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Ninataka uandike bei wazi kwenye tangazo hilo ili mteja asipate shida.

Ninataka uandike bei wazi kwenye tangazo hilo ili mteja asipate shida.
I want you to write the price clearly on that advertisement so the customer does not have trouble.
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Questions & Answers about Ninataka uandike bei wazi kwenye tangazo hilo ili mteja asipate shida.

Why is uandike used instead of the plain imperative andika?

After verbs of desire or request like ninataka (“I want”), Swahili requires the subjunctive rather than the bare imperative.

  • uandike is the 2nd-person-singular subjunctive of kuandika (“to write”), literally “you (should) write.”
  • The plain imperative andika can be used on its own (“write!”), but not directly after ninataka.
What do the parts u-, andik- and -e in uandike mean?

Breakdown of uandike:
• u- = 2nd person singular subject prefix (“you”)
• andik- = verb root “write”
• -e = subjunctive suffix
Together they form “you write” in a “please/should” sense.

What does bei wazi literally mean, and why these two words?

• bei = “price”
• wazi = “open, clear”
Put together, bei wazi conveys “a transparent or unambiguous price,” i.e. one that is clearly stated so buyers aren’t surprised.

Why is kwenye used before tangazo? Could I use another preposition?

kwenye means “in/on/at” and is commonly used for locations or media (posters, ads, notices).
You could say katika tangazo hilo (“in that ad”), but kwenye feels more idiomatic when placing information on a sign or advertisement.

What’s the difference between tangazo hili, tangazo hilo and tangazo ile?

These are demonstratives for class 5/6 nouns (like tangazo):

  • hili = “this (near me)”
  • hilo = “that (near you or just mentioned)”
  • ile = “that over there (far from both)”
    Here we use tangazo hilo because we’re referring to “that ad” you already know or have just been talking about.
What role does ili play in this sentence?

ili introduces a purpose clause, meaning “so that” or “in order that.”
It links the action of writing a clear price with the intended outcome: avoiding trouble for the client.

Why is the verb after ili negative asipate? How is that formed?

After ili, the clause remains in the subjunctive. To make it negative, Swahili inserts si after the subject prefix:
• a- = 3rd person singular (“he/she/it”)
• si = negative marker
• pate = root “get”
• -e = subjunctive suffix
So asipate = “that he/she does not get.”

Can I rephrase ili mteja asipate shida as ili mteja asiwe na shida? What’s the difference?

Yes. Both convey “so that the client doesn’t have trouble.”
• asipate shida uses pata shida (“to get into trouble”).
• asiwe na shida uses kuwa na (“to have”) in negative subjunctive:
– a- + si + iwe + na + shida = “so that he/she isn’t having trouble.”
They’re interchangeable; the choice is just stylistic.