Breakdown of Jukumu la kila mtu ni kusaidia marafiki.
ni
to be
rafiki
the friend
kila
every
kusaidia
to help
mtu
the person
la
of
jukumu
the responsibility
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Questions & Answers about Jukumu la kila mtu ni kusaidia marafiki.
What does the jukumu in the sentence mean?
Jukumu translates to “responsibility” or “duty” in English. It represents the task or obligation expected of someone—in this case, the duty that everyone has.
What is the role of la in the phrase Jukumu la kila mtu?
The word la functions as a possessive or genitive marker in Swahili. It connects jukumu (responsibility) with kila mtu (every person), effectively meaning “the responsibility of every person.”
How is the term kila mtu structured, and what does it mean?
Kila means “each” or “every,” and mtu means “person.” When combined as kila mtu, the phrase means “everyone” or “each person.” This is a common expression in Swahili for indicating inclusivity.
What purpose does the copula ni serve in this sentence?
In Swahili, ni acts as the copula (linking verb), similar to “is” in English. It links the subject, Jukumu la kila mtu (everyone’s responsibility), with the predicate, kusaidia marafiki (to help friends), establishing an equivalence between the two.
How is kusaidia constructed and what is its meaning?
Kusaidia is the infinitive form of the verb “to help.” The prefix ku- marks the verb as an infinitive, while saidia is the root meaning “help.” Together, they convey the action of helping.
Is marafiki singular or plural, and how can you tell?
Marafiki is plural and means “friends.” In Swahili, many nouns form their plural in unique ways that do not rely on adding an “-s” as in English; familiarity with the word confirms that it is used in its plural form here.