Swahili gloss: Chai ya Jioni

It took me weeks to finish this. I don’t speak Swahili (yet). This is an attempt to gloss a Swahili poem to practice the language. I’m studying non-Eurasian gender systems for the Proto-Galactic conlang. The numbers indicate one of the 18 noun classes in Swahili.

Wakati tunywapo chai hapa upenuni
Wakati | tu-nywa-po | chai | hapa | upenu-ni
time(11) | 1PL.SM-drink-REL.when | tea(9) | here(16) | eaves(11)-LOC
While we drink tea here on the veranda

Na kuwatazama watoto wetu
Na | ku-wa-tazam-a | wa-toto | w-etu
and | INF(15)-2.OM-look.at-FV | 2-child | 2-1PL.POSS
And watching our children

Wakicheza bembea kwa furaha
Wa-ki-chez-a | bembea | kwa | furaha
2.SM-SIT-play-FV | swing(9) | with | joy(9)
Playing on the swing with joy

Tujue kamba ya bembea yetu
Tu-ju-e | kamba | ya | bembea | y-etu
1PL.SM-know-SBJV | rope(9) | 9-ASSOC | swing(9) | 9-1PL.POSS
Let us realize that the rope of our swing

Imeshalika na imeanza kuoza
I-me-sha-l-ik-a | na | i-me-anz-a | ku-oz-a
9.SM-PRF-already-eat-STAT-FV | and | 9.SM-PRF-begin-FV | INF(15)-rot-FV
Has already worn through and begun to rot

Na bado kidogo tutaporomoka.
Na | bado | kidogo | tu-ta-poromok-a
and | still | little(7) | 1PL.SM-FUT-collapse-FV
And in a little while we will come tumbling down.

Kulikuwa na wakati ulinisukuma juu
Ku-li-kuwa | na | wakati | u-li-ni-sukum-a | juu
17.SM-PST-be | with | time(11) | 11.SM-PST-1SG.OM-push-FV | up
There was a time when it pushed me up

Nikaenda zaidi ya nusu duara;
Ni-ka-end-a | zaidi | ya | nusu | duara
1SG.SM-CONSEC-go-FV | more | 9-ASSOC | half(9) | circle(9)
And I went more than half the arc;

Kulikuwa na wakati nilikudaka
Ku-li-kuwa | na | wakati | ni-li-ku-dak-a
17.SM-PST-be | with | time(11) | 1SG.SM-PST-2SG.OM-catch-FV
There was a time I caught you

Ulipokaribia kuanguka,
U-li-po-karibi-a | ku-anguk-a
2SG.SM-PST-REL.when-approach-FV | INF(15)-fall-FV
When you were about to fall,

Na kulikuwa na wakati tulibebana kwa zamu
Na | ku-li-kuwa | na | wakati | tu-li-beb-an-a | kwa | zamu
and | 17.SM-PST-be | with | time(11) | 1PL.SM-PST-carry-RECIP-FV | by | turn(9)
And there was a time we carried one another by turns

Mmoja wima akisukuma mwingine amekaa.
M-moja | wima | a-ki-sukum-a | mw-ingine | a-me-ka-a
1-one | upright | 3SG.SM-SIT-push-FV | 1-other | 3SG.SM-PRF-sit-FV
One standing upright, pushing; the other seated.

Wakati huo, japo tulipaa mbele na nyuma
Wakati | huo | japo | tu-li-pa-a | mbele | na | nyuma
time(11) | 11.DEM | although | 1PL.SM-PST-soar-FV | front | and | back
At that time, though we soared forward and back

Tulicheka kwa matumaini yaliyotiwa chumvi
Tu-li-chek-a | kwa | matumaini | ya-li-yo-ti-w-a | chumvi
1PL.SM-PST-laugh-FV | with | hope(6) | 6.SM-PST-6.REL-put-PASS-FV | salt(9)
We laughed with hopes that had been salted (exaggerated)
(kutia chumvi, literally “to add salt” is an idiom meaning “to exaggerate.”)

