Alama ya adhabu inaonyeshwa kwenye jedwali la alama.

Literally, it is mark/score/sign of punishment/penalty.

In natural English, the best translation depends on context:

• penalty mark
• penalty point
• penalty score

The word alama is broad, so the exact English choice depends on what kind of system is being discussed.

Both ya and la mean something like of, but they change to match the noun class of the noun before them.

• alama belongs to the N class here, so you get ya
  → alama ya adhabu = penalty mark / mark of penalty
• jedwali belongs to class 5, so you get la
  → jedwali la alama = table of marks / score table

So the connector agrees with the first noun, not the second one.

That is a very common learner question, because alama often looks the same in singular and plural.

You know it is singular here because of agreement:

• ya adhabu → singular
• inaonyeshwa → singular agreement with alama

If it were plural, you would normally see:

• alama za adhabu
• zinaonyeshwa

So:

• Alama ya adhabu inaonyeshwa... = The penalty mark/point is shown...
• Alama za adhabu zinaonyeshwa... = The penalty marks/points are shown...

It can be broken down like this:

• i- = subject marker for singular alama
• -na- = present tense
• -onyesh- = verb root related to show/display
• -w- = passive marker
• -a = final vowel

So inaonyeshwa means it is shown or it is being shown.

This is a useful pattern to recognize in Swahili:

• inaonyesha = it shows / it is showing
• inaonyeshwa = it is shown / it is being shown

Because the sentence focuses on the penalty mark, not on the person or thing showing it.

English does this too:

• The penalty mark is shown on the table.

In Swahili, the passive is very common in:

• formal writing
• instructions
• system/interface language
• official descriptions

If you wanted an active version, you would need a subject that does the showing, for example:

• Mfumo unaonyesha alama ya adhabu kwenye jedwali la alama.
  = The system shows the penalty mark on the score table.

kwenye is a locative word that can mean:

• in
• on
• at

The best English choice depends on context.

So kwenye jedwali la alama could be understood as:

• in the score table
• on the score table
• on the scoreboard/chart

If you were talking about something physically resting on top of a real table, Swahili often uses juu ya for on top of. But with charts, lists, tables, and displays, kwenye is very natural.

Usually here it means a table, chart, grid, or listing, not a piece of furniture.

So jedwali la alama is most naturally:

• score table
• marks table
• points table

Context matters, but in this sentence it is very unlikely to mean a dining table or desk.

Because Swahili normally does not use articles like English a/an/the.

So Alama ya adhabu can mean:

• a penalty mark
• the penalty mark

Which one sounds best depends on context.

Swahili relies more on:

• context
• word order
• agreement
• surrounding information

than on articles.

Yes. Alama is a flexible word. Depending on context, it can mean:

• mark
• score
• grade
• sign
• symbol
• indication

That is why you should not memorize it as only one English word. In this sentence, because of adhabu and jedwali la alama, it probably means something like point, mark, or score.

Adhabu usually means:

• punishment
• penalty
• sometimes disciplinary punishment

In this sentence, the most natural English meaning is probably penalty rather than a general moral or legal punishment.

So alama ya adhabu is likely something like:

• penalty point
• penalty mark

Because Swahili verbs agree with the noun class of the subject, not with natural gender like he/she.

The subject here is alama, and that noun takes the subject marker i- in the singular.

So:

• alama inaonyeshwa = the mark is shown

By contrast:

• mtoto anaonyeshwa = the child is shown
• jedwali linaonyeshwa = the table/chart is shown

The first part of the verb changes according to the noun class of the subject.

Yes, but the original order is the most neutral and standard:

• Alama ya adhabu inaonyeshwa kwenye jedwali la alama.

This is basically:

• subject
  • verb
    • location/complement

You could move the locative phrase for emphasis:

• Kwenye jedwali la alama, alama ya adhabu inaonyeshwa.

That sounds more like:

• On the score table, the penalty mark is shown.

So the original sentence is the most ordinary, straightforward way to say it.