Learn Hardcore Swahili: Tulifanya uchunguzi mfupi kujua kwa nini sakafu inateleza, tukagundua maji yalikuwa yamemwagika. - We did a brief investigation to find out why the floor was slippery, and discovered that water had spilled.

It means “we conducted a brief investigation.” Tulifanya comes from the verb fanya (“to do” or “to conduct”), with tu- marking “we” and -li- indicating the past tense. Uchunguzi means “investigation,” and mfupi is an adjective meaning “brief” that directly describes the investigation.

How does the phrase kujua kwa nini function within the sentence?

Kujua means “to know” (or “to find out”), and kwa nini translates as “why.” Together, they explain the purpose of the investigation—namely, “to find out why.” This infinitive construction shows the aim behind the action described in the first clause.

What is the role of sakafu inateleza in the sentence, and how is it formed?

Sakafu means “floor,” and inateleza is a present tense form of the verb teleza (“to shake” or “to vibrate”). The ina- prefix indicates that the third person singular subject (the floor) is performing the action. Thus, the phrase means “the floor is shaking.”

How are the two main parts of the sentence connected, and what does that reveal about the sequence of events?

The sentence is split into two clauses by a comma. The first clause—Tulifanya uchunguzi mfupi kujua kwa nini sakafu inateleza—sets up the investigation to determine the cause of the shaking floor. The second clause—tukagundua maji yalikuwa yamemwagika—states the outcome: “we discovered that the water had spilled.” This structure shows a logical, cause-and-effect progression of events.

How does tukagundua indicate both the subject and the tense in its clause?

Tukagundua is derived from the verb gundua (“to discover”) with the prefix tu- (indicating “we”) and the past tense marker -li-. This single word encapsulates that “we discovered” something in the past, negating the need to separately mention the subject.

What information does maji yalikuwa yamemwagika convey about the events, and how is its tense used to show timing?

Maji means “water.” The phrase yalikuwa yamemwagika indicates that the water had already spilled at the time of discovery. Here, yalikuwa functions as an auxiliary in the past tense, while yamemwagika uses the perfect aspect to show that the spilling was completed before the investigation’s result was uncovered.

Why is the subject “we” not explicitly repeated in every clause of the sentence?

In Swahili, subject information is built into the verb prefixes. Both Tulifanya and tukagundua begin with tu-, which stands for “we.” This feature allows the language to omit the explicit repetition of the subject without causing confusion about who is performing the actions.

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