"Simu imeharibika"

Translation: The phone is broken

[vtopphol]

What's the difference between vunjika and haribika?

[the3lusive]

Vunjika is like when an object is physically broken in two and haribika is something that has been corrupted.
E.g: kompyuta ime vunjika (means the computer is broken into pieces).
Kompyuta ime haribika (means that something inside it like the software is broken)

[LindaPasza]

haribika also means destroyed or ruined.

[Theo_Bromin]

So according to the notes there is no difference between "the phone is broken" and "the phone has broken down"?

[Gazelle1596]

"The phone is broken." can only be formed by the -me- past tense. Therefore literally "The phone has/had been put in the state of breaking.", so "The phone has been broken."
A phone that has been broken is broken now.
So yes. :)

[Gzeebzee]

Phasal verb such as "break down" and compound verbs are very common in English and other indo-european languages, in many cases they may translate word for word between languages in the group because the origin is from an older common root. Eg "overnight-över natten-ubernacht-..." although I don't think this is the case with "broken down"? Swahili is Bantu, phasal verbs are not going to translate word for word unless the phasal verb is loaned from another language.

[Ben837613]

What is the difference between has been broken and is broken in this context, please?

[Gazelle1596]

In Swahili, there is no separate grammar/distinction for those two.
Generally, you would always translate it as "is broken" as something that has been broken is now in the state of being broken - this applies to a couple more words. (like sit = have sat down or stand = have stood up)

[vtopphol]

Some forms are also much more common in the -me- form than other forms, as nimechoka -> I have become tired -> I am tired. You wouldn't find the forms ninachoka - I am becoming tired, or tuchoke - let's get tired.

[EdwardThor2]

Doesn't accept "telephone."
I add my voice to the chorus of those who complain that they would like more time to learn Swahili, and spend less time trying to figure out what Duolingo will accept.

[Gazelle1596]

And I'll add my voice to the chorus that it is still in beta, there are other resources out there for complementation and you could either wait til it is complete or help out practically if it really annoys you so much (sorry, I'm annoyed with all the complaints on here, as well) - then you would see more comments where people put recommendations on how to get around it and report etc.