Question 1

What part of speech is Usajili in this sentence and how is it formed?

Accepted Answer

Usajili is a verbal noun (gerund) meaning registration. It’s formed from the verb sajili (to register) by adding the noun-class prefix u- to the stem and retaining the final vowel -i (u + sajili → usajili).

Question 2

Why does mapema come after usajili instead of before, like “early registration” in English?

Accepted Answer

In Swahili, descriptive words (adjectives or adverbs) normally follow the noun or verb they modify. Here mapema (“early”) follows usajili to form usajili mapema (“registration early”), which we render in English as “early registration.”

Question 3

How is unatuwezesha structured, and what does each part mean?

Accepted Answer

Breakdown of unatuwezesha (“you enable us”):  
 • u- → 2nd-person-singular subject prefix (“you”)  
 • na → present-tense marker (“are …”)  
 • tu- → 1st-person-plural object prefix (“us”)  
 • wezesh → stem from weza (“be able”) plus the causative extension -sha (“make/cause to be able”)  
 • -a → final vowel for verb forms

So literally “you + are + us + enable.”

Question 4

Why is the verb kuingia in the infinitive form here?

Accepted Answer

After verbs of allowing or enabling (like unatuwezesha), Swahili uses the infinitive (ku- + verb) to express the action being enabled. Thus kuingia means “to enter,” completing “enables us to enter.”

Question 5

What does bila kuchelewa mean, and how does bila work with verbs?

Accepted Answer

bila means “without.” When it precedes an action, you follow it with a verb in the infinitive (ku- form). So bila kuchelewa literally means “without (ku)chelewa” or “without being late.”

Question 6

Why is darasani used instead of darasa?

Accepted Answer

darasa means “class.” To indicate location (“in class”), Swahili adds the locative suffix -ni. Hence darasa + -ni → darasani, “in the class” or simply “in class.”

Question 7

What tense or aspect is unatuwezesha, and how would you say it in past or future?

Accepted Answer

unatuwezesha uses the present-tense marker na, so it’s present habitual/continuous: “you enable us.”  
 • Past: replace na with li → ulitutuwezesha (“you enabled us”)  
 • Future: replace na with ta → utatuwezesha (“you will enable us”)

Question 8

Can you break down the full sentence structure?

Accepted Answer

Sure:  
 • Usajili mapema → subject (noun phrase) = “early registration”  
 • unatuwezesha → verb = “enables us”  
 • kuingia darasani → infinitive phrase = “to enter class”  
 • bila kuchelewa → adverbial phrase = “without being late”

All together:  
    Usajili mapema | unatuwezesha | kuingia darasani | bila kuchelewa  
    (early registration) (enables us) (to enter class) (without being late)

Usajili mapema unatuwezesha kuingia darasani bila kuchelewa.

Breakdown of Usajili mapema unatuwezesha kuingia darasani bila kuchelewa.

Questions & Answers about Usajili mapema unatuwezesha kuingia darasani bila kuchelewa.

More from this lesson

Master Swahili — from Usajili mapema unatuwezesha kuingia darasani bila kuchelewa to fluency