Ninataka kulipa nauli sasa.

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Breakdown of Ninataka kulipa nauli sasa.

• kutaka: to want
• sasa: now
• kulipa: to pay

Questions & Answers about Ninataka kulipa nauli sasa.

Can you break down the grammar of each word in the sentence?

• Ninataka = ni- (I) + -na- (present tense) + -taka (want) → “I want”
• kulipa = ku- (infinitive “to”) + -lipa (pay) → “to pay”
• nauli = transport fare (bus/taxi/matatu/boda-boda, ferry, etc.)
• sasa = now

Can I say Nataka kulipa nauli sasa instead of Ninataka…?

Yes. In everyday speech, ninataka is commonly shortened to nataka. Both are correct; ninataka is a bit more formal or explicit.

Is the na in Ninataka the same as na meaning “and/with”?

No. In ninataka, -na- is the present-tense marker attached inside the verb. The separate word na (spaced) means “and/with,” as in chai na sukari (tea with sugar).

Where can sasa go, and are there alternatives for “now”?