Baba anataka kubomoa nyumba.

Father wants to demolish the house.

Breakdown of Baba anataka kubomoa nyumba.

• kutaka: to want
• baba: the father
• nyumba: the house
• kubomoa: to demolish

Questions & Answers about Baba anataka kubomoa nyumba.

What does Baba anataka kubomoa nyumba mean, and what are the meanings of its individual words?

Baba means dad or father. Anataka is a conjugated verb formed by the subject marker a- (indicating he/she) and the root ataka, meaning wants. Kubomoa is the infinitive form of the verb bomoa: ku- is the marker for the infinitive “to,” and bomoa means to demolish (or tear down). Nyumba means house. Together, the sentence means “Dad wants to demolish the house.”

Why is the subject Baba explicitly mentioned when the verb anataka already includes a subject marker?

In Swahili, verbs incorporate subject markers (here, a- in anataka indicates third-person singular), so the subject is often understood from the verb form alone. However, including the noun Baba adds clarity and emphasis, ensuring there is no ambiguity about who is performing the action.

What is the function of the ku- prefix in kubomoa?

The ku- prefix is the infinitive marker in Swahili. It attaches to the verb stem—in this case, bomoa—to indicate that the verb is in its basic, “to” form. When a verb expressing desire (like anataka, “wants”) is followed by an action, it uses the infinitive with ku- to show the intended action, meaning kubomoa translates as “to demolish.”

How is the sentence structured in terms of word order, and how does this compare to English?

The sentence follows a Subject–Verb–Object structure. Baba is the subject, anataka is the verb, and kubomoa nyumba functions as the verb’s complement with nyumba serving as the object. While this SVO order is similar to English, Swahili verbs incorporate subject (and sometimes object) markers as prefixes, which is a distinctive feature of the language.

How would you modify the sentence to say “Dad wants to demolish a house” instead of “the house”?

To change the definite idea of “the house” to an indefinite one, you can add a determiner or numeral for clarification. For example, you might say Baba anataka kubomoa nyumba moja, where moja means “one” (conveying the idea of “a house”). Depending on context, other modifiers might also be used to indicate indefiniteness.

What tense is conveyed by anataka, and how is tense typically indicated in Swahili?

Anataka is in the present tense. Swahili often uses prefixes attached to the verb stem to indicate tense. Here, the subject marker a- combined with ataka shows that the action—“wants”—is happening in the present. The absence of additional time markers confirms the present context of the sentence.

Is it possible to drop the explicit subject (Baba) in similar sentences, and why might a speaker choose to include it?

Yes, in Swahili the subject can be dropped because the verb contains a clear subject marker (here, a- meaning “he”). However, speakers often include the explicit subject for clarity, emphasis, or to avoid potential ambiguity—especially in contexts where multiple subjects might be involved or when contrasting different individuals.