Baba anapanua nyumba.

Father is expanding the house.

Breakdown of Baba anapanua nyumba.

• baba: the father
• nyumba: the house
• kupanua: to expand

Questions & Answers about Baba anapanua nyumba.

What does Baba mean in this sentence?

Baba is the Swahili word for father. It refers to a male parent, serving as the subject of the sentence.

How is the verb anapanua structured?

The verb anapanua is composed of several parts: the subject prefix a- (referring to “he”), the tense marker na- (indicating present tense), and the root panua (which, in this context, means to wash or clean). Together, they form a single word that conveys “he cleans” or “he is cleaning.”

What is the significance of the prefix a- in anapanua?

The prefix a- is a subject marker in Swahili that denotes third-person singular. It tells us that the action of the verb is being performed by a single, third-person subject—Baba in this case.

Why is the tense marker na- used in the verb anapanua?

The na- in anapanua is the present tense marker in Swahili. It signals that the action (cleaning or washing) is occurring in the present moment.

How does the sentence demonstrate typical Swahili sentence structure?

The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object order: Baba (subject) comes first, anapanua (verb) follows, and nyumba (object) is last. This structure is common in Swahili.

What role does nyumba play in the sentence?

Nyumba means house. As the object, it receives the action of the verb. In Swahili, nouns like nyumba do not require definite or indefinite articles, so it appears in its basic form.

Can you break down how Swahili uses affixes in this sentence?

Certainly. In anapanua, the affixes work as follows:

• a-: Indicates the third-person singular subject ("he").
• na-: Denotes the present tense.
• panua: Is the verb root meaning to clean (in this context). This system of prefixing allows Swahili to incorporate both the subject and tense directly into the verb, eliminating the need for separate auxiliary words.