"Mna wanafunzi darasani"

Translation: There are students in the classroom

[Sam436290]

I thought "mna" means "you (pl) have"? Is this a case of the literal translation being "you (pl) have students in the classroom" but the meaning is more like "there are..."?

[MelleDijkstra]

I think this is a different construction. The "na" is the same thing as in "kuna/pana", etc. The "m" in front is saying something about the students. I think this is the prefix of the noun class from "wanafunzi". I might be incorrect...

[machieng]

pana, kuna, mna are locatives and their use is determined by location. They remain the same regardless of the subject

There's more discussion in the notes of the lesson, but the 'mna' is used here because it is describing an enclosed location (i.e. a classroom).

Similarly you'd say 'Mna viti darasani' or 'Mna kitabu darasani'

[Theluji]

How would you say it if it was ''there were students in the classroom''?

[machieng]

Mlikuwa na wanafunzi darasani

[Theluji]

If I understood correctly, would ''kuna/pana'' become ''(ku/pa)likuwa na''?

[machieng]

yup!

[Theluji]

Asante!