Na kisha tukaongozana jikoni kupika chajio;
Na | kisha | tu-ka-ongoz-an-a | jiko-ni | ku-pik-a | chajio
and | then | 1PL.SM-CONSEC-lead-RECIP-FV | hearth(5)-LOC | INF(15)-cook-FV | dinner(7)
And then we led one another to the kitchen to cook dinner;

Ilikuwa adhuhuri yetu.
I-li-kuwa | adhuhuri | y-etu
9.SM-PST-be | noon(9) | 9-1PL.POSS
It was our noon.

Sasa tukisubiri ndoto tusizoweza kutekeleza tena
Sasa | tu-ki-subiri | ndoto | tu-si-zo-wez-a | ku-tekelez-a | tena
now | 1PL.SM-SIT-wait.for | dream(10) | 1PL.SM-NEG-10.REL-be.able-FV | INF(15)-fulfil-FV | again
Now as we await dreams we can no longer fulfill

Tumalizie machicha ya chai yetu ya jioni
Tu-maliz-i-e | machicha | ya | chai | y-etu | ya | jioni
1PL.SM-finish-APPL-SBJV | dregs(6) | 6-ASSOC | tea(9) | 9-1PL.POSS | 9-ASSOC | evening
Let us finish off the dregs of our evening tea

Bila kutematema na kwa tabasamu.
Bila | ku-tema~tema | na | kwa | tabasamu
without | INF(15)-spit~RED | and | with | smile(9)
Without spitting, and with a smile.

Baada ya hapo tujilambelambe utamuutamu
Baada | ya | hapo | tu-ji-lambe~lambe | utamu~utamu
after | ASSOC | there(16) | 1PL.SM-REFL-lick~RED.SBJV | sweetness(11)~RED
After that let us lick up the lingering sweetness

Uliobakia kwenye midomo yetu,
U-li-o-baki-a | kwenye | mi-domo | y-etu
11.SM-PST-11.REL-remain-FV | LOC | 4-lip | 4-1PL.POSS
That remained on our lips,

Tukikumbuka siku ilee ya kwanza
Tu-ki-kumbuk-a | siku | ilee | ya | kwanza
1PL.SM-SIT-remember-FV | day(9) | 9.DEM.DIST | 9-ASSOC | first
Remembering that very first day

Tulipokutana jioni chini ya mwembe
Tu-li-po-kutan-a | jioni | chini | ya | mwembe
1PL.SM-PST-REL.when-meet-FV | evening | under | ASSOC | mango.tree(3)
When we met one evening under the mango tree

Tukitafuta tawi zuri gumu
Tu-ki-tafut-a | tawi | zuri | gumu
1PL.SM-SIT-search.for-FV | branch(5) | good.5 | hard.5
Searching for a good, strong branch

La kufunga bembea yetu
La | ku-fung-a | bembea | y-etu
5.ASSOC | INF(15)-tie-FV | swing(9) | 9-1PL.POSS
For tying our swing

Naye mbwa Simba akikusubiri.
Naye | mbwa | Simba | a-ki-ku-subiri
and.3SG | dog(9→1) | Simba(NAME) | 3SG.SM-SIT-2SG.OM-wait.for
While the dog Simba waited for you.

Lakini kabla hatujaondoka kimyakimya
Lakini | kabla | ha-tu-ja-ondok-a | kimya~kimya
but | before | NEG-1PL.SM-NEG.PRF-leave-FV | silence(7)~RED
But before we quietly depart

Kukamilika nusu duara iliyobakia.
Ku-kamil-ik-a | nusu | duara | i-li-yo-baki-a
INF(15)-complete-STAT-FV | half(9) | circle(9) | 9.SM-PST-9.REL-remain-FV
To complete the half-circle that remains.

Tuhakikishe vikombe vyetu ni safi.
Tu-hakiki-sh-e | vi-kombe | vy-etu | ni | safi
1PL.SM-verify-CAUS-SBJV | 8-cup | 8-1PL.POSS | COP | clean
Let us make sure our cups are clean.