Laundry

1. Malaya

   Clothes

   Usage

   The general word for clothes; the thing you ask to have washed

   Grammar Note

   "malaya" is a ma- class plural, so possessives and adjectives agree with gha- (malaya ghane = my clothes)

2. Nkhukhumba kuchapa malaya

   I want to wash clothes

   Usage

   Telling your host or hotel staff that you want to do laundry

   Grammar Note

   -chapa is the verb for washing clothes; nkhu- (I) + -khumba "want" is followed by a ku- infinitive. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Kasi mungachapa malaya ghane?

   Can you wash my clothes?

   Usage

   Asking a guesthouse or a laundry service to wash your clothes

   Grammar Note

   mu-nga- (you can) + -chapa "wash"; "malaya" is a ma- class noun, so "my" is "ghane". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Kasi ni ndalama zilinga kuchapa malaya?

   How much does it cost to wash clothes?

   Usage

   Asking the price of laundry before handing your clothes over

   Grammar Note

   "ndalama zilinga" plus a ku- infinitive asks the price of doing something. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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