English "from" → Swahili "kutoka" – Preposition (source, origin, starting point)
What does "from" mean in Swahili?
English "from" does several jobs with one word: it names where someone comes from ("from Kenya"), who sent something ("a letter from Juma"), where a journey starts ("from Moshi to Arusha"), and when a period starts ("from eight o'clock"). Swahili uses kutoka (pronounced koo-TOH-kah) for the first three of these, and a different word for the last. It is the word to reach for whenever "from" means the place, the person or the time that something starts out from: Ninatoka Kenya, "I come from Kenya"; barua kutoka Arusha, "a letter from Arusha"; kutoka saa mbili hadi saa nane, "from eight o'clock until two".
Three points differ from English:
- kutoka is also a verb. Kutoka is the infinitive of the verb -toka, "to come out, to come from, to go out". So the same stem gives you kutoka ("from") and every form of the verb: ninatoka "I come from", imetoka "it has come from", aliyetoka "who came from". There is no separate little word for "from": the preposition is the verb's infinitive, used in front of a noun. - Before a person, add kwa. Before a place you say kutoka Arusha, kutoka sokoni. Before a person you say kutoka kwa: kutoka kwa baba yangu, "from my father". With the verb, the same rule: imetoka kwa rafiki yangu, "it has come from my friend". - "From" does not always mean kutoka. "From" in the sense of "since" is tangu (tangu jana, "since yesterday"), and "made from or with" is usually kwa (umepikwa kwa mchele, "cooked with rice"). This lesson teaches the main sense, origin and starting point, and marks where the others begin.
Choice of equivalent. The vocabulary list gives "from" as a preposition of source, origin and movement away. Swahili has more than one word for these ideas, and kutoka is the one that covers them directly and is the most frequent: it is the standard dictionary equivalent of "from", with kutoka kwa as its form before a person. The verb kuondoka, "to depart", is a different word, taught later.
- kutoka = from (a place, a person, a time or a starting point). It never changes its form. - Before a person: kutoka kwa. Barua kutoka kwa baba, "a letter from father". - kutoka ... hadi ... = from ... to ...: kutoka Nairobi hadi hapa, "from Nairobi to here". - The same stem is a verb: ninatoka, unatoka, anatoka; Unatoka wapi? "Where do you come from?" and Ninatoka Kenya, "I come from Kenya". - Not for "since": tangu jana "since yesterday", never kutoka jana.
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kutoka /kuˈto.ka/: koo-TOH-kah. Three syllables, stress on the middle one (the next-to-last), every vowel pure and fully sounded.
The verb forms keep the stress on the o of the stem:
- ninatoka /ni.naˈto.ka/: ni-na-TO-ka, "I come from" - unatoka /u.naˈto.ka/: u-na-TO-ka, "you come from" - anatoka /a.naˈto.ka/: a-na-TO-ka, "he or she comes from" - wanatoka /wa.naˈto.ka/: wa-na-TO-ka, "they come from" - imetoka /i.meˈto.ka/: i-me-TO-ka, "it has come from" - aliyetoka /a.li.jeˈto.ka/: a-li-ye-TO-ka, "who came from"
Other words from this lesson:
- wapi /ˈwa.pi/: WAH-pee, "where" - kwa /kwa/: one syllable, kw as in "quarter" said quickly - Uingereza /u.i.ŋɡeˈre.za/: oo-ee-ng-geh-REH-zah, "England"; the ng is the sound in "finger" - injini /iˈnd͡ʒi.ni/: ee-NJEE-nee, "engine"; nj is n and j said together - mlimani /m̩liˈma.ni/: m-lee-MAH-nee, "on the mountain"; the m is a syllable of its own - Nazareti /na.zaˈre.ti/: nah-zah-REH-tee - Nathanaeli /na.θa.naˈe.li/: nah-thah-nah-EH-lee; th is as in English "think", though many speakers say t
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29.1a Ninatoka I-come-from Kenya Kenya
29.1b Ninatoka /ni.naˈto.ka/ ni-na-tok-a: 1SG-PRES-come.from-FV Kenya /ˈke.ɲa/ Kenya
29.2a Unatoka you-come-from wapi where
29.2b Unatoka /u.naˈto.ka/ u-na-tok-a: 2SG-PRES-come.from-FV wapi /ˈwa.pi/ where
29.3a Barua letter kutoka from Arusha Arusha imefika has-arrived leo today
29.3b Barua /baˈru.a/ letter.CL9 kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from Arusha /aˈru.ʃa/ Arusha imefika /i.meˈfi.ka/ i-me-fik-a: CL9-PERF-arrive-FV leo /ˈle.o/ today
29.4a Mgeni guest kutoka from Uingereza England anakuja he-is-coming kesho tomorrow
29.4b Mgeni /m̩ˈɡe.ni/ guest.CL1 kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from Uingereza /u.i.ŋɡeˈre.za/ England.CL11 anakuja /a.naˈku.d͡ʒa/ a-na-kuj-a: 3SG-PRES-come-FV kesho /ˈke.ʃo/ tomorrow
