Breakdown of Watoto wanapenda kujifunza kilimo bustanini.
kupenda
to like
kujifunza
to learn
mtoto
the child
kilimo
the agriculture
bustanini
in the garden
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Questions & Answers about Watoto wanapenda kujifunza kilimo bustanini.
What does Watoto mean, and what is its singular form?
Watoto means children. It’s the plural form of mtoto, which means child.
How is wanapenda constructed?
It breaks down into three parts:
• wa- (subject marker for “they”)
• -na- (present tense marker)
• penda (verb root “like/love”)
Why would the subject marker change if you want to say “I like” instead of “they like”?
Swahili verb prefixes agree with their subjects. For “I like,” you use the prefix ni- instead of wa-, giving ninapenda (“ni-” = I, “-na-” = present, “penda” = like).
What is kujifunza, and why is it used here?
kujifunza is the infinitive form of jifunza (“to learn”). After wanapenda (“they like”), Swahili needs an infinitive, so wanapenda kujifunza means “they like to learn.”
Why is there no preposition before kilimo?
In Swahili, infinitives can take direct objects directly, without any preposition. So kujifunza kilimo means “to learn agriculture” (i.e., “to learn about farming”).
What does kilimo mean?
Kilimo is a noun meaning agriculture or farming. It’s the object of the infinitive kujifunza.
What does the -ni suffix in bustanini indicate?
The suffix -ni marks location (“in” or “at”). Bustani means “garden,” so bustanini means in the garden.
Could I say Watoto wanapenda kujifunza kilimo kwenye bustani instead?
Yes. kwenye + noun also expresses location (“in/at”), so kwenye bustani is an alternative to bustanini, with the same meaning.
How would you make this sentence past tense?
Replace the present tense marker -na- with the past marker -li-:
Watoto walipenda kujifunza kilimo bustanini.
This means “The children liked to learn farming in the garden.”
How do you form the negative?
Use the negative subject marker ha- instead of the positive wa- plus -na-:
Watoto hawapendi kujifunza kilimo bustanini.
This means “The children do not like to learn farming in the garden.”
What’s the difference between wanapenda kujifunza and wanajifunza?
• wanapenda kujifunza = “they like to learn” (uses penda + infinitive).
• wanajifunza = “they are learning” (present tense of jifunza, “to learn”).