Chapter 28 - Prepositions and Conjunctions

REMINDER :

A preposition is a word that enables to locate something in space or time. In this chapter we are going to review the prepositions of time. The prepositions of place have already been studied in a previous chapter. (See : Chapter 26 - Place.)

A conjunction is a word that binds 2 groups of words, or 2 clauses. For example : John and Jane ; I drink because I am thirsty ; I think that you are nice.

 1. PREPOSITIONS  

1. BAADA YA       =    after

   Alirudi nyumbani baada ya kumaliza kazi.     He returned home after finishing work.

2. HATA       =    till, until

   Atakaa hapa hata kesho.    He will remain here till tomorrow.

3. KABLA (YA)       =    before

   Kabla hujaondoka, funga mlango.      Close the door before leaving.

4. KISHA       =    then , and then

   Nenda markiti, nunua mboga, kisha rudi hapa.      Go to the market, buy vegetables, then come back here.

5. MPAKA       =    till, until

   Alifanya kazi mpaka saa moja ya usiku.     He worked until seven in the evening.

6. TANGU / TOKA       =    from, since

   Atakaa hoteli toka leo mpaka kesho kutwa.     He will stay at the hotel from today till the day after tomorrow.

 2. CONJUNCTIONS  

1. AMA       =    or, nor

   Ndivyo ama sivyo ?    Yes or no ?.

2. AMA ... AMA       =    either ... or

   Ama ni wewe, ama ni ndugu yako.    Either it's you, or it's your brother.

3. AU        =    or

   Lete mkate mweusi au mweupe.    Bring brown bread or white bread.

4. BADALA YA       =    instead of

   Alikwenda Arusha badala ya kwenda Dar es Salaam.    He went to Arusha instead of going to Dar es Salaam.

5. BALI       =    but rather, on the contrary

   Kusema kiswahili si vigumu, bali ni rahisi kabisa.    Speaking Swahili is not difficult, on the contrary it's very easy.

6. BASI        =    then, well, so, that's all

   Nilitaka sana kuona wanyama, basi nilifika hapa.    I really wanted to see animals, so I came here.

   Basi ? - Ndiyo.    Is that all ? - Yes.

7. BILA       =    without

   Mtoto alifika bila vitabu vyake.    The child arrived without his books.

   Alikwenda Tanzania bila kuona Zanzibar.    He went to Tanzania without seeing Zanzibar.

8. IJAPO       =    even if

   Ijapo nitakufa, sitakubali.    Even if I die, I won't agree.

9. ILA        =    except

   Wanafunzi hawa ni hodari, ila ni huyu.    These pupils are hard working, except this one.

   Watu wote wamefika ila mwalimu tu.    Everybody arrived, except the teacher.

10. ILI / ILI KWAMBA       =    so as, so that, in order to

    Nakwenda bandari ili ninunue samaki.   I go to the harbour so as to buy fish.

11. INGAWA        =    although, even though

    Amefika kazini ingawa mtoto wake mgonjwa.    She has come for work, even though her child is sick.

12. JUU YA HAYO        =    moreover

    Chakula ni haba, juu ya hayo ni ghali mno.    Food is scarce, moreover it is too expensive.

13. KAMA       =    if, around, like

    Kama atakuja, nitangoja.    If he must come, I'll wait.

    Ninahitaji sanduku kama hili.    I need a trunk like this one.

    Utakaa kwa muda gani hapa ? - Kama miezi mitatu.    How long will you stay ? - Around three months.

    Alisema kama ndivyo hivyo.    He said it was like that.

14. KAMA KWAMBA / KANA KWAMBA       =    as if

    Alicheza pamoja na simba kana kwamba ni wanambuzi.    He played with the lions as if they were kids.

15. KISHA       =    moreover

    Mwanafunzi huyu hasomi shuleni, kisha hajui kuandika.   This pupil does not work at school, moreover he cannot write.

16. KUSUDI       =    to, in order to

    Amejenga nyumba kubwa kusudi kufanya hoteli.   He has built a big house to make a hotel.

