"Ninaomba"
Translation:I ask for
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Yes. It feels so weird, but the African Languages Swahili dictionary now gives the meaning of kuomba to be: 1) to ask, 2) to beg or plead, and 3) to pray! I guess it is similar to the old English in sentences like this, spoken to humans: " Show some mercy, I pray!" Only now, to pray is not the primary meaning of kuomba. Maybe I am not remembering correctly, but what I remember is expressions like, "Tutaomba kwako." We will pray for you. (kwa yako, abbreviated)
Out of interest, why?
In England we have an old saying for children which goes " 'I want' gets a clip round the ear" to point children to more polite ways of asking for something. Instead of saying "I want ", a more polite way would be: "I would like ", or "Please can I have some ___"
Is this the same in Tanzabia for 'Ninataka'?