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Taasisi ya kimataifa ilituma ishara wazi ya msaada.

Taasisi ya kimataifa ilituma ishara wazi ya msaada.
The international organization sent a clear sign of support.
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Questions & Answers about Taasisi ya kimataifa ilituma ishara wazi ya msaada.

Why is it ya kimataifa and not wa/cha/za kimataifa?

Because ya is the -a linker that agrees with the head noun’s class. The head noun is taasisi (class 9), so the correct linker is ya. With other head nouns you’d use different forms:

  • mtu (class 1): mtu wa kimataifa
  • kitabu (class 7): kitabu cha kimataifa
  • vitabu (class 8): vitabu vya kimataifa
  • taasisi (class 10 plural): taasisi za kimataifa

The same logic explains ishara wazi ya msaada: the head noun ishara is also class 9, so it takes ya.

How is the verb ilituma formed?

It’s built from subject agreement + tense + verb stem:

  • i- = class 9 subject marker (agreeing with taasisi)
  • -li- = past tense
  • tuma = “send” So: i-li-tuma → ilituma = “(it) sent.”
Could I say alituma instead of ilituma?
No. alituma means “he/she sent” (class 1 subject). Your subject is taasisi (class 9), so you need i- → ilituma. If the subject were a person (mtu), then alituma would be correct.
Why does the adjective wazi come after the noun, and does it take any agreement?
Adjectives normally follow the noun in Swahili, so ishara wazi is the standard order. Many adjectives show class agreement (e.g., -zuri → nzuri with class 9), but wazi typically appears unchanged with class 9 nouns, so ishara wazi is fine.
Is ishara ya wazi better than ishara wazi?

Both are used:

  • ishara wazi = “a clear/explicit signal” (adjective directly after the noun)
  • ishara ya wazi = literally “a signal of openness/clearness,” often felt as “an explicit/unequivocal signal” In practice, both sound natural; ya wazi can add a slightly stronger “explicit” nuance in some contexts.
Does kimataifa have to agree with taasisi?
No. In taasisi ya kimataifa, the agreement shows up on the linker ya (agreeing with taasisi, class 9). kimataifa itself stays the same in this construction. This ki- form is a set expression meaning “international.”
What’s the difference between kutuma and kupeleka?
  • kutuma = send (dispatch) something/someone on a mission or via a channel (mail, signal, envoy). Collocates well with ishara and ujumbe: kutuma ishara/ujumbe.
  • kupeleka = take/deliver/bring something to a place. It focuses on physically carrying or transferring. For “send a signal,” use kutuma ishara (or kutoa ishara, “to give a signal”).
Is msaada the best word for “support” here?

It depends on the nuance:

  • msaada = help/aid/assistance (e.g., humanitarian aid).
  • “Support” as endorsement/backing is often uungaji mkono (noun) or kuunga mkono (verb). So you might also hear: ishara (wazi) ya uungaji mkono “a (clear) sign of support/endorsement.” Your sentence with msaada is still natural, especially in an “aid” context.
Could I use ujumbe or alama instead of ishara?
  • ujumbe = message (content communicated, often verbal/written). kutuma ujumbe = send a message.
  • ishara = sign/signal/gesture (can be nonverbal; also used in politics/diplomacy for “a signal”).
  • alama = mark/symbol/character or “mark/grade” in school. For “send a clear signal,” ishara is the best fit; ujumbe changes the nuance to a “message.” alama doesn’t fit here.
Why is there no object marker in ilituma? Can I include one?

You don’t need an object marker (OM) when the object is expressed right after the verb. If you want to pronominalize or emphasize a known/definite object, you can add the OM:

  • Subject (class 9) + past + OM (class 9) + stem → i-li-i-tuma = iliituma
  • Full sentence: Taasisi ya kimataifa iliituma ishara wazi ya msaada. The double i in iliituma is normal. Including the OM often signals the object is specific or already known.
How do I negate this sentence?

Use ha- (negation) + subject marker + -ku- (past negative) + verb:

  • Taasisi ya kimataifa haikutuma ishara wazi ya msaada. (ha- + i- + -ku- + tuma → haikutuma)
How do I make the subject plural?

Pluralize taasisi by context (form stays the same but class changes to 10) and adjust agreement:

  • Taasisi za kimataifa zilituma ishara wazi ya msaada. (institutions sent a clear signal) Changes:
  • za (not ya) after plural taasisi
  • zili- (class 10 subject marker + past) If you also want plural “signals”: ishara wazi za msaada (class 10 linker za).
How would I say “has sent” instead of “sent”?

Use the perfect -me-:

  • Taasisi ya kimataifa imetuma ishara wazi ya msaada. Here i- (class 9 SM) + -me-
    • tuma → imetuma.
How can I make “clear” stronger?

Common intensifiers and synonyms:

  • wazi kabisa / wazi sana = very clear
  • waziwazi = blatantly/very openly
  • dhahiri / bayana = evident/manifest Examples: ishara wazi kabisa ya msaada; ishara dhahiri ya msaada.
Can I front the object or use the passive?

Yes.

  • Passive: Ishara wazi ya msaada ilitumwa na taasisi ya kimataifa. (“A clear signal of support was sent by the international institution.”)
  • Object fronting (topicalization) usually co-occurs with the OM in the verb:
    Ishara wazi ya msaada, taasisi ya kimataifa iliituma.
Why do we see ya twice (in ya kimataifa and ya msaada)?
Because both head nouns—taasisi and ishara—are class 9, and the -a linker for class 9 is ya. The linker always agrees with the head noun, not the following word.