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Breakdown of Mwalimu anataka kurekebisha makosa kabla ya mtihani.
kutaka
to want
mwalimu
the teacher
kabla ya
before
mtihani
the exam
kosa
the mistake
kurekebisha
to correct
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Questions & Answers about Mwalimu anataka kurekebisha makosa kabla ya mtihani.
What does the prefix ku- in kurekebisha do?
It marks the infinitive, equivalent to English “to,” so kurekebisha means “to correct/fix.” After verbs like -taka (want), -weza (be able), -paswa (be obliged), the next verb typically stays in the infinitive with ku- (e.g., anataka kurekebisha). You’ll rarely see ku- drop; it sometimes surfaces as kw- before certain vowel-initial verbs (most famously kuenda → kwenda, “to go”).
How is anataka formed?
It’s built from:
- a- = third-person singular subject marker “he/she”
- -na- = present tense marker
- taka = verb root “want”
So a-na-taka = “he/she wants.” Other persons: ninataka (I want), unataka (you sg. want), tunataka (we want), mnataka (you pl. want), wanataka (they want).
Does anataka mean “wants” or “is wanting”?
Swahili -na- covers both simple present and present progressive. In natural English, stative verbs like “want” are not usually progressive, so the best translation is “wants,” not “is wanting.”
Why is there a second verb after anataka? Can I conjugate both?
In verb chains like “want to do X,” only the first verb is conjugated; the second is in the infinitive with ku-. So you say anataka kurekebisha, not “anataka anarekebisha.”
Do I need an object marker for makosa? What about kuyarekebisha?
When the object is explicitly stated and new information, you generally don’t use an object marker: kurekebisha makosa. If the object is already known (e.g., “the mistakes we discussed”), you can pronominalize it with an object marker on the verb: Anataka kuyarekebisha (“He/She wants to correct them”). Don’t double it unless for special emphasis; typically avoid kuyarekebisha makosa in the same clause.
Why is it kabla ya, not kabla wa/cha/la?
The compound preposition kabla ya (“before”) uses a fixed ya regardless of the noun class that follows. Same with baada ya (“after”): baada ya mtihani.
Can kabla ya mtihani go at the start of the sentence?
Yes. Word order is flexible for adverbials. Both are fine:
- Mwalimu anataka kurekebisha makosa kabla ya mtihani.
- Kabla ya mtihani, mwalimu anataka kurekebisha makosa.
Can I use kabla ya before a verb phrase?
Yes. Use kabla ya + infinitive: kabla ya kuanza (“before starting”). You can also say kabla ya mtihani kuanza (“before the exam starts”) or kabla ya kuanza kwa mtihani (“before the beginning of the exam”).
What’s the number and noun class of makosa? What’s the singular?
Makosa is plural (noun class 6, ma-). The singular is kosa (class 5). So:
- singular: kosa (“a mistake”)
- plural: makosa (“mistakes”)
How do I say “before the exams” (plural)?
Use the plural of “exam”: mitihani. The preposition stays the same: kabla ya mitihani.
Is rekebisha the only verb for “correct”? What about sahihisha?
Both exist but differ slightly in nuance:
- rekebisha = correct, fix, adjust (broadly: errors, devices, behavior).
- sahihisha = correct/mark (especially schoolwork/exams). For grading, you’ll often hear kusahihisha mitihani.
How do I negate the sentence?
Use the negative present: subject negative + verb stem with final -i (no -na-). For class 1 (he/she):
- Mwalimu hataki kurekebisha makosa kabla ya mtihani. (“The teacher doesn’t want to correct…”) Other persons: sitaki, hutaki, hatutaki, hamtaki, hawataki.
There’s no “the” or “a” in Mwalimu. How do I show that in Swahili?
Swahili has no articles. Context supplies definiteness. To be explicit:
- “that/the teacher” (near discourse): mwalimu huyo / “that one (yonder)”: mwalimu yule
- “a certain teacher”: mwalimu fulani
- “one teacher”: mwalimu mmoja
How do I form a yes–no question from this sentence?
Use intonation or add Je, at the start:
- Mwalimu anataka kurekebisha makosa kabla ya mtihani?
- Je, mwalimu anataka kurekebisha makosa kabla ya mtihani?
How do I say “the teacher wants to correct our mistakes before the exam”?
Add the possessive after the noun: makosa yetu (“our mistakes”).
- Mwalimu anataka kurekebisha makosa yetu kabla ya mtihani.
Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?
- Stress the second-to-last syllable in each word: mwalímu, anatáka, rekebísha, makósa, mtiháni.
- Consonant clusters like mw and mt are pronounced together: mwalimu ≈ “mwa-LEE-mu”; mtihani ≈ “m-ti-HA-ni.”