Breakdown of Labda mkalimani ataingia baadaye kutusaidia.
kusaidia
to help
baadaye
later
labda
maybe
mkalimani
the interpreter
kuingia
to come in
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Swahili grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Labda mkalimani ataingia baadaye kutusaidia.
What does the word in bold, Labda, do in this sentence? Are there other ways to say “maybe”?
Labda is a sentence adverb meaning “maybe/perhaps.” Other near-equivalents include:
- pengine: “maybe/perhaps” (very common)
- huenda: “it may be that/perhaps,” often followed by a verb in the subjunctive (e.g., Huenda akaja “He may come”)
- yamkini: more formal/literary “it is possible that”
What exactly does mkalimani mean, and what’s its plural?
Mkalimani means “interpreter.” It’s a class 1 (M/Wa) noun. The plural is wakalimani (“interpreters”).
How is ataingia built, and what tense is it?
It’s future tense, formed as:
- a- (3rd person singular subject marker “he/she” for class 1)
- -ta- (future tense)
- ingia (verb root “enter/come in”) Together: a-ta-ingia → “he/she will enter.”
Why is the verb’s subject marker a- and not wa-?
Because the subject mkalimani is singular (class 1). Class 1 singular takes a- as the subject marker; the plural (wakalimani) would take wa- (e.g., wakalimani wataingia “the interpreters will enter”).
Why use ingia (“enter”) here instead of kuja (“come”)?
Ingia focuses on the action of going inside/coming in (entering a room), while kuja is simply “come (toward here).” If you mean “come in,” ingia fits best. If you just mean “come (arrive),” kuja is fine (e.g., atakuja “he/she will come”).
What does baadaye mean, and where can it go in the sentence?
Baadaye means “later.” It’s an adverb and is flexible in position:
- Labda mkalimani ataingia baadaye kutusaidia.
- Labda baadaye mkalimani ataingia kutusaidia. Both are natural. Don’t confuse baadaye (“later”) with the prepositional phrase baada ya (“after,” e.g., baada ya kazi “after work”).
How is kutusaidia formed, and what does each part mean?
It’s the infinitive used for purpose: “to help us.”
- ku- (infinitive/purpose marker)
- -tu- (object marker “us”)
- saidia (verb root “help”) So ku-tu-saidia → “to help us.”
Why use the infinitive (kutusaidia) instead of a finite verb like atusaidie?
The infinitive here expresses purpose: “(in order) to help us.” Using the subjunctive atusaidie would mean “and (then) he should help us/so that he help us,” making it a second main action or a wish. Both are possible, but the infinitive is the most straightforward for purpose.
Could I drop the object marker -tu- and just say kusaidia sisi?
You can say kusaidia sisi, but kutusaidia is more natural and concise. Adding sisi after the verb (…kutusaidia sisi) adds emphasis on “us” (“to help us specifically”).
How do I negate the future here (“won’t enter”)?
Use the negative future: hataingia.
- ha- (negative for 3rd person singular)
- -ta- (future)
- ingia (root) Labda mkalimani hataingia baadaye kutusaidia. → “Maybe the interpreter won’t come in later to help us.”
Is the whole verb written as one word (ataingia), or can I write a ta ingia?
It’s one word: ataingia. Swahili verb morphology (subject–tense–object–root–extensions–final vowel) is written as a single word.
Does Swahili mark definiteness here (“the interpreter” vs “an interpreter”)?
No. Swahili has no articles. Mkalimani can mean “the interpreter” or “an interpreter” depending on context. The English translation chooses “the” or “an” based on what’s known in the discourse.