Breakdown of Juma alipata tuzo baada ya kushinda mashindano ya hesabu shuleni.
Juma
Juma
kwenye
at
shule
the school
ya
of
baada ya
after
kushinda
to win
shindano
the competition
hesabu
the math
kupata
to receive
tuzo
the award
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Questions & Answers about Juma alipata tuzo baada ya kushinda mashindano ya hesabu shuleni.
What does alipata mean, and how is it formed?
alipata means “he got” or “he received.” It breaks down into three parts:
- a- : 3rd person singular subject prefix (“he/she”)
- -li- : past tense marker
- pata : verb root meaning “get/receive”
Why don’t we see a separate word for “he” in the sentence?
Swahili verbs carry subject prefixes, so there is no need for a separate pronoun. In alipata, the a- prefix already means “he.”
What is the function of baada ya, and why is the verb kushinda in its infinitive form?
baada ya means “after.” Prepositions like baada ya require the following verb to be in the infinitive (verbal noun) form, created by adding ku- to the verb root. Hence ku + shinda = kushinda (“to win”).
Why didn’t we use a relative clause like aliposhinda instead of kushinda?
You could say baada ya aliposhinda… using the relative marker -po-, but the infinitive (kushinda) is more concise and common after baada ya. Both are grammatically correct.
How do we parse mashindano ya hesabu shuleni, and what does each word do?
It literally means “competition(s) of mathematics at school.” Breakdown:
- mashindano : “competition(s)” (noun class 6)
- ya : “of” connector matching noun classes
- hesabu : “mathematics” (noun class 9/10)
- shuleni : “at school” (locative of shule)
Why is ya used between mashindano and hesabu, rather than wa or cha?
Swahili uses different “of” connectors according to noun classes:
- wa for class 2 → class 1 (e.g., wanafunzi wa shule)
- ya for class 6 → class 9/10 (as here)
- cha for class 7 → class 8, etc.
How is shuleni derived from shule, and what role does the suffix -ni play?
The suffix -ni marks locative case (“in/at”). You attach it to shule (“school”) to get shuleni (“at school”).
Can I front the time clause and say Baada ya kushinda mashindano ya hesabu shuleni, Juma alipata tuzo? Does it change the meaning?
Yes, that word order is perfectly fine. Swahili allows you to place adverbial/time clauses at the beginning for emphasis; the basic meaning stays the same.