Mawasiliano ni muhimu.

to be

Breakdown of Mawasiliano ni muhimu.

• muhimu: important
• mawasiliano: the communication

Questions & Answers about Mawasiliano ni muhimu.

What does the word mawasiliano mean, and why does it look plural even though it represents one concept?

Mawasiliano translates to "communication" in English. Although it may appear in a plural form, it is used collectively to describe the abstract concept of communication as a whole—much like some uncountable nouns in English. This is a common feature in Swahili where certain collective ideas adopt a plural morphology without implying multiple individual items.

What role does the word ni play in the sentence Mawasiliano ni muhimu.?

The word ni acts as the copula in the sentence. It is equivalent to the English verb "to be" and is used to link the subject (mawasiliano) with the predicate adjective (muhimu), establishing the fact that "communication is important." This form is typical in statements of general truth in Swahili.

How does the adjective muhimu relate to the noun mawasiliano in terms of agreement, and does Swahili require specific modifications in this case?

In Swahili, adjectives generally agree with the noun they modify by matching its noun class. In the sentence Mawasiliano ni muhimu., muhimu appears in its base form without an overt class prefix. This is because mawasiliano falls into a noun class where the adjective does not need an explicit marker for agreement. Essentially, muhimu correctly qualifies the noun, indicating that communication is important.

Why might a learner be puzzled by the plural appearance of mawasiliano when the corresponding English term, "communication," is uncountable?

Learners may initially expect that a plural-looking noun in Swahili would refer to multiple separate entities. However, in Swahili many abstract or collective nouns are morphologically plural, even though they refer to a single, unified idea. Mawasiliano is one such example where its plural form is simply a grammatical convention and does not imply a plural quantity, similar to how "information" is treated in English.

Are there any structural differences between the Swahili sentence Mawasiliano ni muhimu. and its English equivalent that a learner should be aware of?

Structurally, the Swahili sentence follows a straightforward subject-copula-adjective order, much like the English sentence "Communication is important." However, Swahili requires attention to noun classes and agreement rules, which are not as prominent in English. Although this simple sentence mirrors English order, understanding these underlying rules is essential as learners encounter more complex sentences in Swahili.