Breakdown of Mtoto alitaka kumshika kobe, lakini mama akasema hapana.
kutaka
to want
mtoto
the child
mama
the mother
lakini
but
Questions & Answers about Mtoto alitaka kumshika kobe, lakini mama akasema hapana.
Why is there no word for the or a before mtoto, mama, and kobe?
Swahili does not usually use articles the way English does. So:
- mtoto can mean the child or a child
- mama can mean the mother or mother
- kobe can mean the tortoise/turtle or a tortoise/turtle
The exact meaning usually comes from context.
How is alitaka built?
Alitaka can be broken down like this:
- a- = he/she
- -li- = past tense marker
- -taka = want
So alitaka means he/she wanted.
In this sentence, it refers to mtoto, so it means the child wanted.
Why is kumshika written as one word?