Tafuta kitabu chenye kurasa nyingi, ili uweze kusoma kwa muda mrefu.

the book

Breakdown of Tafuta kitabu chenye kurasa nyingi, ili uweze kusoma kwa muda mrefu.

• kusoma: to read
• kwa: for
• ili: so that
• kuweza: to be able
• muda: the time
• nyingi: many
• mrefu: long
• kutafuta: to look for
• chenye: that has
• ukurasa: the page

Questions & Answers about Tafuta kitabu chenye kurasa nyingi, ili uweze kusoma kwa muda mrefu.

What does the imperative verb Tafuta mean in this sentence?

Tafuta is the command form of the verb kutafuta, which means "find" or "search for." In this sentence, the speaker is instructing someone to look for a book.

Why is the relative marker chenye used with kitabu instead of a simple adjective?

In Swahili, descriptive clauses often use a relative form that agrees with the noun’s class. Kitabu belongs to the Ki/Vi noun class, so the relative marker becomes chenye (which functions like "that has" or "with"). Thus, kitabu chenye kurasa nyingi literally means "a book that has many pages."

What does the phrase kurasa nyingi mean, and how is it structured?

Kurasa means "pages," and nyingi (here in its plural form as nyangi with agreement adjustments) means "many." Together, kurasa nyingi describes a book having "many pages." This shows how adjectives follow the noun they modify in Swahili.

What is the role of ili in the sentence?

Ili is a conjunction that introduces a purpose clause, translating to "so that" or "in order to." It connects the main command with its intended outcome, indicating that the action (finding a book with many pages) is meant to enable a particular result.

How is uweze formed and what does it convey?

Uweze is derived from the verb kuweza, meaning "to be able to." It appears here in a form that expresses potential or capability. In the clause "ili uweze kusoma," it conveys "so that you can read," showing that the purpose of finding the book is to enable extended reading.

What does kusoma kwa muda mrefu mean?

Kusoma is the infinitive form meaning "to read," and kwa muda mrefu translates to "for a long time" (with muda meaning "time" and mrefu meaning "long"). Together, the phrase indicates that the book is intended to be read over a lengthy period.

How does this sentence illustrate key aspects of Swahili grammar such as noun class agreement and purpose clause formation?

This sentence shows two important features of Swahili grammar:

1. Noun Class Agreement: Since kitabu belongs to a specific noun class (Ki/Vi), the relative marker chenye is used to link the noun to its descriptive clause—"with many pages."
2. Purpose Clause Formation: The conjunction ili introduces a purpose clause. It connects the command to the desired outcome, with uweze (indicating ability) following it, thereby expressing "so that you can read for a long time." This structure neatly separates the action from its intended benefit.