Breakdown of Watoto wakiteleza kwenye mteremko, wazazi watawasaidia kuinuka.
Questions & Answers about Watoto wakiteleza kwenye mteremko, wazazi watawasaidia kuinuka.
Morphology:
• wa- = 3rd person plural subject prefix (they, i.e. the children)
• teleza = slip
So wakiteleza simply means they slip. In Swahili you express a general if/when condition by using the present-tense verb in the protasis (no separate word for “if” or “when”). Context turns wakiteleza into if/when they slip.
Morphology:
• wa- (1) = 3rd person plural subject prefix (they, i.e. the parents)
• ta- = future-tense marker
• -wa- (2) = 3rd person plural object prefix (them, i.e. the children)
• saidia = help
So watawasaidia literally means they will help them.
After verbs of assistance like saidia, the following action is given as an infinitive. In Swahili infinitives begin with ku-:
• inuka = get up
• kuinuka = to get up
Thus watawasaidia kuinuka = they will help (them) to get up.
kwenye is a locative preposition meaning on/at/in, usable with any noun class:
• kwenye mteremko = on the slope
Alternatives:
- katika mteremko = in the slope (less common)
- juu ya mteremko = on top of the slope
- Locative suffix -ni: mteremkoni = at/on the slope (no kwenye needed)
The comma is optional but common to separate the protasis (conditional clause) from the apodosis (main clause). You could:
• Omit the comma entirely:
Watoto wakiteleza kwenye mteremko wazazi watawasaidia kuinuka
• Use a conjunction instead:
Watoto wakiteleza kwenye mteremko na wazazi watawasaidia kuinuka