Wanafunzi wengine walipendekeza tufanye kikao cha maswali na majibu, ili kila mtu asikose uelewa.

In Swahili, words like -ngine often come after the noun they describe and must agree with its noun class.

• wanafunzi = students
• wengine = other / some others

So wanafunzi wengine means other students or sometimes some students, depending on context.

The form wengine matches the plural human noun class used by wanafunzi.

It can mean either, depending on context.

• other students = if you are contrasting them with a previously mentioned group
• some students = if you simply mean a number of students, but not all

So this phrase is a little flexible. A learner should be aware that wengine does not always map neatly onto just one English word.

Walipendekeza can be broken down like this:

• wa- = they
• -li- = past tense
• pendekeza = suggest / propose

So walipendekeza means they suggested.

This is a very common Swahili verb pattern:

subject prefix + tense marker + verb stem

Because after a verb like suggest, Swahili often uses the subjunctive, not the ordinary present tense.

• tu- = we
• -fany- = do / make
• -e = subjunctive ending

So tufanye means something like:

• that we do
• we should do
• let us do

By contrast, tunafanya means we are doing / we do, which states an action rather than expressing a suggestion or proposal.

Literally, it means a session of questions and answers.

Breakdown:

• kikao = session, sitting, meeting
• cha = of, for class 7 nouns
• maswali = questions
• na = and
• majibu = answers

So kikao cha maswali na majibu is a natural way to say a Q&A session.

Because cha is the possessive/linking form that agrees with kikao.

• kikao belongs to noun class 7
• the class 7 form of of is cha

So:

• kikao cha maswali = a session of questions

This agreement is very important in Swahili. The linking word changes depending on the noun class of the first noun.

Ili introduces a purpose clause. It means:

• so that
• in order that

So:

• ili kila mtu asikose uelewa = so that everyone would not lack understanding / so that no one would miss the understanding

It connects the suggested action with its purpose.

Because kila is normally used with a singular noun in Swahili.

So:

• kila mtu = each person / every person

Even though the meaning is plural in English, the grammar is singular in Swahili. That is why the following verb also behaves as singular.

Because kila mtu is grammatically singular.

Here is the structure:

• a- = he/she/one
• -si- = negative marker
• -kos- = miss / lack / fail to get
• -e = subjunctive ending

So asikose means should not lack or may not miss.

Since kila mtu means each person, Swahili treats it as singular, so asikose is correct.

Literally, it means to lack understanding.

• kosa can mean miss, lack, or fail
• uelewa means understanding, comprehension

So asikose uelewa means something like:

• so that no one lacks understanding
• so that everyone understands
• so that no one is left confused

In English, we might translate it more naturally rather than word-for-word.

Yes. In Swahili, tu- means we, and in this kind of sentence it is naturally inclusive: we all / we together.

So walipendekeza tufanye... means:

• they suggested that we do...
• they suggested we should have...

The speaker is included in the proposed action.

Yes. It has a main clause plus two dependent parts:

1. Wanafunzi wengine walipendekeza...

   • Some/other students suggested...

2. ...tufanye kikao cha maswali na majibu

   • what they suggested: that we hold a Q&A session

3. ...ili kila mtu asikose uelewa

   • the purpose: so that everyone would understand / so that no one would lack understanding

So the overall structure is:

Some students suggested [that we do X], so that [Y would happen].