Breakdown of Mkazi anasafiri kwa pikipiki.
kwa
by
kusafiri
to travel
pikipiki
the motorcycle
mkazi
the resident
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Questions & Answers about Mkazi anasafiri kwa pikipiki.
What does mkazi mean in this sentence?
Mkazi typically means "resident" or "local inhabitant." It refers to someone who lives in or is native to a particular area.
How is the verb anasafiri constructed and what does it indicate?
Anasafiri is made up of three parts: the subject prefix a- (which agrees with a person in noun class 1), the present tense marker na-, and the verb root safiri (meaning "to travel"). Together, it indicates that the subject is currently traveling or is in the habit of traveling.
What role does the preposition kwa play in this sentence?
The preposition kwa functions much like the English word "by." It denotes the means or mode of travel—in this case, indicating that the person is traveling by a specific type of transport.
What does pikipiki mean here?
Pikipiki is the Swahili word for "motorcycle." It tells us the vehicle being used as the means of transport in the sentence.
Why isn’t there any article before mkazi like “the” or “a” in English?
Swahili does not use articles such as "the" or "a." Instead, definite or indefinite meanings are implied through context and the noun class system, so no separate word is needed to indicate definiteness before mkazi.