bila

Without with Bila

Level 1

The preposition bila means "without." It is used to show that an action happens in the absence of something else, or that a condition exists without a certain thing.

How It Works

In Swahili, bila is a very common preposition used to express the lack or absence of something.

1. Using bila with Nouns
When you want to say "without [noun]," simply place bila right before the noun.

  • bila maji (without water)
  • bila shaka (without a doubt)

2. Using bila with Verbs
To say "without doing [action]," you must use bila followed by the verb in its infinitive form (starting with ku- or kw-). The infinitive acts like a verbal noun.

  • bila kuchelewa (without being late)
  • bila kujua (without knowing)

3. Using bila with Pronouns
To say "without me," "without you," etc., you can use bila followed directly by an independent pronoun (like mimi, wewe, or yeye).

  • bila mimi (without me)
  • bila wao (without them)

4. Bila vs. Bila ya
You can optionally add the associative marker ya after bila (making it bila ya). This does not change the meaning at all. Bila ya shaka and bila shaka mean the exact same thing. However, when using bila ya with pronouns, it combines to form a possessive word (e.g., bila + ya + mimi becomes bila yangu for "without me", and bila yako for "without you"). Bila is standard for everyday speech, while bila ya can sound a bit more formal or literary.

Important Note: Bila is a preposition, not a verb negator. It describes how an action is performed, rather than negating the main verb of the sentence.

Examples (4)

  1. Kumeza dawa bila maji ni hatari.

    Swallowing medicine without water is dangerous.

    Word by Word: To swallow medicine without water is dangerous.

    Here, bila attaches directly to the noun maji (water).

  2. Sisi tunajaribu kujibu bila kukosea wakati wa mtihani.

    We try to answer without making a mistake during the exam.

    Word by Word: We we-are-trying to-answer without to-make-mistake time of exam.

    Bila is followed by the infinitive verb kukosea (to make a mistake).

  3. Tafadhali usioke keki bila kufunika sufuria.

    Please do not bake the cake without covering the pan.

    Word by Word: Please you-should-not-bake cake without to-cover pan.

    Notice that the verb after bila must be in the infinitive form (kufunika).

  4. Aliondoka bila ya kusema kwaheri.

    He left without saying goodbye.

    Word by Word: He-left without of to-say goodbye.

    This example uses the slightly more formal bila ya before the infinitive verb.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a conjugated verb instead of the infinitive after bila.

    Aliondoka bila anajua.
    Aliondoka bila kujua.

    In English, we can say "without him knowing," which tempts learners to use a conjugated verb (like anajua). In Swahili, bila must be followed by the infinitive form (kujua).

  • Using 'kufanya bila' for 'to do without'.

    Different MeaningNinaweza kufanya bila simu yangu.
    Ninaweza kukaa bila simu yangu.

    Ninaweza kufanya bila simu yangu is a good sentence, but it means "I can do (it) without my phone". To say "I can manage without my phone", use a verb like kukaa (to stay) or kuvumilia (to endure) with bila.

How It Connects

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bilaLevel 1Without with Bila

Learn This First

To use 'bila' (without), you need to understand how to follow it with either a noun or a verb in its infinitive form (ku-). Familiarity with the noun class system helps in identifying the objects that follow 'bila', while the ku- infinitive is necessary for expressing the absence of an action.

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bila