Breakdown of Kiumbe kingine kimesumbua utulivu wa wanyama mesheni, na sasa wameshtuka kama kimbunga kimepita.
kwenye
at
sasa
now
wa
of
na
and
mnyama
the animal
kupita
to pass
kiumbe
the creature
kingine
another
kusumbua
to disturb
utulivu
the calm
kushtuka
to be startled
kama
as if
kimbunga
the storm
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Questions & Answers about Kiumbe kingine kimesumbua utulivu wa wanyama mesheni, na sasa wameshtuka kama kimbunga kimepita.
What does kiumbe kingine mean, and how do these words show Swahili noun class agreement?
Kiumbe means creature or being, and kingine means another. In Swahili, adjectives and demonstratives need to agree with the noun’s class—in this case, kiumbe belongs to a specific noun class, so kingine is the matching form. Together, kiumbe kingine translates as “another creature.”
What does the verb kimesumbua mean in this context, and what tense is it using?
The verb kimesumbua is derived from the root sumbua, meaning to disrupt or to shatter. The prefix ki- agrees with the singular subject (kiumbe), and the infix -me- marks the perfect tense. So, kimesumbua means “has disrupted” or “has shattered,” indicating that the action is completed yet relevant to the current situation.
How is possession expressed in the phrase utulivu wa wanyama mesheni, and what does it mean overall?
In this phrase, utulivu means calm or peace. The segment wa wanyama translates to “of the animals,” where wa is the possessive marker linking the calm to the animals. Mesheni provides additional context by indicating location, meaning something like “in the herd” or “among the animals.” Thus, the full phrase can be understood as “the calm of the animals in the herd.”
What is the function of the simile kama kimbunga kimepita in the sentence?
The simile kama kimbunga kimepita vividly compares the animals’ reaction to a passing storm. Here, kama means “like” or “as if,” kimbunga means “hurricane” or “storm,” and kimepita means “has passed.” This construction emphasizes how suddenly and dramatically the creature’s action disturbed the animals, making their startled state similar to the impact felt after a storm has gone by.
How do verb prefixes in this sentence indicate subject agreement and tense? Can you provide examples?
Swahili uses verb prefixes to show both the subject and the tense of the verb. For example:
- Kimesumbua: The prefix ki- corresponds to kiumbe (singular, meaning creature), and the infix -me- indicates that the action is in the perfect tense.
- Wameshtuka: Here, wa- agrees with wanyama (plural, meaning animals), and again -me- marks the perfect tense.
- Kimepita: Once more, ki- matches the singular subject referring to kimbunga (the storm), with -me- indicating completion. This system ensures that the subject’s number and the time frame of the action are clear from the verb form alone.