Breakdown of Tafadhali safisha ubao kabla ya somo kuanza.
kusafisha
to clean
kabla ya
before
kuanza
to start
tafadhali
please
somo
the lesson
ubao
the board
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Questions & Answers about Tafadhali safisha ubao kabla ya somo kuanza.
What does Tafadhali mean, and where does it come from?
Tafadhali means “please.” It’s a polite request marker borrowed from Arabic tafaddal and is typically placed at the start of commands in Swahili.
How is the imperative safisha formed from kusafisha?
In Swahili, positive imperatives drop the infinitive ku-. The verb kusafisha (to clean) becomes safisha when giving a direct command (“clean”).
Why isn’t there a subject prefix on safisha?
In positive imperatives, Swahili omits the subject prefix entirely. The implied subject is you (singular). So (wewe) safisha simply means “you clean.”
What does ubao mean, and what is its plural form?
Ubao means “board” (as in a blackboard or whiteboard). It is a class 11 noun; its irregular plural in class 10 is mbao (“boards”).
How does the phrase kabla ya function here?
Kabla ya means “before.” When using a noun after kabla, you link it with the preposition ya: kabla ya [noun] = “before [noun].” Here kabla ya somo = “before the lesson.”
Why is kuanza (the infinitive) used after kabla ya somo?
To express “before [someone/something] does X,” Swahili often uses the infinitive form ku- after the noun. So kabla ya somo kuanza literally “before the lesson to begin” → “before the lesson begins.”
Can I rephrase kabla ya somo kuanza in another way?
Yes. For example:
• kabla ya kuanza kwa somo (“before the beginning of the lesson”)
• kabla somo linapoanza (“before the lesson starts”) using a relative clause.
How would I make this command negative (“Don’t clean the board before the lesson starts”)?
Use the negative imperative marker usi- plus the verb root minus the final -a, then change -a to -e:
Usisafishe ubao kabla ya somo kuanza.
How do I address multiple people in this command?
Add the plural -ni suffix to the imperative. For example:
Tafadhali safisheni ubao kabla ya somo kuanza.
This tells a group “please clean the board before the lesson starts.”
Can I specify this board or that board?
Yes. Ubao huu = “this board” (proximal class 11); ubao huo = “that board” (distal class 11).
For instance:
Tafadhali safisha ubao huu kabla ya somo kuanza.