Topic: Swahili

"Mwalimu mbaya"

Translation:Bad teacher

March 7, 2017

14 Comments

https://www.duolingo.com/Jon387886

    Mbaya = bad?

    March 7, 2017
    https://www.duolingo.com/John00625

      Yes, -baya is an adjective that means bad, you add the m because the agreement with mwalimu (m, 1st class) is to add m- to adjectives

      March 7, 2017
      https://www.duolingo.com/Yuki_Shiro

        ... with Michelle Pfeiffer

        June 27, 2017
        https://www.duolingo.com/ProfessorTim

          I am confused. In the notes for Lesson 2 of Greetings 2. It says that the M/Wa noun class works with "wa" during association but when doing the lesson, the translation for "mwalimu mbaya" is asked. Shouldn't it be walimu wabaya or something like that...

          March 11, 2017
          https://www.duolingo.com/JensBu
          Plus
          • 1529

          "walimu wabaya" is plural.

          Edit: wawalimu is not the plural despite the rule. It is walimu.

          March 15, 2017
          https://www.duolingo.com/ProfessorTim

            Okay cool. Asante sana !

            March 15, 2017
            https://www.duolingo.com/Jon387886

              I think 'walimu' is plural.

              July 3, 2017
              https://www.duolingo.com/JensBu
              Plus
              • 1529

              m- is the noun class prefix for singular and the wa- is the prefix for plural. the base word is -walimu.

              July 3, 2017
              https://www.duolingo.com/Jon387886

                Maybe I should state it more bluntly. I'm 100% sure it's 'walimu' when being plural. I'm familiar with the prefixes, but this doesn't apply here.

                July 4, 2017
                https://www.duolingo.com/JensBu
                Plus
                • 1529

                Then I will edit my initial post here. Thank you.

                July 4, 2017
                https://www.duolingo.com/Liam3.1415926535

                  Would this be "bad" as in the teacher is bad at his job, or "bad" as in the teacher is bad as a person?

                  September 27, 2017
                  https://www.duolingo.com/Wowza42

                    I think it's likely that, like in English, it is ambiguous.

                    November 28, 2017
                    https://www.duolingo.com/TyMor95

                      Why don't we have to use "-a of association" here?

                      September 2, 2017
                      https://www.duolingo.com/LukeRobloxFan

                        I don’t get it it dosen’t wotk

                        January 13, 2018

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