licha ya
Despite with Licha Ya
Licha ya is a highly frequent compound preposition in Swahili. It has three main meanings: "despite" (concessive), "besides / in addition to" (additive), and "let alone / much less" (in negative contexts). It must be followed by a noun, pronoun, or infinitive verb.
How It Works
Understanding licha ya requires paying attention to both syntax (what follows it) and context (the rest of the sentence).
Syntactic Rules:
- With Nouns/Pronouns: Licha ya matatizo... (Despite the problems...)
- With Infinitives: Licha ya kufanya kazi... (Despite working / Besides working...)
- With Clauses: You must insert a complementizer like kuwa or kwamba. Licha ya kuwa anasoma... or Licha ya kwamba anasoma... (Despite the fact that he is reading...)
Context and Meaning:
Because licha ya has multiple meanings, the surrounding clause clarifies the intent.
- If the second clause shows an unexpected result, it means "despite".
Licha ya kufika mapema, hakuweza kumwona mfalme. (Despite arriving early, he was not able to see the king.) - If the second clause adds more information (often using bali, pia, or hata), it means "besides" or "not only".
Licha ya kufika mapema, pia alileta zawadi. (Besides arriving early, he also brought a gift.) - If the first clause is negative, it often means "let alone" or "much less".
Hajui kusoma, licha ya kuandika. (He doesn't know how to read, let alone write.) Note that sembuse and seuze are also commonly used as dedicated words for "let alone" or "much less".
Comparison with other words:
Do not confuse licha ya with ingawa or ijapokuwa. While they all translate to "although/despite," ingawa and ijapokuwa are conjunctions that typically introduce clauses (though they can precede nouns or adjectives in verbless clauses, like ingawa maskini). In contrast, licha ya functions strictly as a preposition.
Examples (6)
- Licha ya mvua, alikwenda kazi.
Despite the rain, he went to work.
Word by Word: Despite of rain, he-past-go work.
Here, licha ya is followed directly by a noun (mvua) and carries the concessive meaning "despite".
- Licha ya kilio hicho, tulimtuliza haraka.
Despite that cry, we calmed him quickly.
Word by Word: Despite of cry that, we-past-him-calm quickly.
Followed by a noun phrase, showing an obstacle that was overcome.
- Licha ya kufika mapema, hakuweza kumwona mfalme.
Despite arriving early, he was not able to see the king.
Word by Word: Despite of to-arrive early, he-negative-past-can to-him-see king.
Licha ya is followed by an infinitive verb (kufika). The context of the second clause makes it clear this means "despite".
- Licha ya kuwa mgonjwa, alihudhuria mkutano.
Despite being sick, she attended the meeting.
Word by Word: Despite of to-be sick, she-past-attend meeting.
Using the infinitive kuwa (to be) to link an adjective/state to the preposition.
- Licha ya Kiswahili, anazungumza Kifaransa pia.
Besides Swahili, he also speaks French.
Word by Word: Besides of Swahili, he-present-speak French also.
Here, the presence of pia (also) in the second clause triggers the additive meaning: "besides" or "in addition to".
- Sina shilingi kumi, licha ya elfu moja.
I don't have ten shillings, let alone a thousand.
Word by Word: I-have-not shillings ten, let-alone of thousand one.
Following a negative statement, licha ya takes on the meaning of "let alone" or "much less".
Common Mistakes
Following licha ya directly with a conjugated verb.
Licha ya anasoma, hakufaulu mtihani.Licha ya kusoma, hakufaulu mtihani.Licha ya is a preposition and cannot attach to a conjugated verb like anasoma. You must use the infinitive (kusoma) or add a complementizer like kuwa (Licha ya kuwa anasoma...).
Assuming licha ya only means "despite".
Alisoma vitabu viwili licha ya kimoja.Licha ya kitabu kimoja, alisoma kingine pia.Learners often miss the additive "besides/not only" meaning. When used with words like pia or bali, it means "in addition to".
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'licha ya' (despite), you need to understand how to form infinitives using the 'ku-' prefix, as these often follow the expression. Additionally, familiarity with the associative '-a' marker (specifically the 'ya' form) and the general noun class system is necessary to correctly structure the phrase with nouns or actions.
Related Patterns
- ingawaAlthough with Ingawa
Ingawa also means "although/even though," but it is a conjunction that typically introduces a clause (or a verbless phrase), unlike the strict prepositional use of licha ya.
Level 4 - ijapokuwaAlthough with Ijapokuwa
Like ingawa, ijapokuwa is a concessive conjunction. While it often takes a conjugated verb, it can also be used in verbless clauses, contrasting with the preposition licha ya.
Level 4 - kuwa / kwambaReporting with Kuwa and Kwamba
To use licha ya with a full clause (e.g., "despite the fact that he is reading"), you must use kuwa or kwamba to connect them.
Level 4 - si tu...bali piaNot Only...But Also
This is another way to express "not only... but also," which is one of the primary functions of licha ya when used in its additive sense.
Level 4
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