Tutaimba wimbo tukisubiri wageni ukumbini.

we

Breakdown of Tutaimba wimbo tukisubiri wageni ukumbini.

• wimbo: the song
• kuimba: to sing
• mgeni: the guest

Questions & Answers about Tutaimba wimbo tukisubiri wageni ukumbini.

How is the sentence built, piece by piece?

• Tutaimba = tu- (we) + -ta- (future) + -imba (sing) → we will sing.
• wimbo = song (noun class 11; plural is nyimbo, class 10).
• tukisubiri = tu- (we) + -ki- (while/when/if, simultaneous/conditional marker) + subiri (wait) → while we wait.
• wageni = guests (class 2; singular is mgeni, class 1).
• ukumbini = u-kumbi (hall, auditorium; in some regions also veranda/lobby) + -ni (locative “in/at”) → in the hall.

Pronunciation tip: in tutaimba, the vowels a + i are pronounced separately (tu-ta-im-ba), often with a slight glide.

Why is -ki- used in tukisubiri?

The infix -ki- forms an adverbial clause meaning “while/when/as” for simultaneous events, or “if” for conditions. Here it means “while/as,” linking two actions happening at the same time: singing and waiting.

Could I say tunaposubiri instead of tukisubiri? What’s the difference?

Yes. Tunaposubiri = tu- (we) + -na- (present) + -po- (definite “when/at the time that”) + subiri.

• -ki- often feels like general simultaneity (“as/while”).
• -po- is more definite/anchored in time (“when/at the time that”).
  In this sentence both are acceptable; tukisubiri is a bit lighter and very natural for “while.”