Breakdown of Tumia programu hii kupakua vitabu halisi vya bure.
kitabu
the book
hii
this
kutumia
to use
vya
of
kupakua
to download
programu
the app
halisi
genuine
bure
free
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Questions & Answers about Tumia programu hii kupakua vitabu halisi vya bure.
Is Tumia an imperative? How would I say it to more than one person or make it negative?
Yes—Tumia is the 2nd‑person singular affirmative imperative of kutumia “to use.” To address more than one person, use Tumieni. Negative imperatives: singular Usitumie, plural Msitumie.
- Tumia programu hii... = Use this program...
- Tumieni programu hii... = You all use this program...
- Usitumie programu hii... = Don’t use this program...
- Msitumie programu hii... = Don’t you all use this program...
Why is hii placed after programu, and why specifically hii?
Demonstratives normally follow the noun in Swahili. Programu is a class 9 noun, so the proximal demonstrative is hii (this). The plural (class 10) is hizi.
- singular: programu hii = this program/app
- plural: programu hizi = these programs/apps Pre‑posing (Hii programu) is possible for emphasis or contrast but is less neutral.
What does the ku- in kupakua do?
Ku- marks the infinitive (the dictionary “to …” form). Kupakua = “to download.” After another verb to express purpose, Swahili uses the infinitive directly: Tumia ... kupakua ... ≈ “Use ... to download ...”
Do I need ili to say “in order to,” as in ... ili kupakua ...?
It’s optional. Tumia programu hii kupakua ... already implies purpose. Adding ili is fine and just a bit more explicit: Tumia programu hii ili kupakua ...
What’s the literal meaning of kupakua, and how do I say “upload”?
Literally pakua = “unload/serve (food).” Tech usage repurposes it as “download.” “Upload” is kupakia (literally “to load”).
What noun class is vitabu, and what’s the singular?
Vitabu is class 8 (ki/vi), plural of kitabu (class 7).
- singular: kitabu halisi cha bure
- plural: vitabu halisi vya bure
Why is it vya bure and not ya bure after vitabu?
The “of” linker is the associative -a, which agrees with the head noun’s class. Class 8 (vitabu) takes vya. Ya would agree with a different class (e.g., class 6 or 9/10), not class 8.
- kitabu → cha bure (class 7)
- vitabu → vya bure (class 8)
Is bure “free” as in price or as in freedom?
Bure = free of charge (gratis). For freedom/liberty, use huru (e.g., mtu huru = a free person). A more formal way to say “free of charge” is bila malipo.
Could I just say vitabu bure without vya?
Yes, vitabu bure is idiomatic and common. The version with the associative—vitabu vya bure—is also correct and a bit more explicit. Another frequent option is vitabu bila malipo.
Why is halisi after the noun, and does it agree with class/number?
Adjectives usually follow the noun: vitabu halisi = “real books.” Many adjectives like halisi, kubwa, ndogo don’t take class prefixes and keep the same form in singular/plural. Agreement instead shows on elements like the associative -a (cha/vya).
Can I change the order: vitabu halisi vya bure vs vitabu vya bure halisi?
Both are grammatical. The default is adjective close to the noun, then the “of …” phrase: vitabu halisi vya bure sounds more neutral. Vitabu vya bure halisi can put focus on “the free ones are genuine.”
How do I say “this app” vs “that app”?
- this (near speaker): programu hii
- that (near listener/less definite): programu hiyo
- that (far from both): programu ile
Pronunciation tips for the whole sentence?
Stress the second‑to‑last syllable in each word: tu-MI-a pro-GRA-mu HI-i ku-pa-KU-a vi-TA-bu ha-LI-si vya BU-re. All vowels are pronounced; e.g., kupakua has four clear vowels.
Is there a better way to say “real free books” depending on context (e.g., ebooks)?
Options include:
- vitabu halisi vya bure (as given; “genuine books that are free”)
- vitabu halisi bila malipo (neutral/formal)
- For ebooks: vitabu pepe or vitabu vya kielektroniki (then: Tumia programu hii kupakua vitabu pepe vya bure).
How do I specify “mobile app”?
Use programu ya simu or aplikesheni ya simu. Natural order with the demonstrative: programu hii ya simu (this mobile app). Example: Tumia programu hii ya simu kupakua ...
Could I use kwa (“for/by”) before the infinitive: kwa kupakua?
Yes: Tumia programu hii kwa kupakua ... is grammatical, but after an imperative the bare infinitive is more idiomatic for purpose. Use kwa when emphasizing the means/method.