29.5a Maji water yanatoka it-comes-from mlimani on-the-mountain
29.5b Maji /ˈma.d͡ʒi/ water.CL6 yanatoka /ja.naˈto.ka/ ya-na-tok-a: CL6-PRES-come.from-FV mlimani /m̩liˈma.ni/ mlima-ni: mountain.CL3-LOC
29.6a Basi bus hili this linatoka it-comes-from Moshi Moshi kila every asubuhi morning
29.6b Basi /ˈba.si/ bus.CL5 hili /ˈhi.li/ this.CL5.DEM linatoka /li.naˈto.ka/ li-na-tok-a: CL5-PRES-come.from-FV Moshi /ˈmo.ʃi/ Moshi (a town) kila /ˈki.la/ every asubuhi /a.suˈbu.hi/ morning.CL9
29.7a Zawadi gift hii this imetoka it-has-come-from kwa from rafiki friend yangu my
29.7b Zawadi /zaˈwa.di/ gift.CL9 hii /ˈhi.i/ this.CL9.DEM imetoka /i.meˈto.ka/ i-me-tok-a: CL9-PERF-come.from-FV kwa /kwa/ kwa (marks a person as the source) rafiki /raˈfi.ki/ friend.CL9 yangu /ˈja.ŋɡu/ my.CL9.POSS
29.8a Mama mother amerudi she-has-returned kutoka from sokoni the-market na with mboga vegetables nyingi many
29.8b Mama /ˈma.ma/ mother.CL9 amerudi /a.meˈru.di/ a-me-rudi: 3SG-PERF-return kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from sokoni /soˈko.ni/ soko-ni: market.CL5-LOC na /na/ with mboga /ˈmbo.ɡa/ vegetables.CL10 nyingi /ˈɲi.ŋɡi/ many.CL10
29.9a Nimepokea I-have-received barua letter kutoka from kwa from-(person) baba father yangu my
29.9b Nimepokea /ni.me.poˈke.a/ ni-me-pokea: 1SG-PERF-receive barua /baˈru.a/ letter.CL9 kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from kwa /kwa/ kwa (marks a person as the source) baba /ˈba.ba/ father.CL9 yangu /ˈja.ŋɡu/ my.CL9.POSS
29.10a Wanafunzi students wengi many wanatoka they-come-from vijijini villages
29.10b Wanafunzi /wa.naˈfu.nzi/ student.CL2 wengi /ˈwe.ŋɡi/ many.CL2 wanatoka /wa.naˈto.ka/ wa-na-tok-a: 3PL-PRES-come.from-FV vijijini /vi.d͡ʒiˈd͡ʒi.ni/ vijiji-ni: villages.CL8-LOC
29.11a Moshi smoke mweusi black unatoka it-comes-out kwenye from injini engine ya of basi bus
29.11b Moshi /ˈmo.ʃi/ smoke.CL3 mweusi /mweˈu.si/ black.CL3 unatoka /u.naˈto.ka/ u-na-tok-a: CL3-PRES-come.out-FV kwenye /ˈkwe.ɲe/ kw-enye: LOC17-having (= from, out of) injini /iˈnd͡ʒi.ni/ engine.CL9 ya /ja/ of.CL9 basi /ˈba.si/ bus.CL5
29.12a Duka shop hili this hufunguliwa is-opened kutoka from saa hour mbili two asubuhi morning hadi until saa hour kumi ten na and mbili two jioni evening
29.12b Duka /ˈdu.ka/ shop.CL5 hili /ˈhi.li/ this.CL5.DEM hufunguliwa /hu.fu.ŋɡuˈli.wa/ hu-funguliw-a: HAB-be.opened-FV kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from saa /ˈsa.a/ hour, o'clock.CL9 mbili /ˈmbi.li/ two (saa mbili = eight o'clock) asubuhi /a.suˈbu.hi/ morning.CL9 hadi /ˈha.di/ until saa /ˈsa.a/ hour, o'clock.CL9 kumi /ˈku.mi/ ten na /na/ and mbili /ˈmbi.li/ two (saa kumi na mbili = six o'clock) jioni /d͡ʒiˈo.ni/ evening.CL9
29.13a Baada after ya of kutoka leaving shuleni school watoto children wanacheza they-play uwanjani on-the-field
29.13b Baada /baˈa.da/ after ya /ja/ of (baada ya = after) kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ ku-tok-a: INF-come.out-FV shuleni /ʃuˈle.ni/ shule-ni: school.CL9-LOC watoto /waˈto.to/ child.CL2 wanacheza /wa.naˈt͡ʃe.za/ wa-na-chez-a: 3PL-PRES-play-FV uwanjani /u.waˈnd͡ʒa.ni/ uwanja-ni: field.CL11-LOC
29.14a Mwalimu teacher mpya new aliyetoka who-came-from Uganda Uganda alianza he-began kazi work jana yesterday na and wanafunzi students wote all wanampenda they-like-him
29.14b Mwalimu /mwaˈli.mu/ teacher.CL1 mpya /ˈm̩.pja/ new.CL1 aliyetoka /a.li.jeˈto.ka/ a-li-ye-tok-a: 3SG-PAST-REL.CL1-come.from-FV Uganda /uˈɡa.nda/ Uganda alianza /a.liˈa.nza/ a-li-anz-a: 3SG-PAST-begin-FV kazi /ˈka.zi/ work.CL9 jana /ˈd͡ʒa.na/ yesterday na /na/ and wanafunzi /wa.naˈfu.nzi/ student.CL2 wote /ˈwo.te/ all.CL2 wanampenda /wa.na.m̩ˈpe.nda/ wa-na-m-pend-a: 3PL-PRES-3SG.OBJ-like-FV
29.15a Aliporudi when-he-returned kutoka from safarini the-journey Juma Juma alituletea he-brought-us zawadi gift kutoka from kwa from-(person) wazazi parents wake his
29.15b Aliporudi /a.li.poˈru.di/ a-li-po-rudi: 3SG-PAST-REL.TIME-return kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from safarini /sa.faˈri.ni/ safari-ni: journey.CL9-LOC Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma alituletea /a.li.tu.leˈte.a/ a-li-tu-let-e-a: 3SG-PAST-1PL.OBJ-bring-APPL-FV zawadi /zaˈwa.di/ gift.CL9 kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from kwa /kwa/ kwa (marks a person as the source) wazazi /waˈza.zi/ parent.CL2 wake /ˈwa.ke/ his.CL2.POSS
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29.1 Ninatoka Kenya. → "I come from Kenya."
