Breakdown of Tulifunga madirisha leo kutokana na upepo mkali.
sisi
we
leo
today
upepo
the wind
kufunga
to close
dirisha
the window
mkali
strong
kutokana na
due to
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Questions & Answers about Tulifunga madirisha leo kutokana na upepo mkali.
How is Tulifunga constructed and what does each part mean?
Tulifunga breaks down into three elements:
- Tu-: the subject prefix for “we.”
- -li-: the past‐tense marker.
- funga: the verb stem meaning “to close.”
Put together, tulifunga means “we closed.”
Why is madirisha used here, and how does it relate to dirisha?
- dirisha (class 5) is the singular noun “window.”
- Noun class 6 (the plural counterpart) replaces the di- prefix with ma-, yielding madirisha = “windows.”
So madirisha simply means “windows” (more than one window).
What does kutokana na mean, and how is it formed?
- kutokana is the infinitive of “to originate from.”
- Adding na gives kutokana na, which literally means “originating from” but is used like “due to” or “because of.”
Grammatically it’s: ku- (infinitive) + tokana (stem) + na (with).
Can I replace kutokana na with kwa sababu ya, and is there a nuance?
Yes. kwa sababu ya also means “because of.”
• kwa sababu ya upepo mkali = “because of the strong wind.”
• kutokana na upepo mkali often feels slightly more formal or “originating from,” but in everyday use they’re interchangeable.
Where does leo (today) fit in, and can I move it around?
leo is an adverb of time. You can position it:
- at the beginning: Leo tulifunga madirisha...
- after the verb: Tulifunga leo madirisha...
- after the object (as in your sentence): Tulifunga madirisha leo...
All are grammatically correct; choice depends on what you want to emphasize.
Why is it upepo mkali and not kali upepo?
- Word order in Swahili typically places the noun before its adjective.
- upepo (wind) belongs to noun class 3 (singular), so its adjective must carry the class-3 concord m-
- kali → mkali.
Together, upepo mkali = “strong wind.”
- kali → mkali.
Can I front the reason phrase—for example, say Kutokana na upepo mkali, tulifunga madirisha leo?
Yes. Fronting the phrase simply shifts emphasis:
- Kutokana na upepo mkali, tulifunga madirisha leo.
This version highlights the cause (“due to strong wind”) before you mention the action.
How would I say “We will close the windows today because of strong wind”?
Switch the tense marker from -li- (past) to -ta- (future):
• Tu- (we) + -ta- (future) + funga = tutafunga
So: Tutafunga madirisha leo kutokana na upepo mkali.