……
Breakdown of Farasi anakimbia uwanjani asubuhi.
katika
in
asubuhi
in the morning
kukimbia
to run
uwanja
the field
farasi
the horse
Questions & Answers about Farasi anakimbia uwanjani asubuhi.
What does farasi mean?
Farasi means horse. It's a noun; Swahili doesn't have articles like a or the, so context tells you if it's definite or indefinite.
How is the verb anakimbia formed and what does each part mean?
It breaks into three parts:
- a- = third-person singular subject prefix (he/she/it)
- -na- = present tense/aspect marker (ongoing or habitual)
- kimbia = verb stem run (to/toward)
So anakimbia = he/she/it is running to.
Why does anakimbia translate as is running rather than runs?
The prefix -na- marks the present tense as an ongoing or habitual action. In English we often render this as is running for emphasis on the continuous nature, though runs could work in a more general habitual sense.
What does uwanjani mean and why the -ni suffix?
The base noun uwanja means field. Adding -ni turns it into a locative: in/at/on the field. This suffix marks the location where the action takes place.
Can you say uwanja without -ni to mean on the field?
Not if you want to express in/at the field. Without -ni, uwanja remains a plain noun. The -ni suffix is required to convey at/in that place.
What does asubuhi mean and why does it come at the end?
Asubuhi means morning. Time expressions in Swahili typically follow locations, so asubuhi (morning) comes after uwanjani (at the field).
What is the typical word order in this sentence?
Swahili usually follows:
Subject – Tense/Aspect – Verb – (Object) – Location – Time.
Here we have:
- Subject: Farasi
- TAM: a-na
- Verb stem: kimbia
- Location: uwanjani
- Time: asubuhi
Why are there no articles like the or a before farasi or uwanjani?
Swahili does not use articles such as a or the. Definiteness or indefiniteness is inferred from context rather than a separate word.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Swahili grammar?”
Swahili grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning SwahiliMaster Swahili — from Farasi anakimbia uwanjani asubuhi to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions