Breakdown of Ni muhimu kurahisisha maelezo darasani.
ni
to be
kwenye
at
muhimu
important
darasa
the class
maelezo
the explanation
kurahisisha
to simplify
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Questions & Answers about Ni muhimu kurahisisha maelezo darasani.
Why does this sentence start with Ni and what does it mean here?
In Swahili Ni is a copula used for equational or impersonal sentences. Here it functions like “It is” in English, introducing a statement about importance. You could translate Ni muhimu… as “It is important…” without mentioning a subject like “this” or “that.”
What is the role of kurahisisha and why does it begin with ku-?
Kurahisisha is the infinitive form (“to simplify”), made by adding the infinitive marker ku- to the verb rahisisha (“simplify/make easy”). In Swahili, infinitives (verbal nouns) always start with ku-. In this sentence the infinitive acts like a noun (“simplifying…”).
What is the difference between rahisi and rahisisha?
Rahisi is an adjective meaning “easy.” Adding the causative suffix -isha turns it into a verb that means “to make easy” or “to simplify.” So rahisisha = “simplify/make something easy,” and kurahisisha = “to simplify.”
Why is maelezo used instead of elezo, and what does it mean?
Elezo (class 5 singular) means “explanation,” while maelezo (class 6 plural) means “explanations” or “information.” Even if you have one big explanation, Swahili often uses the plural noun here. The prefix ma- marks the plural form for class 6 nouns.
What does the suffix -ni in darasani indicate?
The suffix -ni is the locative ending that means “in,” “at,” or “on.” Darasa means “classroom” or “class,” and adding -ni gives darasani = “in the classroom.”
Why is the infinitive phrase kurahisisha maelezo darasani placed before ni muhimu?
In Swahili, the default word order for emphasis is Subject (or topic) + Predicate. Here the infinitive phrase functions as the subject/topic (“simplifying explanations in the classroom”) and ni muhimu is the predicate (“is important”). This mirrors English “Simplifying explanations in the classroom is important.”
Could you move darasani elsewhere in the sentence?
Yes. You could say Ni muhimu kurahisisha darasani maelezo but it’s less natural. The typical order is kurahisisha (verb) + maelezo (object) + darasani (location). Changing the order can sound awkward or shift emphasis.
Why is there no subject or tense marker on ni?
Ni itself is a stative or impersonal verb meaning “to be” in simple present/factual statements. It doesn’t take subject prefixes or tense markers. If you needed past tense you’d use kulikuwa muhimu (“it was important”) or rephrase with a verb like kuwa plus a verb form.