"We start work at seven thirty exactly"

Translation: Tunaanza kazi saa moja na nusu kamili

[KellyJenni10]

Could someone break down this sentence for me? I get the "tunaanza kazi" part, but how does "saa moja na nusu kamili" translate as "at seven thirty exactly"?

[AGreatUserName]

saa = hour
moja = one (seven o'clock = saa moja, eight o'clock = saa mbili etc.)
na = and
nusu = half
kamili = perfectly/exactly

In Swahili, the day begins at 6:00AM, dawn. 7AM is the first hour, 8 is the second hour, 9 is the third hour. You can add or subtract 6 to work it out - my brain is more spatial, so I think of it by picturing a clock and imagining the hour hand extending backwards, pointing at the opposite side of the clock.

[Phmeza]

Thanks, this makes sense. A questions though

Does this counting go all the way to 5am the following day or is there a part in a day where it changes? (e.g in the English way, the minutes of an hour start as "past" then at 30 min they change and become "to". Is there something similar for hrs of a Swahili day?)

[t_chak]

If i'm correct you do the whole saa moja etc thing from 7am to 6pm (saa kumi na mbili) then start again at 7pm with saa moja. but to differentiate you say saa moja asubuhi and then saa moja jioni for AM and PM.

For the minutes within the hour thing - i believe you say "na" up to "na nusu" (half past) then you say "kasoro". E.g. ni saa tatu kasoro robo (it's quarter to 9) or ni saa tano kasoro dakika ishirini (it's twenty to 11).

[TomasBurba]

Today I'm seeing updated choices, they have "unusu" instead of "na nusu". Is this version popular among speakers?

[Katie105911]

I am revising this after living in Tanzania for 2 years and I've never heard this but it's possible it's a new or regional usage

[t_chak]

is sisi huanza kazi wrong? cos doesn't "hu" make it a regular thing that's done at that time? which is the vibe i get from the sentence

[Asante-Sana]

I have lived in Tanzania for a year (2019-2020) but never heard any one using "unusu", "na nusu" was I had been using... however updating my knowledge. Thank you Duo!

[TurboIntercooler]

"Tunaanza kazi..." vs "tunaanza kufanya kazi..."

[AnnetteFWilcox]

Typo! Saa moja na nusu kamili. Not "unusu"