Afisa anatembea karibu na mji sasa.

now

Breakdown of Afisa anatembea karibu na mji sasa.

• mji: the town
• kutembea: to walk
• karibu na: near
• afisa: the officer

Questions & Answers about Afisa anatembea karibu na mji sasa.

What does the word afisa mean, and why isn’t there an article like “the” before it?

Afisa means “officer.” In Swahili, articles such as “the” aren’t used; the noun alone conveys the idea. This is a feature of Swahili grammar where definiteness is understood from context rather than by an article.

How is the verb anatembea formed, and what does it tell us about the subject and the tense?

Anatembea is built by combining the subject marker a- with the verb root tembea (“to walk”). The a- indicates a third-person singular subject (he or she) and marks a present action. Thus, the word itself conveys both who is performing the action and when it is happening.

What role does karibu play in this sentence?

Karibu functions as an adverb meaning “near” or “close to.” It specifies the proximity of the action by indicating that the officer is walking close to something, which in this instance is detailed further by the phrase that follows.

How do na and mji work together, and what do they mean?

In this sentence, na pairs with mji to complete the spatial relationship. Mji means “town,” and when combined with na, the phrase na mji effectively communicates “near the town.” The preposition-like na is used here to link the adverbial phrase with the noun.

What is the function of sasa at the end of the sentence?

Sasa means “now.” Positioned at the end of the sentence, it adds a temporal element, indicating that the officer’s walking is occurring at this very moment.