There Is the Fact That

Level 5

Kuna kwamba literally translates to "there is that." It is a translation artifact (or calque) sometimes found in translated written Swahili to introduce an additional fact, rather than a natural Swahili expression.

How It Works

In natural Swahili, speakers and writers must use a noun to introduce a clausal fact. Common and natural collocations include kuna ukweli kwamba (there is the truth that), kuna uwezekano kwamba (there is a possibility that), kuna madai kwamba (there are claims that), kuna tetesi kwamba (there are rumors that), and kuna ushahidi kwamba (there is evidence that).

However, in some translated texts, the noun is incorrectly omitted to mirror English phrasing, resulting in the unnatural kuna kwamba.

  • Structure: Kuna kwamba + [Complete Declarative Clause]
  • Warning: Learners should explicitly avoid using this pattern in their own writing and speaking. It is widely considered poor Swahili or a direct translation error. Always use a full phrase like kuna ukweli kwamba instead.

Compare this with ni kwamba (the fact is that / it is that), which is a grammatically correct way to equate a subject to a clause.

Examples (4)

  1. Aidha, kuna kwamba mwanandoa huyu ana mwanamke mwingine huko Afrika Kusini.

    Furthermore, there is the fact that this spouse has another woman in South Africa.

    Word by Word: Furthermore, there-is that spouse this has woman another there Africa South.

    Attested in a literature study guide, showing its use to append a serious point to an ongoing analysis. To make this natural, it should be corrected to include a noun: Aidha, kuna ukweli kwamba... (there is the truth that) or use ni kwamba.

  2. Miongoni mwa matokeo ya majaribio, kuna kwamba tungamo la atomu ya oksijeni ilikuwa mara 16 zaidi.

    Among the results of the experiments, there is the fact that the mass of the oxygen atom was 16 times greater.

    Word by Word: Among of results of experiments, there-is that mass of atom of oxygen was times 16 more.

    Shows usage in academic or translated prose to state a scientific finding as an existing fact. A better, natural phrasing would be: ...kuna ushahidi kwamba... (there is evidence that).

  3. Pia kuna kwamba Israel imetambua uhaba wa maji.

    There is also the fact that Israel has recognized the water shortage.

    Word by Word: Also there-is that Israel has-recognized shortage of water.

    A formal statement from a government publication adding a factor to a broader discussion. This should be corrected to: Pia kuna ukweli kwamba... or Pia ni kwamba...

  4. Licha ya changamoto hizo, kuna kwamba uchumi unaendelea kukua.

    Despite those challenges, there is the fact that the economy continues to grow.

    Word by Word: Despite of challenges those, there-is that economy continues to-grow.

    Demonstrates how it introduces a contrasting or additional fact in formal discourse. A natural correction is: ...kuna madai kwamba... (there are claims that) or ...kuna ukweli kwamba...

Common Mistakes

  • Overusing 'kuna kwamba' in spoken Swahili as a direct translation of 'there is the fact that.'

    Nilichelewa, na pia kuna kwamba gari langu liliharibika.
    Nilichelewa, na pia kuna ukweli kwamba gari langu liliharibika.

    In spoken Swahili, 'kuna kwamba' sounds unnatural, incomplete, or like a stutter. Native speakers prefer to insert a noun like 'ukweli' (truth), 'jambo' (issue), or 'uwezekano' (possibility) before 'kwamba' to sound natural.

How It Connects

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

There Is the Fact ThatLevel 5

Learn This First

To understand 'presentative kuna kwamba', a learner must first be comfortable with the existential use of 'kuna' (there is/are) and how 'kwamba' functions as a complementizer to introduce a statement or fact.

Words in This Pattern

kwamba