Mama ananunua kikombe sokoni.

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Breakdown of Mama ananunua kikombe sokoni.

• soko: the market
• mama: the mother
• kununua: to buy
• kikombe: the cup

Questions & Answers about Mama ananunua kikombe sokoni.

Why does the verb appear as “ananunua” instead of just “nunua”?

In Swahili, verbs are conjugated with subject prefixes that indicate who is performing the action and the tense. The prefix “ana-” in “ananunua” shows that the subject (Mama) is third person singular and is acting in the present tense. So “ananunua” means “she is buying” or “buys.”

What is the significance of the prefix “ki-” in the word “kikombe”?

Swahili nouns belong to a system of noun classes, each with its specific prefixes. The “ki-” prefix in “kikombe” indicates that the noun belongs to the Ki/Vi class. In this class, “kikombe” is the singular form for “cup” while its plural would be “vikombe.”

How is location indicated in the sentence, particularly in the word “sokoni”?

The word “sokoni” uses the suffix “-ni” to express location. In Swahili, adding “-ni” to a noun often tells you where something is happening. Therefore, “sokoni” means “at the market.”

What is the overall word order in this sentence, and why is it structured that way?

The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, which is common in Swahili. Here, “Mama” is the subject, “ananunua” is the verb, and “kikombe” is the object. The locative “sokoni” comes after the object to indicate where the action is taking place.

Why is the subject “Mama” stated explicitly when the verb “ananunua” already contains subject information?

In Swahili, the subject prefix on the verb (in this case, “ana-”) conveys who is performing the action. However, it is common—and often clearer—to state the subject explicitly. Saying “Mama” before the verb emphasizes who is doing the buying, reinforcing the subject even though the verb already agrees with it.

Does the present tense form “ananunua” imply an ongoing action or a habitual action?

The present tense in Swahili can be used to express both ongoing (current) actions and habitual actions. In this sentence, context will determine whether “ananunua” is interpreted as “is buying” (something happening right now) or “buys” (a habitual action). Without additional context, either interpretation can be appropriate.