Kwa bahati mbaya, betri ya simu yangu imeisha.

Unfortunately, my phone's battery has run out.

Breakdown of Kwa bahati mbaya, betri ya simu yangu imeisha.

• simu: the phone
• yangu: my
• ya: of
• kuisha: to run out
• betri: the battery
• kwa bahati mbaya: unfortunately

Questions & Answers about Kwa bahati mbaya, betri ya simu yangu imeisha.

What does the phrase Kwa bahati mbaya literally mean, and is it the best way to say “unfortunately”?

It literally means “by bad luck.” The preposition kwa turns the noun phrase bahati mbaya (bad luck) into an adverbial: “unluckily/Unfortunately.” It’s very common and natural. You can also hear Bahati mbaya, … without kwa. The positive counterpart is Kwa bahati njema or Kwa bahati nzuri (“fortunately”).

How is betri ya simu yangu put together? Why isn’t it simu yangu betri?

Swahili puts the head noun first, then the “of” phrase: betri (head) + ya (“of,” agreeing with the head) + simu yangu (“my phone,” the possessor). So it’s “battery of my phone,” not “phone my battery.”

Why is it ya after betri, and why yangu after simu?

Both betri and simu are class 9 nouns. Class 9 uses:

• the connector ya for “of” with the head noun: betri ya …
• the possessive pronoun set yangu/yako/yake…: simu yangu If plural (class 10), these change to za and zangu: betri za simu zangu.

What does imeisha consist of morphologically?

i- (class 9 subject “it”) + -me- (perfect/resulative “has”) + -isha (verb root “end/be finished”). So imeisha = “it has run out/it’s finished.”

Why use the perfect -me- here? Could I say inaisha instead?

• imeisha states a completed result now: “it’s (already) run out; it’s dead.”
• inaisha is ongoing: “it’s running out” (not fully gone yet).

Is imekwisha the same as imeisha?

Yes. The verb appears as kuisha/kwisha; both forms are used. imekwisha can sound a bit more formal/emphatic (“has already …”), but imeisha is very common in everyday speech.

Can I say Betri ya simu yangu imekufa to mean the charge ran out?

Use with care. imekufa (“has died”) often implies a permanently dead/defective battery. For charge running out, say imeisha or colloquial imeisha chaji. People do say Simu yangu imekufa to mean the phone shut off, but for the battery itself imeisha (chaji) is clearer.

What if I want to say the phone turned off?

Say Simu yangu imezima (“my phone has turned off”). To state the cause: Simu yangu imezima kwa sababu betri imeisha.

How do I negate it? (“My phone battery hasn’t run out.”)

Betri ya simu yangu haijaisha. Breakdown: ha- (negation) + i- (class 9 subject) + -ja- (negative perfect) + -isha (verb). You can also say Bado ina chaji (“it still has charge”).

Can I omit kwa and say Bahati mbaya, …? Do I need the comma?

Yes, Bahati mbaya, … is common in speech. The comma is optional; it just marks a pause. You’ll see both Kwa bahati mbaya betri… and Kwa bahati mbaya, betri….

Is simu specifically a mobile phone? Do I need simu ya mkononi?

Nowadays simu usually means a mobile/cell phone by default. To be explicit:

• simu ya mkononi = mobile phone
• simu ya mezani = landline You may also see rununu (formal/less common) for mobile.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• mbaya: pronounce the initial m: m-ba-ya.
• yangu: ng is [ŋg], like “finger.”
• bahati: pronounce all vowels separately: ba-ha-ti (the h is audible).
• imeisha: say all vowels clearly: i-me-i-sha.

Could I accidentally say imeishi? What’s the difference between kuisha and kuishi?

Be careful: kuisha = “to end/be finished,” while kuishi = “to live.” Imeisha (with final -a) = “it’s finished.” Imeishi (with final -i) would mean “it has lived,” which is wrong here.

How would I ask someone, “Has your phone battery died?”

• Betri ya simu yako imeisha? (neutral)
• Colloquial alternatives: Simu yako imezima? or Umeishiwa (na) chaji?