Sisi tunaimba wimbo darasani.

We sing a song in class.

Breakdown of Sisi tunaimba wimbo darasani.

• sisi: we
• wimbo: the song
• kuimba: to sing
• darasani: in class

Questions & Answers about Sisi tunaimba wimbo darasani.

How do you break down tunaimba into its morphemes and what does each part mean?

• tu-: subject marker “we”
• -na-: present‐tense/aspect marker (“is/are …ing” or simple present)
• imba: verb root “sing”
Putting them together, tunaimba literally means “we are singing” (or “we sing”).

Why is sisi used here when tunaimba already shows “we”?

The subject prefix tu- in tunaimba already means “we,” so sisi (“we”) is optional. It’s used for emphasis, contrast or clarity. You can drop it and still say Tunaimba wimbo darasani.

What does wimbo mean and why are there no words for “a” or “the”?

• wimbo = “song.”
Swahili does not have articles like “a” or “the.” Context tells you whether it’s indefinite or definite. If you really want “the song,” you could say wimbo huo (“that song”) or wimbo ule (“that song over there”).

How do you form the plural of wimbo?

The singular wimbo belongs to noun class 9 (prefix n- assimilated to w before i). Its plural is class 10, which also uses an n- prefix but assimilates to ny before i:
• Singular: wimbo (“song”)
• Plural: nyimbo (“songs”)

Why is there no preposition like “in” before darasani?

Swahili marks location by adding the locative suffix -ni to the noun.
• darasa (“classroom”) + -ni → darasani (“in/at the classroom”)
No separate word for “in” is needed. Alternatively, you could say ndani ya darasa (“inside of the classroom”) using ndani ya + noun.

What is the word order in Sisi tunaimba wimbo darasani, and how does it compare to English?

Swahili normally uses Subject-Verb-Object order, followed by adverbials:
• Subject: Sisi
• Verb: tunaimba
• Object: wimbo
• Locative adverbial: darasani
In English it’s exactly the same sequence: “We are singing a song in the classroom.”

Can you start the sentence with darasani to emphasize the location?

Yes. Swahili is flexible about fronting adverbials. You can say:
• Darasani tunaimba wimbo.
The verb still carries tu- (“we”), so the meaning remains “We are singing a song in the classroom.”

Does tunaimba always mean “we are singing” or can it also mean “we sing” in a habitual sense?

Tunaimba covers both simple present (“we sing”) and present continuous (“we are singing”). Context or additional time words clarify the exact nuance:
• Kila asubuhi tunaimba wimbo. – “Every morning we sing a song.” (habitual)
• Sasa tunaimba wimbo. – “Right now we are singing a song.” (continuous)