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Kadi za mwaliko tayari zimechapishwa na mfanyakazi wa ofisi.

Kadi za mwaliko tayari zimechapishwa na mfanyakazi wa ofisi.
The invitation cards have already been printed by the office worker.
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Questions & Answers about Kadi za mwaliko tayari zimechapishwa na mfanyakazi wa ofisi.

In kadi za mwaliko, what does za mean, and how is it different from wa?

za means of and shows possession/association: kadi za mwaliko = invitation cards (literally: cards of invitation).

Swahili uses different possessive forms depending on the noun class of the thing possessed:

  • kadi is in the N-class (class 9/10), so its possessives are ya (sg.) and za (pl.).

    • kadi ya mwaliko = an invitation card
    • kadi za mwaliko = invitation cards

  • wa is the possessive for class 1/2 (people: mtu/watu, mwalimu/walimu, etc.).
    In the same sentence you see it in mfanyakazi wa ofisi = worker of (the) office / office worker.
    Here the possessed item is mfanyakazi (class 1), so we use wa.

Why does kadi look the same in singular and plural? How do I know it’s plural here?

Some Swahili nouns (especially loanwords) belong to the N-class (class 9/10) and don’t change form between singular and plural:

  • kadi = card / cards
  • habari = piece of news / news
  • rafiki (often) = friend / friends

You know kadi is plural in the sentence because of agreement:

  • Subject prefix on the verb: zi- in zimechapishwa marks a plural noun in class 10.
  • Possessive: za in kadi za mwaliko is the plural possessive for N-class nouns.

If it were singular, you’d expect:

  • Kadi ya mwaliko imechapishwa
    (card of invitation has been printed)
What exactly does zimechapishwa mean, and how is it built?

zimechapishwa roughly equals English have been printed.

Morphologically it’s:

  • zi- = subject prefix for class 10 (plural kadi)
  • -me- = perfect aspect (completed action, similar to have + past participle)
  • chapish- = verb root chapisha (to print)
  • -w- = passive marker
  • -a = final vowel

So:

zi-me-chapish-w-a = they-have-print-been
zimechapishwa = have been printed

Why is it zimechapishwa and not imechapishwa?

Because the subject kadi is plural and in noun class 10.

Subject–verb agreement in Swahili means the subject prefix must match the noun:

  • Class 9 singular (e.g. kadi singular): i-
    • Kadi ya mwaliko imechapishwa = The invitation card has been printed.
  • Class 10 plural (e.g. kadi plural): zi-
    • Kadi za mwaliko zimechapishwa = The invitation cards have been printed.

So zi- is required here, not i-, because we’re talking about more than one card.

What does na mean in zimechapishwa na mfanyakazi wa ofisi?

Here na means by, introducing the agent of a passive verb:

  • zimechapishwa = have been printed
  • na mfanyakazi wa ofisi = by the office worker

So the structure is:

[Passive verb] + na + [doer]
zimechapishwa na mfanyakazi wa ofisi = have been printed by an office worker

Note: na can also mean and or with in other contexts, but in passive sentences it’s understood as by.

How would I say the same idea in active voice instead of passive?

Active voice:

Mfanyakazi wa ofisi tayari amechapisha kadi za mwaliko.

Breakdown:

  • Mfanyakazi wa ofisi = The office worker
  • tayari = already
  • amechapisha = has printed
  • kadi za mwaliko = the invitation cards

So the passive:

Kadi za mwaliko tayari zimechapishwa na mfanyakazi wa ofisi.

becomes the active:

Mfanyakazi wa ofisi tayari amechapisha kadi za mwaliko.

Is tayari an adjective like ready, or an adverb like already?

Tayari can act like both, depending on context:

  1. Meaning “ready” (state):

    • Chakula kiko tayari. = The food is ready.
    • Tuko tayari kuondoka. = We are ready to leave.

  2. Meaning “already” (time/aspect):

    • Tayari zimechapishwa. = They have already been printed.
    • Ameshafika tayari. = He/She has already arrived.

In the sentence Kadi za mwaliko tayari zimechapishwa, tayari is best understood as already.

Does the position of tayari matter? Can I move it?

You have some flexibility. These are all grammatically correct:

  1. Kadi za mwaliko tayari zimechapishwa na mfanyakazi wa ofisi.
  2. Tayari kadi za mwaliko zimechapishwa na mfanyakazi wa ofisi.
  3. Kadi za mwaliko zimechapishwa tayari na mfanyakazi wa ofisi. (more colloquial)

All can mean The invitation cards have already been printed by the office worker, though putting tayari earlier often gives it a bit more emphasis.

If -me- already shows a completed action, why do we also need tayari (already)?

The -me- marker (perfect aspect) often implies a completed action, similar to English have done:

  • Zimechapishwa = they have been printed (implies completion)

Adding tayari:

  • Tayari zimechapishwa = they have already been printed

So tayari:

  • strengthens or clarifies the “already/completely done” idea
  • can add a slight nuance that this is earlier than someone might expect or earlier than some other action

You could say Kadi za mwaliko zimechapishwa without tayari, and it would still be a natural sentence.

Could I use -sha- instead of tayari, like zimeshachapishwa? What’s the difference?

Yes, you can say:

Kadi za mwaliko zimeshachapishwa na mfanyakazi wa ofisi.

Here:

  • zi-me-sha-chapishwa
  • -sha- is an aspect marker meaning already / completely.

zimeshachapishwa and zimechapishwa tayari are very close in meaning:

  • zimeshachapishwa = they have already been printed (compact, very common)
  • zimechapishwa tayari = they have been printed already (with tayari for emphasis or clarity)

Often they’re interchangeable in everyday speech.

What exactly does mfanyakazi wa ofisi mean? Is it “office worker” or “worker of the office”?

Literally:

  • mfanyakazi = worker / employee
  • wa = of (possessive for class 1/2)
  • ofisi = office

So mfanyakazi wa ofisi is worker of (the) office, which corresponds naturally to English office worker or office employee.

You might also hear:

  • mfanyakazi ofisini = a worker at the office (focus more on location)
    (ofisini is the locative form: in/at the office)
Can I drop za mwaliko and just say Kadi tayari zimechapishwa?

Yes, if the context already makes it clear what kind of cards you’re talking about.

  • Kadi tayari zimechapishwa. = The cards have already been printed.

Adding za mwaliko simply specifies invitation cards:

  • Kadi za mwaliko tayari zimechapishwa. = The invitation cards have already been printed.

Without that phrase, kadi could be any type of cards (ID cards, greeting cards, etc.), so you include za mwaliko when you need to be specific.