Wao wanakusanyika sokoni.

They are gathering at the market.

Breakdown of Wao wanakusanyika sokoni.

• wao: they
• kwenye: at
• soko: the market
• kusanyika: to gather

Questions & Answers about Wao wanakusanyika sokoni.

Why is the explicit subject pronoun Wao used even though the verb already shows the subject?

In Swahili, the subject is often indicated by a prefix on the verb. However, using an explicit subject pronoun like Wao adds emphasis or clarity. It helps specify which group is meant or contrasts them with others, even though the verb wanakusanyika already shows a plural subject.

How is the verb wanakusanyika structured in terms of subject and tense markers?

The verb wanakusanyika breaks down into three parts: the subject marker wa- (indicating “they”), the present tense marker na-, and the main verb -kusanyika (“to gather”). Although the part ku- appears as it does in the infinitive form, in conjugated verbs many Swahili verbs retain elements of the infinitive stem. In this case, wanakusanyika means “they are gathering.”

What does the suffix -ni in sokoni indicate?

The ending -ni is a locative suffix in Swahili. When attached to a noun—in this case, soko (“market”)—it indicates location, so sokoni translates as “at the market” or “in the market.”

How does the overall sentence structure of Wao wanakusanyika sokoni compare to typical English sentence order?

The sentence follows a basic subject–verb–complement order similar to English. Wao is the subject, wanakusanyika serves as the verb phrase indicating the action and its tense, and sokoni functions as the locative complement specifying where the action takes place. This similarity can help English speakers recognize familiar patterns while learning Swahili.

Why doesn’t Swahili use a separate auxiliary verb equivalent to “are” as in “They are gathering”?

Swahili incorporates tense and aspect directly into the verb through prefixes. The present tense marker na- in wanakusanyika plays a role similar to the auxiliary “are” in English. This means that instead of using a separate verb, Swahili attaches the necessary time and aspect information directly to the main verb.