Breakdown of Wakati wa dharura ya mafuriko, punda wetu hupelekwa kwenye kilima cha juu.
ya
of
wetu
our
kwenye
to
cha
of
kilima
the hill
kupelekwa
to be taken
mafuriko
the flood
punda
the donkey
wakati wa
during
dharura
the emergency
juu
high
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Questions & Answers about Wakati wa dharura ya mafuriko, punda wetu hupelekwa kwenye kilima cha juu.
What does Wakati wa mean and how is it formed?
Wakati means time/when, wa is the genitive linker of; together, Wakati wa means during or at the time of.
Why is ya used in dharura ya mafuriko?
Swahili genitive linkers depend on noun class. Mafuriko (floods) is class 6 (prefix ma-), so it takes ya to express of. Hence dharura ya mafuriko = emergency of floods.
What is mafuriko, and how is it constructed?
Mafuriko derives from the root -furika (overflow). The class 6 prefix ma- plus the nominal form yields mafuriko = floods.
How do you say “our donkey,” and why is it punda wetu?
Punda (donkey) is class 9 (singular). The possessive pronoun for our with class 9 is wetu, so punda wetu = our donkey.
What does hupelekwa mean and what are its parts?
hupelekwa is the present habitual passive of peleka (take/send).
• hu- = habitual aspect marker (usually/is regularly)
• -peleka- = verb root take/send
• -wa = passive extension
Combined, it means is taken or is regularly taken.
Why is the passive voice used here instead of an active form?
In passive, punda wetu becomes the subject (our donkey), and the agent is omitted or generalized. The active counterpart would be:
Wakati wa dharura ya mafuriko, watu hupeleka punda wetu…
Passive focuses on the donkey’s movement rather than who does it.
What does kwenye indicate, and how is it different from katika?
Kwenye is a locative preposition meaning to/in/on/at, often marking movement toward. Here it means to the hill. Katika means in/inside or at in a static sense.
Why is it kilima cha juu, and what do cha and juu mean?
Kilima (hill) is class 7, so it takes the genitive linker cha before an adjective. Juu means high/up. Thus kilima cha juu = high hill.
Why is kilima used here instead of mlima?
Kilima means hill (class 7), mlima means mountain (class 3). The context refers to a smaller elevation, so kilima is appropriate.
How would you express the same idea in active voice, and what changes?
Active:
Wakati wa dharura ya mafuriko, watu hupeleka punda wetu kwenye kilima cha juu.
Changes: use hupeleka (present habitual active) and add watu as the subject since punda wetu (“our donkey”) cannot perform the action itself.