni (evening) to specify that the guests will arrive later on the same day—in the evening. This provides a clear temporal context for the action described in the sentence.