Breakdown of Wanafunzi wanapenda usafi darasani.
mwanafunzi
the student
katika
in
darasa
the classroom
kupenda
to love
usafi
the cleanliness
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Swahili grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Wanafunzi wanapenda usafi darasani.
How is the subject represented in the sentence, and how does it affect the form of the verb?
The subject is Wanafunzi (students). In Swahili, subjects and verbs must agree in number and noun class. Because Wanafunzi is a plural noun (derived from mwanafunzi), the verb uses the corresponding plural subject marker—reflected in wanapenda—to ensure proper agreement.
How is the present tense formed in the verb wanapenda?
The verb wanapenda is built from three parts: the subject prefix wana- (indicating the plural subject), the present tense marker -na-, and the root penda (meaning to like or love). This structure shows that the action is habitual or currently taking place.
What does the noun usafi mean, and what role does it play in the sentence?
Usafi means cleanliness. It functions as the direct object of the verb, explaining what the students like. As an abstract noun, it refers to the quality or state of being clean.
How is darasani constructed, and what does it reveal about location in Swahili?
Darasani is formed by taking the noun darasa (classroom) and adding the locative suffix -ni. In Swahili, this suffix is used to indicate location, so darasani translates to in the classroom and acts as an adverbial element, specifying where the action occurs.
What is the overall word order of “Wanafunzi wanapenda usafi darasani,” and how does it compare to English sentence structure?
The sentence follows the common Swahili order: Subject + Verb + Object + Locative. This translates to: Students (subject) like (verb) cleanliness (object) in the classroom (locative). Unlike English, Swahili often uses suffixes (like -ni for location) instead of separate prepositions.
Why are there no articles (such as “the” or “a”) used in this sentence?
Swahili does not use articles like “the” or “a/an”. Nouns appear without these additional markers, and their definiteness is usually understood from the context rather than expressed through separate words.