Breakdown of Kama gari limeharibiwa vibaya, huenda hakuna fidia utakayopokea kutoka kampuni ya bima.
kuwa na
to have
gari
the car
kama
if
kutoka
from
kupokea
to receive
kuharibu
to damage
vibaya
badly
huenda
might
fidia
the compensation
kampuni ya bima
the insurance company
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Swahili grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Kama gari limeharibiwa vibaya, huenda hakuna fidia utakayopokea kutoka kampuni ya bima.
What does the word Kama mean in this sentence?
Kama translates to "if" in English. It introduces the conditional part of the sentence, much like starting a hypothetical statement in English.
How is limeharibiwa formed and what does it imply?
Limeharibiwa is the passive perfect form of the verb derived from haribisha (to damage). The prefix "lime-" indicates a completed action (similar to "has been"), and "-haribiwa" signifies that the action is received by the subject. So, it means "has been damaged."
What role does the word vibaya play in the sentence?
Vibaya means "badly" or "severely." It functions as an adverb modifying the verb, emphasizing the extent of the damage. Although it appears in a plural form, here it simply intensifies the description of how the car was damaged.
What does huenda express, and how does it affect the sentence's meaning?
Huenda conveys possibility or uncertainty—similar to "perhaps" or "maybe" in English. In the sentence, it suggests that it is possible there will be no compensation, adding an element of doubt to the outcome.
How is utakayopokea constructed and what is its meaning?
Utakayopokea is a relative clause in the future tense. It combines the future marker "uta-" (referring to "you will") with "-kayopokea" (a relative form of "pokea", meaning "to receive"). Together, it translates as "that you will receive" or "which you will receive," referring to the compensation from the insurance company.
Could you explain the overall structure of the sentence?
Certainly. The sentence is a conditional statement. The clause "Kama gari limeharibiwa vibaya" sets up a condition (if the car has been badly damaged), and the following part "huenda hakuna fidia utakayopokea kutoka kampuni ya bima" presents a possible outcome (perhaps there is no compensation you will receive from the insurance company).
What does the phrase kampuni ya bima mean?
Kampuni ya bima directly translates to "insurance company." Here, "kampuni" means "company" and "bima" stands for "insurance." The structure is typical in Swahili, where the noun and its modifier (in this case, indicating type) are linked without any articles.