maadamu

Provided That

Level 4

Maadamu is a conjunction used to say "provided that," "as long as," or "since." It sets a condition or premise for the main action.

How It Works

Maadamu is placed at the beginning of a dependent clause, which can come before or after the main clause.

Choosing the Right Mood:

  • Indicative Mood: Use regular tenses (like -na- or -me-) for factual, ongoing, or completed states. (e.g., Maadamu unaendelea... = As long as you are continuing...)
  • Subjunctive Mood: Use the subjunctive (ending in -e) for hypothetical, future, or desired conditions. (e.g., Maadamu uendelee... = Provided that you continue...)

Common Confusion:
Learners often confuse maadamu with kama or ikiwa (if). Remember that maadamu carries a stronger sense of duration ("while") or cause ("since"). Do not use ili tu (so that only) when you mean "provided that."

Examples (4)

  1. Maadamu umefika, tutaanza mkutano.

    Since you have arrived, we will start the meeting.

    Word by Word: Provided-that you-have-arrived, we-will-start meeting.

    Uses the indicative -me- tense because the arrival is an established fact.

  2. Wao wanaridhika maadamu tu wanahisi wakiwa salama.

    They are satisfied provided they feel secure.

    Word by Word: They they-are-satisfied provided-that only they-feel being safe.

    Shows the common collocation with 'tu' (only/just) for an ongoing state.

  3. Maadamu mtandao haukatiki, tutaweza kupakua video.

    As long as the internet doesn't disconnect, we will be able to download the video.

    Word by Word: Provided-that internet it-does-not-disconnect, we-will-be-able to-download video.

    Demonstrates an ongoing condition required for a future action.

  4. Unaweza kwenda kucheza maadamu umalize kazi yako kwanza.

    You can go play provided that you finish your work first.

    Word by Word: You-can to-go to-play provided-that you-finish work your first.

    Uses the subjunctive (-e) because finishing the work is a required future condition.

Common Mistakes

  • Always forcing the subjunctive mood after maadamu.

    Maadamu uendelee vizuri, sina shida.
    Maadamu unaendelea vizuri, sina shida.

    If the condition is a real, ongoing fact ("as long as you are doing well"), use the indicative mood (like the -na- tense), not the subjunctive.

  • Using 'ili tu' when you mean 'provided that'.

    Different MeaningNitakusaidia ili tu unilipe.
    Nitakusaidia maadamu tu unilipe.

    'Nitakusaidia ili tu unilipe' is a good sentence, but ili expresses purpose: 'I will help you only so that you pay me'. Maadamu expresses a condition ("provided that").

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

maadamuLevel 4Provided That

Learn This First

To understand 'maadamu', a learner needs to be comfortable with basic Swahili sentence structure and the concept of conditional clauses. It is used to introduce a condition that must be met for the rest of the sentence to be true, similar to 'if' or 'since'.

Words in This Pattern

maadamu