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Asubuhi, mafundi wataweka lami iliyobaki ili barabara ikamilike.

Asubuhi, mafundi wataweka lami iliyobaki ili barabara ikamilike.
In the morning, the workers will lay the remaining tarmac so that the road is completed.
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Questions & Answers about Asubuhi, mafundi wataweka lami iliyobaki ili barabara ikamilike.

What role does Asubuhi play in this sentence and why isn't it preceded by a preposition?
Asubuhi means in the morning or morning and functions as an adverbial time expression. Swahili often places a time word at the start of a sentence without a preposition. The comma after Asubuhi, simply sets the time frame: In the morning, ... without needing katika or kwa.
How is the future tense formed in wataweka?

wataweka breaks down as:

  • wa-: subject prefix for 3rd person plural (they)
  • -ta-: future tense marker
  • weka: verb root put/place
    Combine them: wa-ta-weka = they will put.
What is lami and how does its noun class affect the relative clause iliyobaki?
lami means asphalt or tar. It belongs to noun class 9/10 (inanimate nouns). When you attach a relative clause to a class 9 noun, you use the relative prefix i-, so the verb in the clause must carry that prefix plus the appropriate tense and relative markers.
Can you break down the form iliyobaki?

iliyobaki means that remained or that was left. It consists of:

  • i-: relative prefix for class 9 noun (lami)
  • -li-: past tense marker
  • -yo-: relative marker meaning that
  • baki: verb root remain
    Putting it all together: i-li-yo-baki → iliyobaki = that remained.
Why is the clause ili barabara ikamilike using ili, and why is ikamilike in the subjunctive?

ili means so that or in order that, introducing a purpose clause. After ili, Swahili requires the verb in the subjunctive mood. To form the subjunctive you:

  1. Use the subject prefix (i- for barabara, class 9).
  2. Add the verb root kamilik- (“finish”).
  3. End with -e instead of -a.
    Thus: barabara
    • i-
      • kamilik-
        • -e = barabara ikamilike = so that the road may be completed.
How do you form the Swahili subjunctive and when is it used besides after ili?

To form the subjunctive:

  1. Start with the verb root (drop ku- if present).
  2. Add the subject prefix (ni-, u-, a-, tu-, m-, wa-, etc.).
  3. Replace the final -a with -e.

Examples:

  • aende (from kuenda) = he/she should go
  • tuende (from kuenda) = let’s go

The subjunctive also appears in:

  • Negative commands (e.g. usiende = do not go)
  • Expressions of necessity (e.g. ni lazima uje = you must come)
  • After verbs of desire or doubt (e.g. nataka afike = I want him to arrive)
  • Certain conditional or result clauses.