Breakdown of Nikiitumia lenzi hiyo usiku, picha zinaonekana wazi zaidi.
kutumia
to use
zaidi
more
picha
the picture
usiku
at night
kuonekana
to appear
hiyo
that
wazi
clear
lenzi
the lens
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Questions & Answers about Nikiitumia lenzi hiyo usiku, picha zinaonekana wazi zaidi.
What is Nikiitumia and how is it constructed?
Nikiitumia breaks down as:
- ni-: first-person singular subject prefix (“I”)
- -ki-: conditional/relative marker (“when/if”)
- -i-: object concord for lenzi (class 9 singular)
- tumia: verb stem “use”
Combined it literally means “when (or if) I use it.”
Why don’t we use a separate word for “when,” like ikiwa?
Swahili often attaches the conditional meaning “when/if” directly to the verb with -ki-.
While you could say ikiwa nitumia lenzi hiyo…, the -ki- form (nikitumia…) is more concise and idiomatic for real-time conditions.
Why is there an -i- before tumia in nikiitumia?
The -i- is the object concord matching lenzi (class 9 singular). It signals “I use that lens,” so you get ni-ki-i-tumia.
What does lenzi hiyo mean, and why hiyo instead of hii?
- lenzi = “lens”
- hiyo = “that” for class 9 nouns
If you wanted to say “this lens” (near you), you’d use lenzi hii instead.
Can I move usiku (“at night”) to the front of the sentence?
Yes. Time-expressions in Swahili are flexible.
For example:
Usiku nikiitumia lenzi hiyo, picha zinaonekana wazi zaidi.
means exactly the same as the original word order.
What does picha zinaonekana mean?
- picha = “pictures” (class 10 plural)
- zinaonekana = “they appear,” “they are seen”
Here -na- is the present-tense marker, and -onekana is the passive of ona (“see”).
Why is the subject prefix zi- used in zinaonekana?
Because picha (pictures) belongs to noun class 10, whose present-tense subject prefix is zi-. Hence zi-na-onekana.
What does wazi zaidi literally translate to?
- wazi = “clear”
- zaidi = “more”
Together wazi zaidi = “clearer” (literally “more clear”).
Why is the verb -onekana in passive rather than the active ona?
We’re describing how the pictures look (“they appear clear”), not saying “I see them clearly.”
- Active ona = “to see” (someone/something)
- Passive onekana = “to appear,” “to be seen”
Thus picha zinaonekana wazi zaidi = “the pictures appear clearer.”