29.2 Unatoka wapi? → "Where do you come from?"
29.3 Barua kutoka Arusha imefika leo. → "A letter from Arusha has arrived today."
29.4 Mgeni kutoka Uingereza anakuja kesho. → "A guest from England is coming tomorrow."
29.5 Maji yanatoka mlimani. → "The water comes from the mountain."
29.6 Basi hili linatoka Moshi kila asubuhi. → "This bus comes from Moshi every morning."
29.7 Zawadi hii imetoka kwa rafiki yangu. → "This gift has come from my friend."
29.8 Mama amerudi kutoka sokoni na mboga nyingi. → "Mother has come back from the market with lots of vegetables."
29.9 Nimepokea barua kutoka kwa baba yangu. → "I have received a letter from my father."
29.10 Wanafunzi wengi wanatoka vijijini. → "Many students come from villages."
29.11 Moshi mweusi unatoka kwenye injini ya basi. → "Black smoke is coming out of the bus's engine."
29.12 Duka hili hufunguliwa kutoka saa mbili asubuhi hadi saa kumi na mbili jioni. → "This shop is open from eight in the morning until six in the evening."
29.13 Baada ya kutoka shuleni, watoto wanacheza uwanjani. → "After leaving school, the children play on the field."
29.14 Mwalimu mpya aliyetoka Uganda alianza kazi jana, na wanafunzi wote wanampenda. → "The new teacher who came from Uganda began work yesterday, and all the students like him."
29.15 Aliporudi kutoka safarini, Juma alituletea zawadi kutoka kwa wazazi wake. → "When he came back from his trip, Juma brought us a gift from his parents."
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29.1 Ninatoka Kenya.
29.2 Unatoka wapi?
29.3 Barua kutoka Arusha imefika leo.
29.4 Mgeni kutoka Uingereza anakuja kesho.
29.5 Maji yanatoka mlimani.
29.6 Basi hili linatoka Moshi kila asubuhi.
29.7 Zawadi hii imetoka kwa rafiki yangu.
29.8 Mama amerudi kutoka sokoni na mboga nyingi.
29.9 Nimepokea barua kutoka kwa baba yangu.
29.10 Wanafunzi wengi wanatoka vijijini.
29.11 Moshi mweusi unatoka kwenye injini ya basi.
29.12 Duka hili hufunguliwa kutoka saa mbili asubuhi hadi saa kumi na mbili jioni.
29.13 Baada ya kutoka shuleni, watoto wanacheza uwanjani.
29.14 Mwalimu mpya aliyetoka Uganda alianza kazi jana, na wanafunzi wote wanampenda.
29.15 Aliporudi kutoka safarini, Juma alituletea zawadi kutoka kwa wazazi wake.
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These are the grammar rules for kutoka and "from" in Swahili:
1. One word, two jobs. Kutoka is the infinitive of the verb -toka, "to come out, come from", and it is also the preposition "from". As a preposition it never changes: barua kutoka Arusha (29.3), mgeni kutoka Uingereza (29.4), kutoka sokoni (29.8). As a verb it takes the usual prefixes, shown in rule 2.
2. The verb -toka. The present, perfect and past, with the subject prefixes you know:
- present: ninatoka (29.1), unatoka (29.2), anatoka, tunatoka, mnatoka, wanatoka (29.10); with other classes yanatoka (29.5), linatoka (29.6), unatoka (29.11) - perfect: nimetoka (29.17), umetoka (29.16), ametoka, imetoka (29.7), zimetoka (29.20), yametoka (29.28) - past: nilitoka, ulitoka, alitoka, walitoka - negative present: sitoki, hutoki, hatoki, hatutoki, hamtoki, hawatoki (the final -a becomes -i) - imperative: toka (to one person), tokeni (to several): Toka hapa! "Get out of here!"
