Wakati wa dharura, tupige simu ya polisi.

In an emergency, we must call the police.

Breakdown of Wakati wa dharura, tupige simu ya polisi.

• polisi: the police
• dharura: the emergency
• wakati wa: in
• kupiga simu: to call

Questions & Answers about Wakati wa dharura, tupige simu ya polisi.

What does Wakati wa dharura literally mean, and how does it compare to in case of emergency?

Wakati means “time,” wa is the genitive connector “of,” and dharura means “emergency.” So Wakati wa dharura literally “time of emergency,” which we render in English as “in case of emergency” or “during an emergency.”

Why is the connector wa used between wakati and dharura, and how do I know which connector to use?

Swahili links two nouns in a possessive/genitive relationship with a connector that agrees with the noun class of the first noun (wakati here). Common connectors include: • wa (classes 1/2 and some others)
• ya (classes 3/4, 9)
• cha (class 7)
• la (classes 5/6)
• za (class 10)
Wakati takes wa, so we get wakati wa dharura.

How is tupige formed, and what does each part do?

Breakdown of tupige (“let’s call”):
• tu- = subject prefix “we” (1st person plural)
• piga = verb root “hit/make (a call)”
• final -e = subjunctive/hortative mood marker (“let’s …”)
Put together, tu-piga-e = tupige = “let’s call.”

Why is the final vowel in tupige -e instead of the usual -a?

In Swahili the normal verb ending -a is used for the indicative (“we call/are calling”). To form the subjunctive/hortative (“let’s call”), you change -a to -e after the subject prefix:
• Indicative: tupiga = “we call/are calling”
• Hortative: tupige = “let’s call”

What’s the difference between kupiga simu and kupigia polisi?

• kupiga simu = “to make a phone call” (literally “to hit phone”)
• kupigia polisi = “to call the police (on the phone)” using the applicative suffix -ia, which lets you turn the indirect object into a direct object of the verb.
  So you can say:
  • Tupige simu ya polisi. (“Let’s make a call of/the police.”)
  • Tupigie polisi. (“Let’s call the police.”) – more direct.

Why is polisi not marked for singular or plural with an extra ending?

Polisi is a loanword treated as noun class 9/10, which means it stays the same in singular and plural. Context tells you whether you mean one officer or the whole force. If you want a single officer: afisa polisi = “police officer.”

How would I tell one person “Call the police!” (imperative singular)?

Use the second-person singular imperative form of piga:
• Piga simu ya polisi! = “Call the police!” (to one person)
For “you all,” you’d say Pigieni simu ya polisi!

Can I move wakati wa dharura to the end of the sentence without changing the meaning?

Yes—Swahili is flexible with adverbial phrases. Both are correct and equivalent:
• Wakati wa dharura, tupige simu ya polisi.
• Tupige simu ya polisi wakati wa dharura.

How would I say “Let’s call an ambulance” following the same pattern?

You can mirror the structure:
• Tupige simu ya ambulensi.
Or with the applicative:
• Tupigie ambulensi.