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Questions & Answers about Mahitaji ya watu wazima ni tofauti na mahitaji ya watoto wadogo.
Why is ya used between mahitaji and watu, and again before watoto?
In Swahili the word for “of” (the genitive connector) agrees with the noun class of the first noun.
- mahitaji belongs to class 6 (the plural “ma-” class), and class 6 uses ya as its genitive connector.
So you get mahitaji ya watu wazima (“needs of adults”) and mahitaji ya watoto wadogo (“needs of young children”).
What noun classes are mahitaji, watu, and watoto in, and how do I recognize them?
- mahitaji (“needs”): class 6, marked by the prefix ma-.
- watu (“people/adults”): class 2, marked by the prefix wa-.
- watoto (“children”): also class 2 (wa-).
You recognize each class by its prefix and by how adjectives and connectors agree with it (e.g. class 2 adjectives start with wa-, class 6 genitive is ya).
Why are the adjectives wazima and wadogo prefixed with wa-?
Those adjectives are describing class 2 nouns (watu, watoto). In Swahili most adjectives must agree with the noun class:
- Class 2 uses wa-, so watu wazima (“adults”) and watoto wadogo (“young children”).
Without that agreement prefix, the adjective would not link correctly to the noun.
What role does ni play in this sentence?
ni is the copula (linking verb) in Swahili, equivalent to English “is” or “are” in sentences without a verb of action. Here it links the subject (mahitaji ya watu wazima) to the predicate adjective (tofauti na mahitaji ya watoto wadogo).
Why are adjectives placed after the nouns in Swahili?
Swahili typically follows a noun-modifier order:
- Noun
- Genitive/possessor or adjectival phrase
- Adjective
So instead of “big house,” you say nyumba kubwa (“house big”). The same pattern holds in full sentences.
How do I say the singular forms “adult” and “child” with the same adjectives?
Singular “adult” is mtu mzima (class 1 “m-” + adjective “mzima”), and singular “child” is mtoto mdogo (class 1 “m-” + adjective “mdogo”).
Example sentence in the singular:
Hitaji la mtu mzima ni tofauti na hitaji la mtoto mdogo.
(Note: class 5/6 genitive for singular “hitaji” uses la.)
What is the difference between hitaji and mahitaji?
- hitaji (often class 5 singular) means “a need” or “requirement.”
- mahitaji (class 6 plural) means “needs” (multiple requirements).
Use hitaji when you refer to one specific need, and mahitaji when you speak generally about several needs.
Why aren’t there any words for “the” or “a” in this sentence?
Swahili does not use articles like “the” or “a/an.” Context and noun class agreement convey definiteness or indefiniteness. In English you need an article, but in Swahili you simply say mtu mzima for “an adult” or “the adult,” depending on context.