Barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa kwa Kiswahili na mwalimu.

This email has been translated into Swahili by the teacher.

Breakdown of Barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa kwa Kiswahili na mwalimu.

• mwalimu: the teacher
• hii: this
• kwa: in
• na: by
• barua pepe: the email
• Kiswahili: Swahili
• kutafsiriwa: to be translated

Questions & Answers about Barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa kwa Kiswahili na mwalimu.

What is the word‑for‑word breakdown of Barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa kwa Kiswahili na mwalimu?

Roughly word‑for‑word, it is:

• Barua pepe – email (literally: “letter electric/electronic”)
• hii – this (demonstrative agreeing with barua pepe)
• i-me-tafsiri-w-a – has-been-translate-PASS-FV
  • i- – subject prefix for noun class 9 (for barua pepe)
  • -me- – perfect aspect (has/have done)
  • -tafsiri- – root “translate”
  • -w- – passive marker
  • -a – final vowel
• kwa – in/into/by means of (here: “into”)
• Kiswahili – Swahili (the language)
• na – by (in a passive sentence)
• mwalimu – (the) teacher

So structurally: Email this has-been-translated into Swahili by teacher.

Why does hii (this) come after barua pepe instead of before it?

In Swahili, basic demonstrative position is:

[noun] + [demonstrative]

So:

• barua pepe hii = this email
• mtoto huyu = this child
• vitabu hivi = these books

The demonstrative must agree with the noun class. Barua pepe is in noun class 9, so its “this” form is hii. That’s why you don’t say hii barua pepe in standard Swahili; you say barua pepe hii. (You may hear other orders in casual speech, but this is the normal pattern.)

What tense or aspect is expressed by imetafsiriwa?

Imetafsiriwa uses the -me- perfect aspect:

• -me- usually corresponds to “has / have done” in English.
• So imetafsiriwa = “has been translated.”

It implies:

• The action is completed.
• The result is relevant now (the email is now in translated form).

Other possibilities:

• inatfsiriwa – “is being translated” (present continuous passive)
• ilitaafsiriwa – “was translated” (simple past passive, with -li- instead of -me-)

What is the difference between imetafsiriwa and imetafsiri?

• imetafsiriwa = has been translated (passive)
  • Contains the passive marker -w-.
• imetafsiri = has translated (active)
  • No passive marker.

Examples:

• Barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa kwa Kiswahili.
  This email has been translated into Swahili. (focus on the email)
• Mwalimu ametafsiri barua pepe hii kwa Kiswahili.
  The teacher has translated this email into Swahili. (focus on the teacher)

So the -w- in imetafsiriwa is what turns “translate” into “be translated.”

How does barua pepe function grammatically? Is it one word or two?

Barua pepe behaves as one noun phrase meaning “email”:

• barua = letter
• pepe = electric / electronic

Even though it’s written as two words, it acts like a single noun:

• It takes one demonstrative: barua pepe hii (this email)
• It takes one subject agreement: barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa (i- for class 9)

You may also see it written as barua-pepe or barua pepe; usage varies, but grammar is the same.

Why is the subject marker i- used in imetafsiriwa instead of a-?

The subject marker must agree with the noun class of the subject.

• Barua pepe is treated as a class 9 noun.
• Class 9 subject marker in present/perfect is i-.
• So you get i-me-tafsiriwa = imetafsiriwa.

If the subject were class 1 (a person), you’d often use a-:

• Mwalimu ametafsiri barua pepe hii.
  The teacher has translated this email.
  (a-me-tafsiri = ametafsiri for mwalimu, a class 1 noun)

Why is kwa Kiswahili used for “into Swahili”? Could I use something else?

Kwa is a very flexible preposition. Common uses include:

• means/instrument: kuandika kwa kalamu – to write with a pen
• language: kuandika kwa Kiswahili – to write in Swahili

In this sentence:

• kwa Kiswahili = into Swahili / in Swahili.

Alternatives:

• imetafsiriwa katika Kiswahili – literally “has been translated in/into Swahili”
• imetafsiriwa kwa lugha ya Kiswahili – “has been translated into the Swahili language”

Kwa Kiswahili is the most natural, short way to say “into Swahili / in Swahili.”

What does na mwalimu mean here, and why does na mean “by”?

Na is a multi‑purpose word:

• “and”: mwalimu na mwanafunzi – the teacher and the student
• “with”: nitaenda na rafiki yangu – I will go with my friend
• Agent “by” in a passive: imetafsiriwa na mwalimu – has been translated by the teacher

In Barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa kwa Kiswahili na mwalimu,
na mwalimu = by the teacher within the context of this passive sentence.

So in a passive structure:

• [Object] + [passive verb] + na [agent]
  = “[Object] has been [verb]ed by [agent].”

How would I say the active version: “The teacher has translated this email into Swahili”?

You can make an active sentence by making mwalimu the subject and using the active verb:

• Mwalimu ametafsiri barua pepe hii kwa Kiswahili.

Breakdown:

• Mwalimu – the teacher (subject)
• ametafsiri – has translated (active perfect)
• barua pepe hii – this email (object)
• kwa Kiswahili – into/in Swahili

So passive vs active:

• Passive: Barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa kwa Kiswahili na mwalimu.
• Active: Mwalimu ametafsiri barua pepe hii kwa Kiswahili.

Why are there no words for “the” or “a” in mwalimu, barua pepe, or Kiswahili?

Swahili does not use articles like “a/an/the.”

Definiteness and specificity are understood from:

• Context
• Word order
• Demonstratives (like hii, “this”)
• Possessives (like yangu, “my”)

So:

• mwalimu can mean a teacher or the teacher, depending on context.
• barua pepe hii clearly means this email, which is definite.
• Kiswahili just means Swahili (the language); English adds “the” but Swahili doesn’t need it.

Is the word order fixed? Can I move kwa Kiswahili or na mwalimu to different positions?

Swahili word order is fairly flexible, especially for adverbial phrases. All of these are understandable:

1. Barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa kwa Kiswahili na mwalimu.
2. Barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa na mwalimu kwa Kiswahili.
3. Kwa Kiswahili, barua pepe hii imetafsiriwa na mwalimu. (more marked/emphatic)

Main points:

• The core order [subject] [verb] [other elements] stays.
• Kwa Kiswahili and na mwalimu can switch places at the end without changing meaning much; it just shifts emphasis slightly.
• Beginning with Kwa Kiswahili emphasizes the language (“In Swahili, this email has been translated…”).

Why is Kiswahili capitalized? Is that always required?

In modern usage, Kiswahili is usually capitalized in the same way English capitalizes Swahili:

• It’s the name of a language (proper noun).
• In many teaching materials and formal writing you’ll see Kiswahili, Kiingereza, Kifaransa, etc.

You may see it written with a lowercase k (kiswahili) in some informal contexts, but if you follow standard practice, capitalizing Kiswahili as a language name is a good habit.