Breakdown of Ukija mapema, utapata kifaa hiki cha kuchaji simu.
kuja
to come
simu
the phone
mapema
early
hiki
this
kupata
to get
cha
of
kifaa
the device
kuchaji
to charge
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Questions & Answers about Ukija mapema, utapata kifaa hiki cha kuchaji simu.
What do the parts u-, -ki-, and -ja in ukija represent?
u- is the 2nd person singular subject prefix (“you”), -ki- is the conditional marker (“if/when”), and -ja is the verb root from kuja (“come”). Combined, u-ki-ja means “if/when you come.”
Why is mapema placed after ukija, and what does it mean?
Mapema is an adverb meaning “early.” Adverbs in Swahili usually follow the verb they modify, so ukija mapema literally reads “if you come early.”
How do you form the future tense in utapata?
Swahili future tense = subject prefix + -ta- (future marker) + verb root. Here u- (you) + -ta- + pata (get) = utapata, “you will get.”
What does kifaa hiki mean, and why these specific forms?
Kifaa is a class 7 noun meaning “device.” The class 7 demonstrative for “this” is hiki, so kifaa hiki = “this device.”
What role does cha play in cha kuchaji simu, and why is it cha?
Cha is the genitive/relative marker for class 7. It links kifaa to the infinitive kuchaji simu (“charging phones”), so the phrase literally means “device of charging phones” (i.e. “a device for charging phones”).
Why is the infinitive kuchaji used after cha, and can you use kwa instead?
After a relative marker, Swahili uses the infinitive to express purpose: kifaa cha kuchaji simu = “a device for charging phones.” You could also say kifaa hiki kwa kuchaji simu, using kwa + infinitive, but the cha + infinitive pattern is more natural when naming an object by its function.
What is simu, and why doesn’t it change like regular nouns?
Simu (“phone”) is a loanword treated as class 9/10. Many loanwords in these classes remain the same in singular and plural, so context tells you whether you mean one phone or multiple phones.
How would you adapt the sentence to “if he comes early, he will get this charging device”?
Change the subject prefix u- to a- (3rd person singular): Akija mapema, atapata kifaa hiki cha kuchaji simu. For “they” use wa-: Wakija mapema, watapata kifaa hiki cha kuchaji simu.