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Nguo za kitenge zitaonyeshwa katika tamasha la mitindo.

Nguo za kitenge zitaonyeshwa katika tamasha la mitindo.
Kitenge clothes will be shown at the fashion festival.
FromLesson 28inHardcore Swahili
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Questions & Answers about Nguo za kitenge zitaonyeshwa katika tamasha la mitindo.

Why is there za between nguo and kitenge?
za is the genitive linker (concord) for noun class 10 (which nguo belongs to). It shows that kitenge specifies the type or material of the clothes. Without za, you couldn’t link the two nouns.
Why does kitenge come after nguo, instead of before like in English?
Swahili follows a head-noun–modifier order. The main noun (nguo) comes first, and then the modifier (kitenge) follows, connected by the genitive concord (za). In English we say “kitenge clothes,” but in Swahili it must be nguo za kitenge.
Could I say vitenge instead of nguo za kitenge?
Technically vitenge is the plural of kitenge (pieces of kitenge fabric). However, when referring to garments made from kitenge, Swahili speakers say nguo za kitenge (class 10 clothes of kitenge). Saying vitenge by itself emphasizes the cloth pieces, not the finished clothes.
What does zitaonyeshwa mean and how is it formed?

zitaonyeshwa is the future-passive form of onyesha (“to show”). It breaks down as:
• zi- : class-10 subject concord (for nguo)
• -ta- : future tense marker
• -nyesh- : verb root (show)
• -wa : passive suffix
Altogether it means “they (those clothes) will be shown.”

How would I say this sentence in the active voice?

Switch to an active verb form with the same tense and class concord. For class 10 future active of onyesha, use wataonyesha:
Wataonyesha nguo za kitenge katika tamasha la mitindo.
= “(They) will display kitenge clothes at the fashion show.”

What function does katika serve in this sentence?
katika is a locative preposition meaning “in” or “at.” It marks the location tamasha la mitindo (“fashion show”) where the clothes will be shown. You could also use kwenye with a similar meaning: kwenye tamasha la mitindo.
Why is it la before mitindo in tamasha la mitindo?
tamasha is a class-5 noun, so its genitive concord is la. It links the head noun (tamasha) to mitindo (class-4 plural “styles”), giving “show of styles” (i.e. fashion show).
What exactly is mitindo here?
mitindo is the plural of mtindo (class 3/4), meaning “style” or “fashion.” So tamasha la mitindo literally means “show of styles,” which we translate into English as “fashion show.”
How do I include “by someone” (the agent) in the passive?

Add na + [agent] after the verb. For example:
Nguo za kitenge zitaonyeshwa na wapangaji wa tamasha la mitindo.
= “Kitenge clothes will be shown by the fashion-show organizers.”

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