Nilifuta ujumbe kwa makosa.

I deleted the message by mistake.

Breakdown of Nilifuta ujumbe kwa makosa.

• mimi: I
• ujumbe: the message
• kwa makosa: by mistake
• kufuta: to delete

Questions & Answers about Nilifuta ujumbe kwa makosa.

How is the verb form in Nilifuta built?

• ni- = I (1st person singular subject prefix)
• -li- = past tense marker (completed past)
• futa = verb stem meaning wipe/erase/delete (infinitive: kufuta) Together: ni-li-futa = I deleted. You don’t need a separate word for “I”; it’s built into the verb. You can add mimi for emphasis: Mimi nilifuta...

What’s the difference between Nilifuta and Nimefuta?

• Nilifuta = simple past, a finished action in the past (yesterday, earlier, in a narrative).
• Nimefuta = present perfect, completed with present relevance (often “I’ve just deleted” or “I have deleted”). In everyday East African usage, nime- is common for very recent past.

Does ujumbe always mean “message”? Are there other meanings or lookalikes?

• ujumbe commonly means message/communication, and in modern contexts it includes text messages.
• It can also mean mission/delegation (e.g., a diplomatic delegation).
• Don’t confuse it with mjumbe/wajumbe (a representative/committee member).
• In casual speech, many also say meseji (a borrowing for “message/SMS”), especially for phone texts.

Do I need an object marker for ujumbe? Should I say Nilifuta ujumbe, Niliufuta, or both?

• Default: Nilifuta ujumbe. (No object marker, direct object stated.)
• If the object is already known from context and you don’t repeat it: Niliufuta. Here -u- is the object marker agreeing with ujumbe.
• For emphasis or topicalization you can front the object and use the marker: Ujumbe niliufuta.
• You’ll also hear both together: Niliufuta ujumbe, but outside of emphasis or topicalization many teachers prefer avoiding the redundancy. Form with object marker: ni-
  • -li-
    • -u-
      • futa → Niliufuta.

Why is it kwa makosa and not kwa kosa?

• kwa makosa is the idiomatic way to say “by mistake/accidentally.”
• kwa kosa is more like “for the offense/error of…” and is common in legal or formal blame contexts: alikamatwa kwa kosa la… (arrested for the offense of…). So for “by mistake,” stick with kwa makosa (or kimakosa).

How do kwa makosa, kimakosa, bila kukusudia, and kwa bahati mbaya differ?

• kwa makosa = by mistake, due to an error.
• kimakosa = mistakenly/accidentally (adverbial; very common and natural).
• bila kukusudia = unintentionally (emphasizes lack of intent).
• kwa bahati mbaya = unfortunately/by bad luck (focuses on unfortunate circumstances, not necessarily your error). All are acceptable; choose based on nuance. For tapping the wrong button, kwa makosa or kimakosa is best.

Where can I place kwa makosa in the sentence?

• Most neutral: at the end: Nilifuta ujumbe kwa makosa.
• Fronted for emphasis: Kwa makosa nilifuta ujumbe.
• After the verb (less common style): Nilifuta kwa makosa ujumbe. Keep the phrase kwa makosa intact; moving it mainly changes emphasis.

How do I negate this in the past?

Use the negative subject prefix plus the negative past marker -ku-:

• Sikufuta ujumbe kwa makosa. = I didn’t delete the message by mistake. Breakdown: si- (1sg negative) + -ku- (negative past) + futa. With an object marker: Sikuufuta (I didn’t delete it), or Sikuufuta ule ujumbe for extra definiteness.

How do I say “I accidentally deleted it” when the object is understood?

Use the object marker for the noun’s class:

• For ujumbe (class 11/14, object marker -u-): Niliufuta kimakosa.
• If you’re using meseji (class 9/10, object marker -i-): Niliifuta kimakosa.

How do I say “this/that message” to make it definite?

With ujumbe (class 11/14), use these demonstratives:

• ujumbe huu = this message (near me)
• ujumbe huo = that message (near you/just mentioned)
• ujumbe ule = that message (over there/previously known) Examples: Nilifuta ujumbe huo kwa makosa. / Nilifuta ujumbe ule kwa makosa.

Any pronunciation tips for the sentence?

• Stress the second-to-last syllable of each word: ni-li-FU-ta u-JUM-be kwa ma-KO-sa.
• u is like “oo” in “food,” short; e is like “e” in “bed”; a is like “a” in “father.”
• j is like English j; mb in ujumbe is a prenasalized “mb” (say the m then the b).
• kw in kwa is a consonant cluster (say k + w together).

Are there other verbs/phrases for “delete/remove”?

• futa = delete/erase/wipe (default for text/files/messages).
• futa kabisa = delete permanently.
• ondoa = remove (e.g., remove from a list/group; not always a true delete).
• In UI/IT contexts you may also see batilisha (cancel/invalidate) for canceling actions, not deleting content. Note: futa is also used more broadly: kufuta machozi (wipe tears), kufuta sheria (abolish a law), kufuta kazi (fire someone).

Is ajali a good way to say “by accident”?

No. ajali is an accident in the sense of a crash/mishap (e.g., a car accident). For “by accident/by mistake,” use kwa makosa or kimakosa (or bila kukusudia).

How could I apologize naturally for this?

• Samahani, nimefuta ujumbe wako kimakosa.
• Samahani, niliufuta kwa makosa. Naweza kuutuma tena? These are polite and idiomatic.

Can I use the passive, like “The message was deleted by mistake”?

Yes:

• Ujumbe ulifutwa kwa makosa. (The message was deleted by mistake.)
• For present relevance: Ujumbe umefutwa kimakosa. (The message has been deleted by mistake.) Subject/tense agreement matches ujumbe (class 11/14): u-li- / u-me-.