Kama usingechelewa, tungeanza ibada kanisani mapema Jumapili iliyopita.

If you had not been late, we would have started the service at church early last Sunday.

Breakdown of Kama usingechelewa, tungeanza ibada kanisani mapema Jumapili iliyopita.

• katika: in
• mapema: early
• kuanza: to start
• kama: if
• kuchelewa: to be late
• ibada: the service
• kanisa: the church
• Jumapili: the Sunday
• iliyopita: last

Questions & Answers about Kama usingechelewa, tungeanza ibada kanisani mapema Jumapili iliyopita.

What is the function of Kama and could I also use Ikiwa?

Kama is the conditional conjunction if, used to introduce hypothetical or counterfactual statements. You can also use Ikiwa for if, but Kama is more common in everyday speech, while Ikiwa sounds slightly more formal.

How are usingechelewa and tungeanza formed, and what do they mean?

Both verbs use the conditional marker -nge- after the subject prefix:
• usingechelewa = u- (you) + si- (negative) + -nge- (would-have) + chelewa (be late) ⇒ “if you had not been late.”
• tungeanza = tu- (we) + -nge- (would-have) + anza (begin) ⇒ “we would have begun.”

In Swahili you express “would have” by inserting -nge- between the subject prefix (u-, tu-, ni-, a-, etc.) and the verb stem. For negatives you add si- before -nge-.

Why is it kanisani and what does it mean?

Kanisani = kanisa (church) + -ni (locative suffix) ⇒ “at/in the church.” In Swahili you mark location by adding -ni directly onto the noun; no extra preposition is needed.

Is mapema an adjective or an adverb? Why isn’t there kwa before it?

Mapema is an adverb meaning “early.” Swahili often uses plain adverbs without kwa. Here mapema modifies tungeanza (“would have started”) to specify that the service would have begun early.

What does Jumapili iliyopita mean, and why use iliyopita?

Jumapili means “Sunday.” Iliyopita is the past-relative form of pita (to pass), literally “that passed.” Combined, Jumapili iliyopita means “last Sunday.” The prefix i- in iliyopita agrees with the noun class of Jumapili.

How would I say “if I hadn’t been late” or “if she hadn’t been late” using the same pattern?

Just swap the subject prefix in usingechelewa:
• “If I hadn’t been late”: Kama nisingechelewa (ni + si + nge + chelewa).
• “If she hadn’t been late”: Kama asing e chelewa (a + si + nge + chelewa), normally spelled asingechelewa.

Does the conditional clause have to come first? Can I put the main clause before Kama?

You can invert them without changing meaning. Both are correct:
• Kama usingechelewa, tungeanza ibada kanisani mapema Jumapili iliyopita.
• Tungeanza ibada kanisani mapema Jumapili iliyopita kama usingechelewa.