The meaning of the verb depends on what follows. With a place of origin it is "come from": Ninatoka Kenya. With a place one is inside it is "come out, go out": moshi unatoka kwenye injini (29.11), "smoke comes out of the engine".
3. The question and its answer. "Where do you come from?" is Unatoka wapi? (29.2), or with the perfect Umetoka wapi leo? (29.16), "Where have you come from today?". The answer repeats the verb and adds the place with no preposition: Ninatoka Kenya, Nimetoka Nairobi (29.17). Do not add a second kutoka.
4. After kutoka: a place. A place name follows directly: kutoka Arusha (29.3), kutoka Uganda. A common noun of place takes the locative ending -ni: kutoka sokoni (29.8), kutoka safarini (29.15), kutoka shuleni (29.13), kutoka kituoni (29.24). With the verb, a noun of place may also follow with kwenye: unatoka kwenye injini (29.11), "it comes out of the engine".
5. After kutoka: a person. Before a person, or a noun naming a person, kwa follows: kutoka kwa baba yangu (29.9), kutoka kwa wazazi wake (29.15). The same kwa follows the verb: imetoka kwa rafiki yangu (29.7), zimetoka kwa nani? (29.20), "who are they from?". For "from me, from you, from him or her, from us" kwa joins the possessive stem: kwangu, kwako, kwake (29.22), kwetu, kwenu, kwao. This is the same kwa that Lesson 26 taught for "at someone's place", and the same kwake as Lesson 28.
6. kutoka ... hadi ... : from ... to ... The starting point follows kutoka and the end follows hadi ("until, as far as"). It works for place (kutoka kituoni hadi nyumbani kwetu, 29.24; kutoka Nairobi hadi hapa kwenu, 29.30) and for time (29.12). On the Swahili clock the hours are counted from sunrise: saa mbili is two hours after six, that is eight o'clock, and saa kumi na mbili is twelve hours after six, that is six o'clock. Add six to the number to get the English hour, or take six away (saa saba mchana is one in the afternoon, 29.19).
7. The infinitive and the relative. Kutoka as a plain verb follows baada ya ("after"): baada ya kutoka shuleni (29.13), "after leaving school". The verb also takes the relative markers: aliyetoka (29.14), "who came from", with -ye- for a person (the relative you met in Lesson 27); and -po- for "when": aliporudi (29.15), "when he returned", nilipotoka (29.25), "when I left". After tangu, "since", the same -po- is used: tangu nilipotoka Nairobi (29.25), "since I left Nairobi".
8. Words near kutoka. Three other words cover ideas that English also expresses with "from":
- tangu = since: tangu jana, "since yesterday"; tangu asubuhi, "since morning". It starts a time that is still running. Kutoka with hadi gives a period that has two ends. - kwa = with, made of: umepikwa kwa mchele (29.27), "cooked with rice". When kutoka follows (mchele kutoka Mbeya) it tells where the rice comes from, not what the dish is made of. - kuondoka = to depart, to set out. Kutoka tells the place you come from; kuondoka is the act of leaving. You may also meet kutokana na, "because of, as a result of", a separate expression that is not used in this lesson.
Common Mistakes
- Doubling the verb and the preposition. ✗ Ninatoka kutoka Kenya ✓ Ninatoka Kenya. The verb already means "come from". - Copying English "I am from". ✗ Mimi ni kutoka Kenya is word for word English and is not the usual form. ✓ Ninatoka Kenya, or Mimi ni Mkenya, "I am a Kenyan". - Using kwa before a place. ✗ kutoka kwa Arusha ✓ kutoka Arusha. The extra kwa is for people only. - Leaving kwa out before a person. ✗ barua kutoka baba ✓ barua kutoka kwa baba. Likewise ✗ zimetoka nani? ✓ zimetoka kwa nani? - Using kutoka for "since". ✗ kutoka jana ✓ tangu jana. - Wrong class on the verb. The verb agrees with its subject: ✗ maji inatoka ✓ maji yanatoka (29.5). - Missing the -ni. ✗ kutoka soko ✓ kutoka sokoni.
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The first question. Unatoka wapi?, "Where do you come from?", is a question that two people often ask each other soon after meeting. The answer can be a country (Ninatoka Kenya), a town (Nimetoka Nairobi) or a village. You will also hear Kwenu ni wapi?, "Where is your home?", answered Kwetu ni ..., "My home is ...". It uses kwa with the possessive, as in rule 5.
A word with a second life. Kutoka is the Swahili name of the Book of Exodus, the "going out", the second book of the Bible. A Swahili reader will therefore also know the word as a title, and Kutoka 20 is the chapter with the Ten Commandments.
Letters, gifts and greetings. A sender is named with kutoka kwa: zawadi kutoka kwa mama, salamu kutoka kwa wazazi ("greetings from the parents"). Anakusalimu sana (29.21), "she greets you warmly", is how a greeting from somebody who is not present is passed on.
Varieties. The use of kutoka and kutoka kwa is the same in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, in the standard language (Kiswahili sanifu) taught here. Place names follow the local spelling: Nairobi, Moshi, Mbeya.
