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Kliniki iko karibu na shule.

Kliniki iko karibu na shule.
The clinic is near the school.
FromLesson 36inHardcore Swahili
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Breakdown of Kliniki iko karibu na shule.

kuwa
to be
na
with
shule
the school
karibu
near
kliniki
the clinic
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Questions & Answers about Kliniki iko karibu na shule.

What part of speech is iko, and why do we use it here instead of ni?
Iko is the locative form of the verb kuwa (“to be”), used specifically to say where something is located. The simple copula ni only links two nouns or a noun and adjective (for identity or description), so it cannot express location.
How is iko formed from the verb kuwa?
It combines the subject-concord i- (matching kliniki) with the locative extension -ko, yielding i-ko: “it is (located).”
What does karibu mean in this sentence?
Here karibu functions as an adverb/adjective meaning near or close to, indicating proximity.
Why is the preposition na necessary after karibu?
After karibu, Swahili requires na to link it to the noun it relates to. So karibu na shule literally means near with school.
Could we say kliniki iko karibu shule without na?
No. Omitting na would leave karibu without its required link to shule, making the sentence ungrammatical.
Is there a difference between iko and ipo?
They mean the same thing (“is located”). Ipo uses the locative extension -po; iko uses -ko. Choice between them is mostly a matter of regional or personal preference.
Does karibu ever change form to agree with noun class or number?
No. In this usage, karibu is invariable. It doesn’t take noun-class prefixes or plural markers when showing proximity.
What phrase would I use to mean beside instead of just near?

You can use kando ya. For example:
kliniki iko kando ya shule
“The clinic is beside the school.”