Breakdown of Ngoma ni sehemu ya utamaduni wetu wa kila siku.
ni
to be
kila
every
siku
the day
wa
of
ya
of
yetu
our
utamaduni
the culture
ngoma
the drumming
sehemu
the part
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Questions & Answers about Ngoma ni sehemu ya utamaduni wetu wa kila siku.
What does Ngoma mean in this sentence?
Ngoma can mean drum, dance, or performance. In this context, it refers to the performing-arts tradition—the music and dance that form part of daily life.
Why is ni used here instead of something like is or are?
In Swahili, the copula ni links two noun phrases (or a noun and an adjective) to express “is/are.” It never changes for person or number. So whenever you need “X is Y,” you use ni, as in Ngoma ni sehemu… (“Ngoma is a part…”).
What does sehemu ya mean, and how do you choose ya?
Sehemu means part or section, and ya is the genitive linker, so sehemu ya X = part of X. The form ya is selected because utamaduni belongs to the noun class that takes ya in possessive/genitive constructions.
Why is it utamaduni wetu and not tamaduni yetu?
The abstract noun tamaduni (cultures) takes the prefix u- to become utamaduni (“culture” in singular/abstract sense). That noun class uses the possessive concord wetu for “our.” If you meant multiple distinct cultures, you’d use plural tamaduni zetu.
What does wa kila siku mean, and why is wa used here instead of ya?
Kila siku means every day. The preposition wa links utamaduni wetu to kila siku, giving utamaduni wetu wa kila siku = our everyday culture. Here wa is the genitive concord for utamaduni when adding a qualifier like a time expression.
Can I move kila siku to the front—as in Kila siku, ngoma ni sehemu ya utamaduni wetu?
Yes. Swahili allows time expressions like kila siku at the beginning for emphasis. Both are correct:
• Ngoma ni sehemu ya utamaduni wetu wa kila siku.
• Kila siku, ngoma ni sehemu ya utamaduni wetu.