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Source: Maandiko Matakatifu ya Mungu Yaitwayo Biblia (Swahili Union Version, 1952), Yohana (John) 1:46. Philip has told Nathanael that they have found the one of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth; Nathanael answers with a question about the town. Text checked against two independent copies of the Swahili Union Version (wordproject.org and churchages.net).
F-A: Interlinear Text
F-A.1a Nathanaeli Nathanael akamwambia and-he-said-to-him Laweza can neno thing jema good kutoka from Nazareti Nazareth
F-A.1b Nathanaeli /na.θa.naˈe.li/ Nathanael akamwambia /a.ka.mwaˈmbi.a/ a-ka-mw-ambi-a: 3SG-NARR-3SG.OBJ-tell-FV Laweza /laˈwe.za/ li-a-weza: CL5-PRES-be.able (the older present marker -a-, joined to li-) neno /ˈne.no/ word, thing.CL5 jema /ˈd͡ʒe.ma/ good.CL5 kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from, out of Nazareti /na.zaˈre.ti/ Nazareth
F-A.2a Filipo Philip akamwambia and-he-said-to-him Njoo come uone that-you-see
F-A.2b Filipo /fiˈli.po/ Philip akamwambia /a.ka.mwaˈmbi.a/ a-ka-mw-ambi-a: 3SG-NARR-3SG.OBJ-tell-FV Njoo /ˈnd͡ʒo.o/ come! (imperative of kuja) uone /uˈo.ne/ u-on-e: 2SG-see-SBJV
F-B: Original Text with Translation
F-B.1 Nathanaeli akamwambia, Laweza neno jema kutoka Nazareti? (Yohana 1:46) → "Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
F-B.2 Filipo akamwambia, Njoo uone. (Yohana 1:46) → "Philip saith unto him, Come and see."
F-C: Original Text Only
Nathanaeli akamwambia, Laweza neno jema kutoka Nazareti? Filipo akamwambia, Njoo uone.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
- kutoka Nazareti. The English Bible says "come out of Nazareth", and the Swahili uses the same kutoka that you have met for "from": the town is the source from which a good thing might come. No kwa and no -ni is needed, because Nazareti is a place name (rule 4). - Laweza neno jema kutoka Nazareti? The word order is a question without a question word: the verb comes first, laweza, "can it", and the subject after it, neno jema, "a good thing". Neno is class 5, and li- + -a- + weza becomes laweza. The -a- is the old present marker of Biblical Swahili. In everyday speech you would say linaweza, with -na-, as in this lesson's verb forms. - Two ways of naming a town. In verse 45 Philip says mtu wa Nazareti, "a man of Nazareth", with the -a of possession; in verse 46 Nathanael says kutoka Nazareti, "from Nazareth". The first names where a person belongs, the second where something might come from. - Njoo uone. Njoo is the irregular imperative of kuja, "to come", and uone is the subjunctive of -ona, "see", so the pair is "come that you may see", or "come and see". The subjunctive after a command is the pattern in Lesson 28 (mwambie awashe simu yake). - Narrative -ka-. Both speeches are introduced with akamwambia, with the narrative -ka- of Lessons 25 to 27.
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A constructed dialogue in which Neema meets her friend Peter at the bus station in Arusha after his journey from Nairobi. Almost every line uses kutoka or the verb -toka, for places, for people, for a journey and for the smell of a kitchen.
Part A: Interlinear Text
29.16a Neema Neema Karibu welcome Arusha Arusha Umetoka you-have-come-from wapi where leo today
29.16b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Karibu /kaˈri.bu/ welcome Arusha /aˈru.ʃa/ Arusha Umetoka /u.meˈto.ka/ u-me-tok-a: 2SG-PERF-come.from-FV wapi /ˈwa.pi/ where leo /ˈle.o/ today
29.17a Peter Peter Nimetoka I-have-come-from Nairobi Nairobi asubuhi morning na and mapema early
29.17b Peter /ˈpi.ta/ Peter Nimetoka /ni.meˈto.ka/ ni-me-tok-a: 1SG-PERF-come.from-FV Nairobi /na.iˈro.bi/ Nairobi asubuhi /a.suˈbu.hi/ morning.CL9 na /na/ and mapema /maˈpe.ma/ early (asubuhi na mapema = very early in the morning)
