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Questions & Answers about Pesa zangu zimeisha.
What does each component of Pesa zangu zimeisha mean?
Pesa means “money” (a noun that is treated as a collective or plural noun in Swahili). Zangu is the possessive adjective for “my” that agrees with the noun class of pesa. Zimeisha is the perfect tense form of the verb isha, meaning “has finished” or “is over”; it’s composed of the subject prefix zi- (matching the noun’s class), the perfect marker -me-, and the verb root isha.
Why is the subject prefix zi- used in zimeisha?
In Swahili, nouns are grouped into classes that determine their agreement markers. Pesa falls into a class that uses zi- as the subject prefix. When forming the perfect tense, this prefix is combined with the perfect marker -me- and the verb root, resulting in zimeisha.
How is the perfect tense formed in the verb zimeisha?
The perfect tense in Swahili is created by placing the perfect marker -me- between the subject prefix and the verb root. In zimeisha, zi- is the subject prefix (linked to the noun pesa), -me- indicates that the action is completed, and isha is the root meaning “finish.” Thus, the verb conveys that the action (i.e., the money running out) has been completed.
Why is the possessive adjective zangu used with pesa?
Possessive adjectives in Swahili must agree with the noun they modify in terms of noun class. Pesa belongs to a class that requires the possessive adjective zangu when indicating “my.” This agreement ensures the sentence is grammatically consistent.
Even though pesa looks plural, is it treated as plural or singular in Swahili?
Although pesa appears in a plural form, it refers to money in a collective sense and is used as a mass noun. It always takes the plural agreement markers (like zi- in zimeisha and zangu for “my”), which affects how verbs and adjectives agree with it in a sentence.
How does the literal translation of Pesa zangu zimeisha compare to common English expressions?
The literal translation is “my money has finished” or “my money is finished.” In everyday English, similar ideas might be expressed with phrases like “I have no money left” or “I'm broke.” The Swahili sentence directly states that the money is completely used up.
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