Tulilazimika kuahirisha mkutano wetu kwa sababu ya mvua kubwa.

We were forced to postpone our meeting because of heavy rain.

Breakdown of Tulilazimika kuahirisha mkutano wetu kwa sababu ya mvua kubwa.

• sisi: we
• mvua: the rain
• wetu: our
• mkutano: the meeting
• kwa sababu ya: because of
• kuahirisha: to postpone

Questions & Answers about Tulilazimika kuahirisha mkutano wetu kwa sababu ya mvua kubwa.

What does Tulilazimika mean, and how is its structure formed in this sentence?

Tulilazimika translates to "we had to" or "we were forced to" in English. It is formed by combining the subject prefix tu- (meaning "we") with the past tense marker -li- and the verb root lazima (which indicates obligation or necessity). Thus, tu-li-lazimika shows that the speakers were obliged to perform the action in the past.

What role does kuahirisha play in the sentence, and why is it in its infinitive form?

kuahirisha means "to delay" or "to postpone." It is in the infinitive form because it follows the modal verb lazimika ("had to"). In Swahili, after expressions of necessity or obligation like lazimika, the succeeding verb is typically used in the infinitive form to indicate the action that needed to be carried out.

How is possession expressed in the noun phrase mkutano wetu?

In mkutano wetu, mkutano means "meeting," and wetu is the possessive suffix translating to "our." Swahili often shows possession by attaching an appropriate possessive suffix to the noun. This construction clearly indicates that the meeting belongs to “us.”

What does the phrase kwa sababu ya mean, and how is it used grammatically in this sentence?

kwa sababu ya translates to "because of." It introduces the reason or cause for the action—in this case, the delay of the meeting. The phrase is broken down as kwa (by or due to), sababu (reason), and ya which links the reason to the noun that follows. Its placement at the end of the sentence explains why the action (delaying the meeting) occurred.

How is the adjective kubwa used with the noun mvua, and what does it tell us about adjective agreement in Swahili?

In mvua kubwa, mvua means "rain" and kubwa means "big" or, contextually, "heavy." In Swahili, when adjectives follow the noun, they often remain unchanged regardless of the noun class. Although a literal translation might be "big rain," the phrase is understood to mean "heavy rain." This exemplifies how adjectives in Swahili do not always inflect to match the noun they describe.

Can you explain the overall sentence structure of Tulilazimika kuahirisha mkutano wetu kwa sababu ya mvua kubwa?

Certainly! The sentence follows a common Swahili word order: • Subject and Tense: Tulilazimika combines the subject (we) with the past tense marker, indicating a past obligation. • Infinitive Verb: kuahirisha follows to specify the action that was required ("to delay"). • Object: mkutano wetu names what was delayed ("our meeting"). • Adjunct Phrase (Cause): kwa sababu ya mvua kubwa explains the reason for the delay ("because of heavy rain"). This structure neatly organizes the information, making it clear who was involved, what action was taken, and why it was necessary.