29.18a Neema Neema Pole sorry na with safari journey Ulitoka you-left Nairobi Nairobi saa hour ngapi how-many
29.18b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Pole /ˈpo.le/ sorry (sympathy) na /na/ with safari /saˈfa.ri/ journey.CL9 Ulitoka /u.liˈto.ka/ u-li-tok-a: 2SG-PAST-come.from-FV Nairobi /na.iˈro.bi/ Nairobi saa /ˈsa.a/ hour, o'clock.CL9 ngapi /ˈŋɡa.pi/ how.many
29.19a Peter Peter Nilitoka I-left saa hour kumi ten na and moja one alfajiri dawn na and nimefika I-have-arrived saa hour saba seven mchana afternoon
29.19b Peter /ˈpi.ta/ Peter Nilitoka /ni.liˈto.ka/ ni-li-tok-a: 1SG-PAST-come.from-FV saa /ˈsa.a/ hour, o'clock.CL9 kumi /ˈku.mi/ ten na /na/ and moja /ˈmo.d͡ʒa/ one (saa kumi na moja = five o'clock) alfajiri /al.faˈd͡ʒi.ri/ dawn.CL9 na /na/ and nimefika /ni.meˈfi.ka/ ni-me-fik-a: 1SG-PERF-arrive-FV saa /ˈsa.a/ hour, o'clock.CL9 saba /ˈsa.ba/ seven (saa saba = one o'clock) mchana /m̩ˈt͡ʃa.na/ afternoon.CL3
29.20a Neema Neema Zawadi gifts hizi these zimetoka they-have-come-from kwa from nani who
29.20b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Zawadi /zaˈwa.di/ gift.CL10 hizi /ˈhi.zi/ these.CL10.DEM zimetoka /zi.meˈto.ka/ zi-me-tok-a: CL10-PERF-come.from-FV kwa /kwa/ kwa (marks a person as the source) nani /ˈna.ni/ who
29.21a Peter Peter Zimetoka they-have-come-from kwa from mama mother yangu my Anakusalimu she-greets-you sana very-much
29.21b Peter /ˈpi.ta/ Peter Zimetoka /zi.meˈto.ka/ zi-me-tok-a: CL10-PERF-come.from-FV kwa /kwa/ kwa (marks a person as the source) mama /ˈma.ma/ mother.CL9 yangu /ˈja.ŋɡu/ my.CL9.POSS Anakusalimu /a.na.ku.saˈli.mu/ a-na-ku-salimu: 3SG-PRES-2SG.OBJ-greet sana /ˈsa.na/ very
29.22a Neema Neema Asante thank-you Na and barua letter hii this pia also imetoka has-come-from kwake from-her
29.22b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Asante /aˈsa.nte/ thank you Na /na/ and barua /baˈru.a/ letter.CL9 hii /ˈhi.i/ this.CL9.DEM pia /ˈpi.a/ also imetoka /i.meˈto.ka/ i-me-tok-a: CL9-PERF-come.from-FV kwake /ˈkwa.ke/ kwa-ke: from-her (kwa + -ake)
29.23a Peter Peter Hapana no hiyo that imetoka has-come-from kwa from Juma Juma Alinipa he-gave-me jana yesterday usiku night
29.23b Peter /ˈpi.ta/ Peter Hapana /haˈpa.na/ no hiyo /ˈhi.jo/ that.CL9.REF imetoka /i.meˈto.ka/ i-me-tok-a: CL9-PERF-come.from-FV kwa /kwa/ kwa (marks a person as the source) Juma /ˈd͡ʒu.ma/ Juma Alinipa /a.liˈni.pa/ a-li-ni-p-a: 3SG-PAST-1SG.OBJ-give-FV jana /ˈd͡ʒa.na/ yesterday usiku /uˈsi.ku/ night.CL11
29.24a Neema Neema Kutoka from kituoni the-station hadi until nyumbani home kwetu our ni is dakika minutes kumi ten tu only kwa by gari car
29.24b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from kituoni /ki.tuˈo.ni/ kituo-ni: station.CL7-LOC hadi /ˈha.di/ until, to nyumbani /ɲuˈmba.ni/ nyumba-ni: house.CL9-LOC kwetu /ˈkwe.tu/ our.LOC17.POSS ni /ni/ COP (is) dakika /daˈki.ka/ minute.CL10 kumi /ˈku.mi/ ten tu /tu/ only kwa /kwa/ by (means) gari /ˈɡa.ri/ car.CL5
29.25a Peter Peter Vizuri well sana very Nina I-have njaa hunger nimekula I-have-eaten mkate bread tu only tangu since nilipotoka when-I-left Nairobi Nairobi
29.25b Peter /ˈpi.ta/ Peter Vizuri /viˈzu.ri/ well sana /ˈsa.na/ very Nina /ˈni.na/ ni-na: 1SG-have njaa /ˈnd͡ʒa.a/ hunger.CL9 nimekula /ni.meˈku.la/ ni-me-kul-a: 1SG-PERF-eat-FV mkate /m̩ˈka.te/ bread.CL3 tu /tu/ only tangu /ˈta.ŋɡu/ since nilipotoka /ni.li.poˈto.ka/ ni-li-po-tok-a: 1SG-PAST-REL.TIME-come.from-FV Nairobi /na.iˈro.bi/ Nairobi
29.26a Neema Neema Karibu welcome nyumbani home Harufu smell nzuri good inatoka it-comes-from jikoni the-kitchen
