Breakdown of Mwalimu anataka tuandike hadithi fupi darasani leo.
kutaka
to want
leo
today
mwalimu
the teacher
kuandika
to write
fupi
short
hadithi
the story
darasani
in class
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Questions & Answers about Mwalimu anataka tuandike hadithi fupi darasani leo.
What does Mwalimu mean?
The noun Mwalimu means teacher (singular). It’s the term used for anyone who leads a class or gives lessons.
How is the verb anataka constructed, and what does it tell us?
Anataka comes from the root -taka (to want). It’s built as:
• a- = 3rd person singular subject prefix (he/she)
• -na- = present/factual tense marker
• taka = verb root
So anataka means he/she wants or is wanting.
Why is it tuandike instead of tunaandika or tuandika?
After a verb of desire like anataka, Swahili uses the subjunctive for the next verb. In the subjunctive you:
• Drop the -na- tense marker
• Change the final -a to -e
• Keep the subject prefix tu- (we)
So tu- + andika + -e → tuandike, meaning (that) we write or let us write.
What does hadithi fupi mean, and why does the adjective come after the noun?
Hadithi means story and fupi means short, so hadithi fupi is short story. In Swahili, adjectives typically follow the noun they modify.
What does darasani mean, and how does the -ni suffix work?
Darasa is class, and adding the locative suffix -ni produces darasani, meaning in (the) classroom or simply in class.
What is the role of leo in this sentence, and can its position change?
Leo means today and indicates when the action happens. You’ll often see it at the end of the sentence, but you could also place it at the beginning (Leo mwalimu anataka…) or right after anataka without altering the meaning.
Swahili has no words for “a” or “the.” How do we know if we mean “a short story” or “the short story”?
Swahili doesn’t use articles. Hadithi fupi can mean a short story or the short story depending on context. For extra clarity you can add a demonstrative, e.g., hadithi fupi hiyo (“that short story”).