Breakdown of Wazazi wanatumia bakuli kubeba maji bustanini.
wao
they
maji
the water
kubeba
to carry
kutumia
to use
mzazi
the parent
bustani
the garden
bakuli
the bowl
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Questions & Answers about Wazazi wanatumia bakuli kubeba maji bustanini.
What does wanatumia mean and how is it formed?
wanatumia is the present‐tense form of the verb -tumia (to use) for a plural subject. It breaks down as:
• wa- (class 2 subject prefix for “they/parents”)
• -na- (present/habitual tense marker)
• tumia (verb root “use”)
Together: they use.
Why is there a ku- before beba? What form is kubeba?
The ku- prefix marks the infinitive (“to …”). kubeba is the infinitive of -beba (to carry). After wanatumia bakuli, Swahili uses the infinitive to show purpose: “use a basin to carry water.”
In wanatumia bakuli kubeba maji, why don’t we use a preposition like kwa before kubeba?
With -tumia, the pattern is: tumia + object + infinitive (direct purpose clause). You don’t need kwa. If you add kwa, you get wanatumia bakuli kwa kubeba maji, which isn’t wrong but is less common.
What is bustanini and why isn’t “in” written separately?
bustanini is the locative form of bustani (garden). Swahili adds the suffix -ni to mark “in” or “at” directly on the noun. So bustani → bustanini = “in the garden.”
How do you form locatives like bustanini in Swahili?
A general rule: attach -ni to the noun’s basic form. For example:
• bustani (garden) + -ni = bustanini (in the garden)
Vowel changes may occur, but no separate preposition is needed.
Is bakuli singular or plural? How do you say “bowls”?
bakuli is singular (class 5). The plural is mabakuli (class 6).
• bakuli = a bowl/basin
• mabakuli = bowls/basins
Why is maji unchanged here? Does it have a singular form?
maji is a class 6 noun (mostly uncountable) that only occurs in this form. It doesn’t have a singular—“some water” or “water” is always maji.
What’s the difference between wanatumia and hutumia in this sentence?
Both express ongoing or habitual action.
• wa- + na- (wanatumia) is the standard present/ongoing marker.
• hu- (hutumia) is the habitual marker.
Many speakers use wanatumia for both “they are using” and “they habitually use.”
Can we rearrange the words, e.g., Wazazi wanatumia kubeba maji bakuli bustanini?
No. Swahili word order is: Subject – Verb – Object – Infinitive (purpose) – Locative. So bakuli (object) must come before kubeba (infinitive) and bustanini (locative) goes last.