29.26b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Karibu /kaˈri.bu/ welcome nyumbani /ɲuˈmba.ni/ nyumba-ni: house.CL9-LOC Harufu /haˈru.fu/ smell.CL9 nzuri /ˈnzu.ri/ good.CL9 inatoka /i.naˈto.ka/ i-na-tok-a: CL9-PRES-come.from-FV jikoni /d͡ʒiˈko.ni/ jiko-ni: kitchen.CL5-LOC
29.27a Neema Neema Wali rice huu this umepikwa has-been-cooked kwa with mchele rice kutoka from Mbeya Mbeya
29.27b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Wali /ˈwa.li/ cooked.rice.CL3 huu /ˈhu.u/ this.CL3.DEM umepikwa /u.meˈpi.kwa/ u-me-pik-w-a: CL3-PERF-cook-PASS-FV kwa /kwa/ with (material) mchele /m̩ˈt͡ʃe.le/ uncooked.rice.CL3 kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from Mbeya /ˈmbe.ja/ Mbeya (a town)
29.28a Peter Peter Na and maziwa milk haya these yametoka has-come-from wapi where
29.28b Peter /ˈpi.ta/ Peter Na /na/ and maziwa /maˈzi.wa/ milk.CL6 haya /ˈha.ja/ these.CL6.DEM yametoka /ja.meˈto.ka/ ya-me-tok-a: CL6-PERF-come.from-FV wapi /ˈwa.pi/ where
29.29a Neema Neema Yametoka it-has-come-from kwa from jirani neighbour yetu our Mzee Elder Salimu Salimu
29.29b Neema /neˈe.ma/ Neema Yametoka /ja.meˈto.ka/ ya-me-tok-a: CL6-PERF-come.from-FV kwa /kwa/ kwa (marks a person as the source) jirani /d͡ʒiˈra.ni/ neighbour.CL9 yetu /ˈje.tu/ our.CL9.POSS Mzee /m̩ˈze.e/ elder.CL1 (title of respect) Salimu /saˈli.mu/ Salimu (a name)
29.30a Peter Peter Asante thank-you kwa for makaribisho welcome yenu your Kutoka from Nairobi Nairobi hadi until hapa here kwenu your-home safari journey yote all ilikuwa it-was nzuri good
29.30b Peter /ˈpi.ta/ Peter Asante /aˈsa.nte/ thank you kwa /kwa/ for makaribisho /ma.ka.riˈbi.sho/ welcome.CL6 yenu /ˈje.nu/ your.CL6.POSS (pl) Kutoka /kuˈto.ka/ from Nairobi /na.iˈro.bi/ Nairobi hadi /ˈha.di/ until, to hapa /ˈha.pa/ here kwenu /ˈkwe.nu/ your.LOC17.POSS (pl) safari /saˈfa.ri/ journey.CL9 yote /ˈjo.te/ all.CL9 ilikuwa /i.liˈku.wa/ i-li-ku-w-a: CL9-PAST-(ku)-be-FV nzuri /ˈnzu.ri/ good.CL9
Part B: Natural Sentences
29.16 Neema: Karibu Arusha! Umetoka wapi leo? → "Welcome to Arusha! Where have you come from today?"
29.17 Peter: Nimetoka Nairobi asubuhi na mapema. → "I have come from Nairobi, very early this morning."
29.18 Neema: Pole na safari! Ulitoka Nairobi saa ngapi? → "Sorry for the journey you have had! What time did you leave Nairobi?"
29.19 Peter: Nilitoka saa kumi na moja alfajiri, na nimefika saa saba mchana. → "I left at five at dawn, and I have arrived at one in the afternoon."
29.20 Neema: Zawadi hizi zimetoka kwa nani? → "Who are these gifts from?"
29.21 Peter: Zimetoka kwa mama yangu. Anakusalimu sana. → "They are from my mother. She sends you her warm greetings."
29.22 Neema: Asante! Na barua hii pia imetoka kwake? → "Thank you! And is this letter from her too?"
29.23 Peter: Hapana, hiyo imetoka kwa Juma. Alinipa jana usiku. → "No, that one is from Juma. He gave it to me last night."
29.24 Neema: Kutoka kituoni hadi nyumbani kwetu ni dakika kumi tu kwa gari. → "From the station to our home it is only ten minutes by car."
29.25 Peter: Vizuri sana. Nina njaa; nimekula mkate tu tangu nilipotoka Nairobi. → "Very good. I'm hungry; I have eaten only bread since I left Nairobi."
29.26 Neema: Karibu nyumbani! Harufu nzuri inatoka jikoni. → "Welcome home! A lovely smell is coming from the kitchen."
29.27 Neema: Wali huu umepikwa kwa mchele kutoka Mbeya. → "This cooked rice was made with rice from Mbeya."
29.28 Peter: Na maziwa haya yametoka wapi? → "And where has this milk come from?"
29.29 Neema: Yametoka kwa jirani yetu, Mzee Salimu. → "It has come from our neighbour, Mzee Salimu."
29.30 Peter: Asante kwa makaribisho yenu! Kutoka Nairobi hadi hapa kwenu, safari yote ilikuwa nzuri. → "Thank you for your welcome! From Nairobi to here at your home, the whole journey was good."
