Breakdown of Ikiwa mteja ataridhika na gharama, tutasaini mkataba mara moja.
sisi
we
na
with
ikiwa
if
gharama
the cost
mteja
the customer
mara moja
immediately
kuridhika
to be satisfied
kusaini
to sign
mkataba
the contract
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Swahili grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ikiwa mteja ataridhika na gharama, tutasaini mkataba mara moja.
What does Ikiwa mean in this sentence, and can I use kama instead?
Ikiwa is the conditional conjunction if, introducing the “if” clause. You can also use kama to mean if, but ikiwa is more neutral/formal and unambiguous, while kama is more colloquial and can sometimes also mean “like” or “as.”
Why is the verb in the conditional clause ataridhika instead of anaridhika?
After ikiwa, Swahili typically uses the relative tense, which shares the same marker as the future tense (-TA-). So you get a- (3rd person singular) + -ta- (relative/future) + ridhika (be satisfied) = ataridhika. Using anaridhika (present tense) would imply a habitual or ongoing state, not the specific future condition needed here.
In tutasaini, what do the parts tu-, -ta-, and -saini represent?
This verb is built from:
- tu-: 1st person plural subject prefix (“we”)
- -ta-: future-tense marker
- -saini: verb root meaning “sign” (a loan from English) Altogether tutasaini means we will sign.
Why is na used before gharama, and does it simply mean “and”?
Although na can mean “and,” here it functions as the preposition with (“satisfied with the cost”). In Swahili, na links verbs of feeling or states to their objects in this way.
Why are there no articles like the or a before mteja or mkataba?
Swahili does not use definite or indefinite articles. Nouns stand alone, and context—or optional demonstratives like huyu (this) or yule (that)—tell you whether they’re definite or indefinite.
What does mara moja mean, and why is it placed at the end of the sentence?
Literally one time, idiomatically immediately or right away. Adverbial phrases denoting time or manner generally come after the verb or at the end, so tutasaini mkataba mara moja naturally means we will sign the contract immediately.
Can we switch the order of the clauses and start with tutasaini mkataba?
Yes. You could say:
Tutasaaini mkataba mara moja ikiwa mteja ataridhika na gharama.
Swahili allows you to put the main clause first or the conditional clause first; both are correct.