Learn Hardcore Swahili: Bila ustadi wa kupika, unaweza kuharibu chakula sokoni. - Without cooking skill, you can ruin food at the market.

Bila is a preposition in Swahili that means “without.” In this sentence, it introduces a condition by stating the absence of cooking skills. It directly modifies the noun phrase that follows, indicating that without these skills, something undesirable can happen.

How is the phrase ustadi wa kupika constructed, and what role does wa play?

The phrase ustadi wa kupika translates to “cooking skill.” Here, ustadi means “skill,” and kupika is the infinitive meaning “to cook.” The linking word wa acts as a possessive marker (comparable to “of” in English), connecting the noun ustadi with its qualifier kupika. The choice of wa is determined by the noun class of ustadi.

Why is the pronoun not explicitly stated before unaweza?

In Swahili, verbs are conjugated with prefixes that indicate the subject. In unaweza, the u- prefix implicitly tells us that the subject is “you” (singular). Because the verb form carries the subject information, an explicit pronoun isn’t necessary, making the sentence more concise.

What is the function of the infinitive kuharibu following unaweza?

Kuharibu means “to ruin” or “to spoil.” When used after unaweza (meaning “you can…”), it functions as the main action you are able to perform. In Swahili, just as in English, when a modal verb like unaweza is used, the following verb normally appears in the infinitive form (marked by the ku- prefix).

What does chakula sokoni mean, and what is the significance of the suffix -ni in sokoni?

Chakula translates as “food,” and sokoni means “at the market.” The suffix -ni is a locative marker in Swahili, indicating the location where the action takes place. In this case, it tells us that the food is being ruined in the market.