Part C: Target Language Only
29.16 Neema: Karibu Arusha! Umetoka wapi leo?
29.17 Peter: Nimetoka Nairobi asubuhi na mapema.
29.18 Neema: Pole na safari! Ulitoka Nairobi saa ngapi?
29.19 Peter: Nilitoka saa kumi na moja alfajiri, na nimefika saa saba mchana.
29.20 Neema: Zawadi hizi zimetoka kwa nani?
29.21 Peter: Zimetoka kwa mama yangu. Anakusalimu sana.
29.22 Neema: Asante! Na barua hii pia imetoka kwake?
29.23 Peter: Hapana, hiyo imetoka kwa Juma. Alinipa jana usiku.
29.24 Neema: Kutoka kituoni hadi nyumbani kwetu ni dakika kumi tu kwa gari.
29.25 Peter: Vizuri sana. Nina njaa; nimekula mkate tu tangu nilipotoka Nairobi.
29.26 Neema: Karibu nyumbani! Harufu nzuri inatoka jikoni.
29.27 Neema: Wali huu umepikwa kwa mchele kutoka Mbeya.
29.28 Peter: Na maziwa haya yametoka wapi?
29.29 Neema: Yametoka kwa jirani yetu, Mzee Salimu.
29.30 Peter: Asante kwa makaribisho yenu! Kutoka Nairobi hadi hapa kwenu, safari yote ilikuwa nzuri.
Part D: Grammar Notes on the Dialogue
- Three tenses of one verb. The dialogue runs through the whole of the verb: umetoka and nimetoka (29.16, 29.17), the perfect, for a journey just made; ulitoka and nilitoka (29.18, 29.19), the past, when a time is asked and given; inatoka (29.26), the present, for a smell that is coming now. - Agreement of the verb. The subject decides the prefix: zimetoka for zawadi hizi, plural (29.20, 29.21); imetoka for barua hii, singular (29.22, 29.23); yametoka for maziwa, class 6 (29.28, 29.29); inatoka for harufu, class 9 (29.26). Zawadi and barua look alike, but zawadi is plural here and barua is singular, as the demonstratives hizi and hii show. - People take kwa. In 29.20, 29.21, 29.23 and 29.29 the source is a person, and kwa stands before it: kwa nani, kwa mama yangu, kwa Juma, kwa jirani yetu. In 29.22 the person is replaced by kwake, "from her". Compare 29.27, where the place Mbeya follows kutoka directly. - Two uses of kwa side by side. In 29.27 kwa mchele means "with rice" (the material) and kutoka Mbeya means "from Mbeya" (the origin). In 29.30, kwa makaribisho means "for the welcome", and kwenu is "at your home". - kutoka ... hadi ... In 29.24 and 29.30 the sentence begins with kutoka, the start of the road, and hadi, its end: kutoka kituoni hadi nyumbani kwetu. In 29.24 the sentence is "From the station to our home is ten minutes", with ni as the verb "is". - tangu + -po-. Tangu nilipotoka Nairobi (29.25), "since I left Nairobi": tangu gives "since", and the verb nilipotoka ("when I left") gives the moment it counts from. - The Swahili clock. Saa kumi na moja alfajiri (29.19) is five o'clock at dawn, and saa saba mchana is one o'clock in the afternoon (rule 6 of Section D). - Greeting. Pole na safari (29.18) is said to a person who has just travelled, and anakusalimu (29.21) passes on a greeting. The ending -u of -salimu is part of the verb stem.
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Vowels. Five pure vowels, always the same: a /a/ (father), e /e/ (bed), i /i/ (machine), o /o/ (Spanish no), u /u/ (rule). The final -a of kutoka is always sounded. Two vowels side by side are two syllables: njaa /ˈnd͡ʒa.a/, saa /ˈsa.a/, Mzee /m̩ˈze.e/, kituoni /ki.tuˈo.ni/, mweusi /mweˈu.si/.
Stress. Always on the next-to-last syllable: ku-TO-ka, ni-na-TO-ka, a-li-ye-TO-ka, za-WA-di, ma-ka-ri-BI-sho. The preposition is a word of its own: kutoka Arusha is ku-TO-ka a-RU-sha.
Consonant spellings to know from this lesson:
- ch = /t͡ʃ/: wanacheza, mchana, mchele - j = /d͡ʒ/: Juma, jana, jioni, jikoni, jirani - sh = /ʃ/: Arusha, Moshi, kesho - ny = /ɲ/: nyumbani, nyingi, Kenya - ng = /ŋɡ/: ngapi, wengi, yangu, tangu, Uingereza - nj = /nd͡ʒ/: njaa, injini, Njoo, uwanjani - mb, nz, nd keep the nasal sound in front of the consonant: mbili, wanafunzi, Uganda, Mbeya - th = /θ/ in a few Biblical names: Nathanaeli - m before another consonant at the start of a word is its own syllable: mgeni /m̩ˈɡe.ni/, mlimani /m̩liˈma.ni/, mkate /m̩ˈka.te/, mchele /m̩ˈt͡ʃe.le/
Orthography. Swahili uses the Latin alphabet without accents; q and x are not used. kutoka is one word, and so are kwake, kwetu and kwenu; kwa stands alone before a noun (kwa mama, kwa Juma). hadi and tangu are separate words. Place names and personal names have a capital (Arusha, Nairobi, Mbeya, Salimu). Times are written with words: saa mbili asubuhi, saa kumi na moja alfajiri.
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