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Huduma sokoni imezorota.

Huduma sokoni imezorota.
The service at the market has deteriorated.
FromLesson 38inHardcore Swahili
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Questions & Answers about Huduma sokoni imezorota.

What does huduma mean, and what noun class is it? How does that affect the verb?
huduma means “service.” It is an abstract noun in class 9 (zero prefix), so it takes the class 9 subject-concord i-. That’s why the verb appears as imezorota (i- + -me- + zorota).
Why is soko written as sokoni, and what does the -ni suffix do?
The suffix -ni is the locative marker meaning “at/in/on.” Attaching -ni to soko (“market”) yields sokoni = “at the market.” No extra preposition is needed.
Could you break down imezorota into its parts?

imezorota =
• i- (class 9 subject prefix)
• -me- (perfect tense marker “has”)
• zorota (verb root “deteriorate”)
Altogether: “it has deteriorated.”

How do I change imezorota to other tenses, like present, past or future?

Keep the class prefix i-, swap out the tense marker:
• Present: inazorota (“is deteriorating”)
• Simple past: ilizorota (“deteriorated”)
• Future: itazorota (“will deteriorate”)

What’s the difference between huduma sokoni and huduma ya soko?

• huduma sokoni = “service at the market” (locative -ni for place)
• huduma ya soko = “service of the market” (genitive ya for possession/association)
They describe different relationships.

Is zorota transitive? Can I say “zorota kitu”?
No, zorota is intransitive (“to deteriorate” on its own). You can’t use a direct object. If you wanted a causative (“to make something deteriorate”), you’d form zorotesha, though that’s rare.
How would I ask “Has the service at the market deteriorated?” in Swahili?

Either add je at the front or rely on intonation:
• Je, huduma sokoni imezorota?
• Huduma sokoni imezorota?

How can I emphasize that it’s really deteriorated, like “has really deteriorated”?

Add an adverb after the verb:
• Huduma sokoni imezorota sana.
• Huduma sokoni imezorota kabisa.