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Baba anafukuza mbuzi sokoni.

Baba anafukuza mbuzi sokoni.
Father is chasing the goat at the market.
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Questions & Answers about Baba anafukuza mbuzi sokoni.

What does each word in Baba anafukuza mbuzi sokoni mean literally?

Word‑by‑word:

  • baba – father / dad
  • anafukuza – he/she is chasing / driving away / driving along
  • mbuzi – goat or goats
  • sokoni – at the market / to the market

So a very literal breakdown is:

  • baba = father
  • a- = he/she
  • -na- = present tense (now / usually)
  • -fukuza = chase, drive away, drive (animals, people)
  • mbuzi = goat(s)
  • soko-ni = market + locative ending -ni (in/at/to the market)
Where is the English word is in this Swahili sentence?

Swahili does not use a separate word for is with normal verbs.
The idea of is is built into the verb form anafukuza:

  • a- – subject: he/she
  • -na- – present tense (often translated as is …‑ing)
  • fukuza – verb root: chase, drive away

So anafukuza literally encodes he/she is chasing in one word. There is no extra word for is.

What exactly does anafukuza mean, and how is it formed?

anafukuza comes from the infinitive kufukuza (to chase / to drive away / to expel).

It is made of:

  • a- – subject prefix for he / she / it (class 1, people)
  • -na- – present tense marker (present, ongoing, or habitual)
  • fukuza – verb stem

So anafukuza can mean:

  • he/she is chasing
  • he/she chases (habitually)
  • he/she drives away / is driving away

The exact English translation depends on context.

Does mbuzi mean goat (singular) or goats (plural)?

mbuzi can be either singular or plural:

  • mbuzi – a goat / the goat
  • mbuzi – goats / the goats

The noun mbuzi belongs to the N class, where singular and plural often look the same. You work out singular vs plural from context:

  • If the context clearly talks about several animals, you understand mbuzi as goats.
  • If it’s clearly one animal, you understand it as goat.

If you really need to be explicit, you can say:

  • mbuzi mmoja – one goat
  • mbuzi wawili – two goats
  • wale mbuzi – those goats, etc.
Why are there no words for the or a before baba and mbuzi?

Swahili normally has no separate words for the or a/an. Nouns like baba and mbuzi can be understood as:

  • father / the father / a father
  • goat / the goat / a goat / goats / the goats

The context decides whether English speakers would say the or a. For example:

  • Baba anafukuza mbuzi sokoni.
    could be understood as:
    – Father is chasing the goat(s) to/at the market.
    – A father is chasing a goat at the market.

If you need to be more specific, you use other words like:

  • yule baba – that father / that man
  • yule mbuzi – that goat
  • wale mbuzi – those goats
What does sokoni mean, and what is the role of -ni?

The base noun is:

  • soko – market

Adding -ni makes it a locative form:

  • sokoni – at the market / in the market / to the market

The locative ending -ni often corresponds to English prepositions like at, in, on, or sometimes to, depending on the verb and context:

  • yuko sokoni – he/she is at the market
  • anaenda sokoni – he/she is going to the market
  • anafanya kazi sokoni – he/she works at the market
Does sokoni here mean at the market or to the market?

It can reasonably be understood either way, and context decides:

  • With a verb of motion or causing motion like anafukuza (driving/chasing animals), sokoni is very naturally understood as the destination:
    • Father is driving/chasing the goat(s) to the market.
  • It could also be understood as the location of the action:
    • Father is chasing the goat(s) at the market.

If you want to be very explicit, you can say:

  • kwenda sokoni – to go to the market
  • kutoka sokoni – from the market
  • katika / kwenye soko – in/inside the market (more clearly locational)
What does the verb kufukuza really mean here? Is it always chase?

kufukuza has a few related meanings, depending on context:

  • chase (after someone/something)
  • drive away, expel
  • drive (animals or people) somewhere
  • fire (someone) from a job (figuratively: drive them away from work)

In the sentence with mbuzi and sokoni, it usually suggests:

  • herding / driving goat(s) to the market
  • or chasing goat(s) (possibly away, or toward somewhere)

So:

  • Baba anafukuza mbuzi sokoni.
    is very naturally understood as Father is driving/chasing the goat(s) to/at the market (e.g. taking them there to sell).
Why is there no object marker like anawafukuza for mbuzi?

Swahili often omits the object marker when the object is clearly stated after the verb. So both of these are grammatical:

  • Baba anafukuza mbuzi sokoni.
  • Baba anawafukuza mbuzi sokoni.

The difference:

  • anafukuza mbuzi – he is chasing goats (the goats are named right after the verb)
  • anawafukuza mbuzi – literally he is chasing them, the goats

Because mbuzi is already mentioned after the verb, anawafukuza is not required.
Using the object marker tends to make the object feel more specific/definite or already known in the conversation, but in practice many speakers leave it out here.

How could I say My father is chasing the goat(s) to the market?

You add a possessive to baba:

  • baba yangu – my father

And, if you like, you can be a bit more clearly directional by using kupeleka (to take/lead) instead of kufukuza, but it’s not required.

Possible translations:

  • Baba yangu anafukuza mbuzi sokoni.
    My father is chasing/driving the goat(s) to the market.

More explicitly directional:

  • Baba yangu anawapeleka mbuzi sokoni.
    My father is taking/leading the goats to the market.
Is anafukuza more like is chasing or like chases?

The -na- tense marker in anafukuza covers both:

  • present continuous:
    – My father is chasing the goat(s) (right now).
  • simple present / habitual:
    – My father chases goats (as a regular activity).

Swahili does not distinguish these as strictly as English does; context usually makes it clear.

If you really want to emphasize right now, currently, speakers can also add an adverb:

  • Sasa hivi baba anafukuza mbuzi sokoni.
    Right now father is chasing the goat(s) to the market.
How would I say The father is chasing the goats from the market (away from the market, not to it)?

You can use kutoka sokoni (from the market):

  • Baba anafukuza mbuzi kutoka sokoni.
    Father is chasing the goats from the market / away from the market.

Here:

  • kutoka – from
  • sokoni – the market (locative form)

This makes it clear that the goats are leaving the market, not going there.

Can I change the word order, for example: Baba sokoni anafukuza mbuzi?

Normal, neutral word order in Swahili is:

Subject – Verb – Object – (Other information like place/time)

So your sentence naturally comes out as:

  • Baba anafukuza mbuzi sokoni.

You can move elements for emphasis or in certain constructions, but for a beginner it’s best to keep:

  • Baba (subject)
  • anafukuza (verb)
  • mbuzi (object)
  • sokoni (place)

A version like Baba sokoni anafukuza mbuzi might be understood, but it sounds awkward and marked; it is not the standard teaching pattern.