Class 17: A General Area or Direction (ku-)

01

The Existential kuna

The most frequent word in the whole class is kuna, which says that something is present without saying exactly where.

• Kuna samaki wengi baharini.

  There are many fish in the sea.

• ku- the class 17 subject, a place in general
• -na has, with

The ku- at the front is a place subject with no particular place in mind, which is why English has to supply a meaningless there to translate it.

• Kuna mawingu mengi meupe angani.

  There are many white clouds in the sky.

• Leo kuna unyevu na joto kiasi.

  Today it is somewhat humid and hot.

02

An Empty Subject

When a verb has no particular subject, class 17 ku- fills the slot, much as English fills it with an empty it.

• Kumeshapita wakati. Lazima niende.

  Time has already passed. I must go.

The ku- of kumeshapita agrees with no noun at all: wakati time is class 11 and would take u-.

03

kule and huku

• huku - around here, in this general area
• huko - there, in that area already mentioned
• kule - over there, yonder

• Je, yule kijana kule ni mumeo?

  Is that young man over there your husband?

kule waves at a direction. Had the speaker meant one exact spot they would have said pale instead.

04

Somebody's Place

People never take the -ni place ending, so at someone's house is built with kwa, the linking word of this class.

• Nilikwenda kwake jana jioni kunywa chai.

  I went to his place yesterday evening to drink tea.

05

Direction of Travel

Class 17 also covers a direction, which is why its pointing words so often go with movement.

• Njoo huku.

  Come over here.

• Wanakwenda kule.

  They are going over there.

06

kwa: The Busiest Word in the Class

The class 17 linking word kwa has spread far beyond places. It marks the means by which something is done, the reason for it, and the language something is said in.

• Nisamehe sana kwa usumbufu.

  I am very sorry for the trouble.

• Unasemaje "Asante" kwa Kireno?

  How do you say "thank you" in Portuguese?

• Sijakuona kwa miaka tisa!

  I have not seen you for nine years!

A reason, a language and a stretch of time are none of them places, yet all three take the place word, because kwa long ago became the general preposition of the language.

07

Where the Exact Spot Is Unknown

When a speaker cannot point, or need not, class 17 is the safe choice.

• Niko sokoni. Kuna harakati nyingi sana.

  I am at the market. There is a lot going on.