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Questions & Answers about Ugonjwa ni hatari.
What does ugonjwa mean in this sentence?
Ugonjwa is a noun that means disease or illness. It refers to the state of being sick.
What role does ni play in ugonjwa ni hatari?
Ni serves as the linking verb, equivalent to the English is. It connects the subject (ugonjwa) with its description or predicate (hatari).
Why is there no definite article (like the) before ugonjwa?
Swahili does not use definite or indefinite articles. Nouns appear without extra words like the, so ugonjwa stands alone.
What does hatari mean, and how is it used in this sentence?
Hatari generally translates to danger or hazard. In this sentence, it functions as the predicate, describing the nature of ugonjwa. Although in English we might render the idea with an adjective (such as dangerous), in Swahili it appears as a noun in the predicate position.
How does the sentence structure of ugonjwa ni hatari compare to English?
The structure follows a Subject + Linking Verb + Predicate form, much like English sentences such as disease is dangerous. This similarity helps learners understand that Swahili uses ni to equate the subject with its description even though other grammatical elements (like articles or adjective inflections) differ from English.