Breakdown of Jumapili ijayo, tutakwenda kanisa kwa ibada ya asubuhi.
sisi
we
asubuhi
the morning
ya
of
kwa
for
kuenda
to go
ibada
the service
kanisa
the church
Jumapili
the Sunday
ijayo
next
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Questions & Answers about Jumapili ijayo, tutakwenda kanisa kwa ibada ya asubuhi.
What does Jumapili ijayo mean, and why is ijayo used?
Jumapili is “Sunday” and ijayo is an adjective meaning “next.” In Swahili adjectives agree with the noun class of the word they describe. Jumapili belongs to noun class 5, so the adjective “next” takes the class 5 form ijayo, giving “next Sunday.”
How is tutakwenda constructed?
tutakwenda =
- tu- (subject prefix for “we”)
- -ta- (future-tense marker)
- -kwenda (verb root “go”)
Put together: “we will go.”
Why is there no locative suffix -ni on kanisa, and could we use kanisani instead?
Swahili allows two ways to express destination with kwenda (“go”):
- Direct noun: tutakwenda kanisa (“we will go to church”)
- Locative suffix: tutakwenda kanisani (“we will go to the church/at church”)
Both are correct; the first treats kanisa as the direct destination noun, the second uses the locative form.
What role does kwa play in kwa ibada ya asubuhi?
Here kwa introduces the purpose of the action: “for.” So kwa ibada ya asubuhi means “for the morning service.” (Note: kwa can also mark instrument or manner in other contexts.)
Why is ya used between ibada and asubuhi, and how do genitive linkers work?
The word ya is a genitive linker (a possessive/“of” connector). Swahili linkers must agree with the noun class of the first noun. ibada (“service/worship”) is class 9, so it takes ya before asubuhi (“morning”). Hence ibada ya asubuhi = “service of morning” = “morning service.”
What’s the difference between Jumapili ijayo and Jumapili inayokuja?
Both mean “next Sunday.”
- Jumapili ijayo uses the adjectival form ijayo (“next”).
- Jumapili inayokuja is a full relative clause: inayokuja = “that is coming.”
They’re interchangeable, though ijayo is shorter and very common in everyday speech.
Can the time phrase Jumapili ijayo appear elsewhere in the sentence?
Yes. Swahili is flexible with adverbial phrases. For example:
- Tutakwenda kanisa kwa ibada ya asubuhi Jumapili ijayo.
- Kwa ibada ya asubuhi tutakwenda kanisani Jumapili ijayo.
Moving Jumapili ijayo doesn’t change the meaning, though the most neutral position is often at the start.