17. KWA       =    for, to, by, with

    Anafanya kazi kwa Bwana Manji.    He works for Mr Manji.

    Kata nanasi kwa kisu !    Cut the pineapple with a knife.

    Tulikuja hapa kwa miguu.    We came here by foot.

    Nitakula wali kwa mchuzi.    I will eat rice with sauce.

18. KWA AJILI YA        =    because of

    Kwa ajili ya kunyesha mvua, hatukuja.    Because of the rain, we didn't come.

19. KWA HIYO / KWA HIVYO / KWA VILE       =    so, because of that, in consequence

    Sikupata habari, kwa hiyo sikuja.    I didn't get the news, so I didn't come.

20. KWA KUWA        =    because

    Hatukuja kwa kuwa ilinyesha mvua.    We didn't come because it rained.

21. KWA MAANA YA        =    because of

    Hatukuja kwa maana ya mvua.    We didn't come because of the rain.

22. KWA SABABU (YA) / KWANI        =    because

    Tulikuja Tanzania kwa sababu tulitaka kupanda mlima wa Kilimanjaro.    We came to Tanzania because we wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

    Angalia vizuri kabla ya kupita mto kwani kuna viboko wengi.    Watch carefully before crossing the river because there are many hippos.

23. KWAMBA / KUWA        =    that

    Mpishi anasema kwamba baba yake amekufa.    The cook says his / her father has died.

    Ninaona kwamba mnyama huyu ni mkali.    I see that this animal is savage.

    Barua yake yasema kuwa ni mgonjwa.    His / her letter says that he / she is sick.

24. LAKINI / WALAKINI       =   but, however

    Ninasoma kiswahili, lakini sielewi kitu.    I learn Swahili, but I don't understand anything.

25. NA      =    and, with

    Lete kuku na wali na mboga mbali mbali.    Bring chicken and rice and different vegetables.

26. PAMOJA (NA)       =    with, together with

    Rafiki yangu amekuja pamoja na watoto wake.    My friend has arrived with his / her children.

27. PAMOJA NA HAYO / JUU YA HAYO / ZAIDI YA HAYO       =    moreover, besides

    Hana tiketi yake, zaidi ya hayo hana fedha.    He / she hasn't got his / her ticket, besides he / she has no money.

28. TENA (NA)       =    again, moreover

    Sijui mtoto huyu, tena sijamwona.    I don't know this child, moreover I have never seen him.

29. WALA       =    either, neither

    Hakuna mchele wala (hakuna) unga.    There is no rice and no flour either.

30. WALA ... WALA       =    neither ... nor

    Sikuwaona, wala yeye wala ndugu zake.    I didn't see them, neither him nor his brothers.

31. YAANI        =    i.e., that is to say

    Hili ndilo neno la kigeni, yaani kiingereza.    This is indeed a foreign word, that is, English.

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

EXERCISE 1 : Translate into Swahili :

1. These people have neither cows nor goats.
2. He came yesterday, but he has already left.
3. The child is crying because he is lost.
4. Even though the food is good, the child did not eat it.
5. He hurries in order to arrive first.
6. I have no money, so I can't buy anything.
7. He says he is coming back tomorrow.
8. Don't you know that your grandfather is in hospital ?
9. You work like an ass.
10. We arrived at the school by foot.

EXERCISE 2 : Translate into English :

1. Neno hili si kweli, bali ni uongo kabisa.
2. Analia kwa sababu mama yake mgonjwa.
3. Ninahitaji viatu vipya lakini sina fedha.
4. Mwalimu anasema kwamba atachelewa kidogo.
5. Ninakuja markiti mapema ili nipate nyama.
6. Lete kahawa au chai.
7. Ninakula chakula kabla ya kwenda kazini.
8. Anapumzika baada ya kurudi nyumbani.
9. Watoto wamekula wali kwa mchuzi.
10. Tunakwenda Iringa kwa basi.