Ninataka kujua ukweli.

I

Breakdown of Ninataka kujua ukweli.

• kutaka: to want
• kujua: to know
• ukweli: the truth

Questions & Answers about Ninataka kujua ukweli.

How is ninataka built, and what does each part mean?

Ninataka can be broken down like this:

• ni- = I
• -na- = present tense marker
• -taka = want

So ninataka literally means I am wanting, which in natural English is just I want.

Why is it kujua and not ninajua?

Because after ninataka (I want), Swahili uses the infinitive form of the next verb.

• kujua = to know
• ninajua = I know

So:

• Ninataka kujua = I want to know
• not Ninataka ninajua

This works much like English, where want is followed by to know, not I know.

Is ku- the same as English to in to know?

Yes, in this sentence, ku- functions like the to in an English infinitive.

• jua = know
• kujua = to know

So Ninataka kujua is literally I want to know.

What does ukweli mean, and why does it start with u-?