Ni muhimu kupata ruhusa kutoka kwa mwalimu kabla ya kuondoka darasani.

It is important to get permission from the teacher before leaving the classroom.

Breakdown of Ni muhimu kupata ruhusa kutoka kwa mwalimu kabla ya kuondoka darasani.

• ni: to be
• kwenye: at
• mwalimu: the teacher
• kabla ya: before
• muhimu: important
• kupata: to get
• kuondoka: to leave
• darasa: the classroom
• kutoka kwa: from
• ruhusa: the permission

Questions & Answers about Ni muhimu kupata ruhusa kutoka kwa mwalimu kabla ya kuondoka darasani.

What does the phrase "ni muhimu" signify in this sentence?

"Ni muhimu" translates to "it is important." In Swahili, the structure of using "ni" (meaning "is") together with an adjective like "muhimu" (important) creates a copular sentence expressing a condition or quality—in this case, that the following action is important.

How is the infinitive phrase "kupata ruhusa" used here?

"Kupata ruhusa" means "to get permission." It is an infinitive phrase acting as the subject complement, explaining what is considered important. This type of construction—using the infinitive form—helps express actions in general terms in Swahili.

What does "kutoka kwa mwalimu" mean, and how is it structured?

"Kutoka kwa mwalimu" translates to "from the teacher." The word "kutoka" means "from," and it is combined with "kwa mwalimu" where "kwa" serves as a preposition indicating origin or source, and "mwalimu" means "teacher." Together, they clearly indicate that the permission should come from the teacher.

What role does the phrase "kabla ya" play in the sentence?

"Kabla ya" means "before." It introduces a temporal clause, setting the condition that the action mentioned earlier (getting permission) must occur prior to the next action (leaving the classroom).

Why is the word "darasani" used instead of just "darasa"?

"Darasani" is derived from "darasa" (which means "class" or "classroom") by adding the locative suffix "-ni." This suffix indicates the location where the action is taking place; therefore, "darasani" specifies "in the classroom."

Why is "kuondoka" in the infinitive form, and what does it convey?

"Kuondoka" is the infinitive form that means "to leave." In Swahili, following a prepositional phrase like "kabla ya," it is typical to use the verb in its infinitive form. This indicates that leaving is the subsequent action that should occur only after obtaining permission.

How does the structure of this Swahili sentence compare to its English translation?

The Swahili sentence mirrors the English sentence in meaning but uses distinct grammatical constructs. For example, it uses "ni muhimu" to state the importance of an action, illustrates actions with infinitives ("kupata" and "kuondoka"), and employs specific prepositional phrases with locative markers ("kutoka kwa mwalimu," "kabla ya," and "darasani") to express source, timing, and location. Overall, it conveys the same message as "It is important to get permission from the teacher before leaving the classroom," but with syntax and morphological markers that are unique to Swahili.