Breakdown of Viza yetu imetoka; sasa tunaweza kusafiri nje ya nchi.
sasa
now
kuweza
to be able
yetu
our
kusafiri
to travel
nchi
the country
viza
the visa
toka
to come out
nje ya
outside of
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Questions & Answers about Viza yetu imetoka; sasa tunaweza kusafiri nje ya nchi.
Why does the verb start with i- in imetoka?
Swahili verbs carry subject prefixes that agree with noun classes. Viza belongs to class 9/10, which uses i- as its subject prefix. Then you have -me- (perfect-tense marker) + toka (to come out) → i-me-toka, meaning “it has come out.”
What is the difference between imetoka and ilitoka?
Imetoka uses the perfect marker -me- to indicate a completed action with present relevance (“the visa is now available”). Ilitoka uses the simple past marker -li-, which states a past event without emphasizing that it’s still in effect now.
Why is yetu used after viza? How do possessive pronouns work in Swahili?
Possessive pronouns follow the noun and agree in noun class. Viza is class 9/10, so “our” is formed with ya + etu = yetu. Hence viza yetu = “our visa.”
Can I omit viza yetu and just say imetoka?
Yes. The subject prefix i- already signals “it,” so imetoka alone (“it has come out”) is sufficient in context. Including viza yetu simply adds clarity or emphasis.
What does sasa mean? Are there alternatives like sasa hivi?
Sasa means “now.” To emphasize immediacy you can say sasa hivi or hivi sasa, both of which translate to “right now.”
Why is kusafiri in the infinitive after tunaweza?
After modal verbs like weza (“to be able”), Swahili requires the main verb in the infinitive. The infinitive is marked by ku- + verb root, so kusafiri = “to travel.” Thus tunaweza kusafiri = “we can travel.”
What does nje ya nchi literally mean, and why is ya used?
Nje means “outside,” ya is the preposition “of,” and nchi is “country.” Together nje ya nchi = “outside of the country.” This pattern appears in other locative phrases like ndani ya (“inside of”) or juu ya (“on top of”).
Could I say ng’ambo instead of nje ya nchi?
Yes. Ng’ambo literally means “the other side” and is often used colloquially for “abroad” or “overseas.” However, ng’ambo can also refer to the far side of a river or neighborhood, so nje ya nchi is clearer when you specifically mean “outside the country.”