Learn Hardcore Swahili: Tutarahisisha usafirishaji ikiwa msongamano utapunguzwa na daraja la juu jipya. - We will simplify transportation if the traffic jam is reduced by the new overpass.

Breakdown of Tutarahisisha usafirishaji ikiwa msongamano utapunguzwa na daraja la juu jipya.

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What is the structure of tutarahisisha and how is the future tense formed with a causative verb in Swahili?

The root adjective is rahisi (“easy”).

Causative suffix -ish- turns it into rahisisha (“to make easy; to simplify”).
To form the future for “we” (1st person plural):
- Subject prefix tu- (we)
- Future marker -ta-
- Verb stem rahisish-
- Final vowel -a
  So tu- + ta- + rahisish- + a = tutarahisisha (“we will simplify”).

What does usafirishaji mean and how is this noun derived?

Base verb: safiri (“to travel”).
Causative: safirisha (“to have someone/something travel; to transport”).
Verbal noun formation: prefix u-
- verb stem + suffix -aji.
  Hence usafirishaji = “transportation” or “shipping,” literally “the act/process of transporting.”

Why is ikiwa used here to mean “if,” and can it be replaced by kama or iwapo?

ikiwa is the conditional connector from “kuwa” (“to be”) and is very clear for “if.”
kama also means “if” or “like,” but in formal contexts it can be ambiguous (it often means “like/as”).
iwapo is interchangeable with ikiwa in many contexts and is equally formal.
So you could say either ikiwa or iwapo for a clear “if,” but kama may introduce confusion in written/official Swahili.

Why is utapunguzwa in the passive voice, and how do you form the passive of a verb like punguza?

Active verb: punguza (“to reduce”).
Passive is formed by inserting -w- before the final vowel: punguz- + w + a = punguzwa (“be reduced”).
You then add the subject prefix and tense marker:
• Subject prefix for class 9 (msongamano) = u-
• Future marker = -ta-
• Passive stem = punguzwa
Result: u + ta + punguzwa = utapunguzwa (“it will be reduced”).

What role does na play in utapunguzwa na daraja la juu jipya?

In a passive construction, na introduces the agent (the “doer”).

utapunguzwa na daraja la juu jipya = “will be reduced by the new overpass.”
Without na you simply omit the agent: utapunguzwa (“will be reduced”).

What exactly does msongamano mean, and how does it differ from foleni?

msongamano = “congestion,” “crowding” or “traffic jam” in general. It describes the condition of things being packed or slowed down.
foleni = “queue” or “line” (of cars/people). It refers to the actual line or row, not the general traffic-congestion situation.
You can have msongamano wa magari (traffic congestion) or foleni ya magari (a line of cars).

Why is the phrase daraja la juu jipya ordered this way? How are descriptive elements arranged in Swahili noun phrases?

daraja la juu is a fixed compound meaning “overpass” (literally “bridge of above”).
To add “new,” you attach the adjective jipya after the entire noun phrase.
General order in Swahili:
• Noun (daraja)
• Relative/prepositional descriptor with concord (la juu)
• Adjective with appropriate class prefix (jipya)
Thus daraja la juu jipya = “new overpass.”

How could you rephrase the sentence in an active voice instead of passive?

One natural active version is:
Daraja la juu jipya litapunguza msongamano na tutarahisisha usafirishaji.
Lit breakdown: