Baba alinunua chai kwa bei nafuu, hivyo akafurahia kuokoa pesa.

Father bought tea at a cheap price, so he was happy to save money.

Breakdown of Baba alinunua chai kwa bei nafuu, hivyo akafurahia kuokoa pesa.

• chai: the tea
• pesa: the money
• baba: the father
• kununua: to buy
• kwa: for
• hivyo: so
• bei: the price
• kufurahia: to be happy
• kuokoa: to save

Questions & Answers about Baba alinunua chai kwa bei nafuu, hivyo akafurahia kuokoa pesa.

What does alinunua mean, and how is it formed grammatically?

Alinunua translates to “he bought.” It is constructed with the subject prefix a- (indicating third-person singular), the past tense marker -li-, and the verb nunua (meaning “to buy”). This structure shows that Baba completed the action of buying.

How is the phrase kwa bei nafuu structured, and what does it signify?

The phrase breaks down as follows: "kwa" is a preposition meaning “at” or “for”; "bei" means “price”; and "nafuu" means “cheap” or “inexpensive.” Together, kwa bei nafuu translates to “at a cheap price,” describing the economical cost of the tea.

What role does hivyo play in the sentence?

Hivyo means “thus” or “therefore.” It functions as a linking word that connects the two actions in the sentence, indicating that Baba’s happiness was a direct result of having bought the tea at a low price.

How is akafurahia kuokoa pesa constructed, and what does it mean?

Akafurahia means “he was happy” or “he enjoyed.” It is formed with the subject prefix a- (for third-person singular) joined with a narrative past marker (using -ka- along with the verb furahia, meaning “to enjoy”). The infinitive phrase kuokoa pesa means “to save money,” where kuokoa is the basic form of “to save” and pesa means “money.” Together, this part of the sentence indicates that Baba felt happy because he managed to save money.

Why does the sentence use different past tense markers (like -li- in alinunua and -ka- in akafurahia)?

Swahili uses various past tense markers to indicate nuances in tense and narrative flow. The marker -li- in alinunua denotes a simple, completed past action. In contrast, the -ka- marker in akafurahia is commonly used in narrative contexts to describe a subsequent or drawing-on outcome immediately following the earlier action. This distinction helps convey that Baba’s happiness (because he saved money) directly follows his purchase.