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Sheria mpya za soko la hisa zimetolewa na serikali leo.

Sheria mpya za soko la hisa zimetolewa na serikali leo.
New stock-market laws have been issued by the government today.
FromLesson 33inHardcore Swahili
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Questions & Answers about Sheria mpya za soko la hisa zimetolewa na serikali leo.

What does sheria mpya mean and why is mpya placed after sheria?

sheria = laws
mpya = new
In Swahili adjectives normally follow the noun they modify, so sheria mpya literally reads “laws new,” i.e. “new laws.”

Why is za used after sheria mpya?
za is the genitive concord for noun class 10 (the plural N class, which sheria belongs to here). It functions like “of,” linking sheria mpya to what follows.
How do we interpret za soko la hisa?

Break it down:
soko = market (class 5 JI-/MA-)
la = genitive concord for class 5 (“of”)
hisa = stocks/shares
So soko la hisa = stock market, and with za in front it becomes “of the stock market.”

Could you explain the structure of zimetolewa?

zi- = subject concord for class 10 (matching sheria)
-me- = perfect aspect marker (“have”)
tolewa = passive stem of kutoa (“to issue”)
Together, zimetolewa = “have been issued.”

Why is na serikali used and what does na do here?
In a passive construction, the agent (doer of the action) is introduced by na, meaning “by.” So na serikali = “by the government.”
What does leo mean and why is it at the end of the sentence?
leo = today. Time adverbs in Swahili typically follow the verb phrase, so you get zimetolewa na serikali leo (“have been issued by the government today”).
How would I change the sentence to talk about a single new law instead of multiple laws?

Use singular concords (class 9) for sheria:
Sheria mpya ya soko la hisa imetolewa na serikali leo.
Notice ya instead of za and i- instead of zi- in imetolewa.

How can I tell from the sentence that sheria is plural?
The subject concord zi- in zimetolewa marks a class 10 (plural) noun. If it were singular, you would see i- (class 9) in imetolewa.
Why is there no word for “the” or “a” in this sentence?
Swahili does not use articles like “the,” “a,” or “an.” Definiteness or indefiniteness is understood from context or, when needed, added with demonstratives such as ile (that) or hiyo (this).

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