Breakdown of Wanafunzi wanaweza kupata vitabu mtandaoni.
mwanafunzi
the student
kitabu
the book
kuweza
to be able
kupata
to get
mtandaoni
online
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Questions & Answers about Wanafunzi wanaweza kupata vitabu mtandaoni.
What does wanafunzi mean, and why isn’t it mwanafunzi?
Wanafunzi is the plural of mwanafunzi, which means student. Swahili uses noun classes: mwanafunzi (singular, class 1) becomes wanafunzi (plural, class 2) by replacing the m- prefix with wa-.
How is the verb wanaweza built? It looks like two words stuck together.
Wanaweza breaks down into three parts:
- wa- = subject prefix for class 2 (they)
- -na- = present tense marker
- weza = root meaning “be able” or “can”
Put together, wa-na-weza = “they can.”
Why is kupata used here, and what does it mean exactly?
Kupata means to get, to obtain, or to find (in the sense of acquiring). The prefix ku- marks the infinitive (“to …”), so kupata = “to get/obtain.”
What’s the difference between kupata and kutafuta?
Kupata = to obtain or receive something (emphasis on acquisition).
Kutafuta = to look for or search for something.
If you say wanaweza kupata vitabu, you’re saying they can get/download the books. If you say wanaweza kutafuta vitabu, you’d mean they can look for books.
Why is it vitabu and not kitabu?
Swahili noun class 7 uses the prefix ki- for singular kitabu (“book”), and class 8 uses vi- for plural vitabu (“books”). Since the students get more than one book, you use the plural vitabu.
What does mtandaoni mean, and why is there no preposition like kwenye or katika?
Mtandaoni means online or on the internet. The root is mtandao (“network” or “internet”), plus the locative suffix -ni, which covers the meaning of “on/at.” Swahili often uses locative endings instead of separate prepositions, so mtandaoni = “at/on the network.”
Could I use a different word for “online,” like intaneti or kwa intaneti?
Yes. Many speakers say mtandaoni, but you can also hear kwa intaneti (“by/with the internet”) or just intaneti in casual speech. However, mtandaoni is the most idiomatic for “online.”
Can I move mtandaoni before the verb, e.g. Mtandaoni wanafunzi wanaweza kupata vitabu?
Yes, you can front the locative for emphasis:
Mtandaoni, wanafunzi wanaweza kupata vitabu.
This stresses “online” before stating what students can do. Swahili word order is fairly flexible, though the default is Subject–Verb–Object–Locative.