17 Comments
I think it would more likely be "tunatunza miparachichi" or "we are caring for the avocado trees", referring to watering, weeding, applying fertilizer, and things like that.
Well sure, you can be reasonable about it, but I'm going to picture cute little avocado babies wrapped in swaddling blankets. (:
Trees and plants are in the m-/mi- class
parachichi = avocado (fruit)
maparachichi = avocados (fruit)
mparachichi = avocado tree
miparachichi = avocado trees
embe = mango (fruit)
maembe = mangoes (fruit)
mwembe = mango tree
miembe = mango trees
chungwa = orange (fruit)
machungwa = oranges (fruit)
mchungwa = orange tree
michungwa = orange trees
zabibu = grape(s) (fruit)
mzabibu = grape vine
mizabibu = grape vines
nazi = coconut(s) (fruit)
mnazi = coconut palm / coconut tree
minazi = coconut palms / trees
tangawizi = ginger (root vegetable/spice)
mtangawizi = ginger plant
mitangawizi = ginger plants
zeituni = olive(s)
mzeituni = olive tree
mizeituni = olive trees
Exception:
ndizi = banana(s)
mgomba = banana plant
migomba = banana plant
I'd only use "raising" for children, "rearing" for animals and "growing" for crops.
54
Couldn't this be "growing" avocados? This "caring" business burdens me with guilt. We cut our avocado tree a few years back. Now, the sentence is making me feel like a bad person.
