Learn Hardcore Swahili: Gesi ikivuja, tafadhali funga jiko na fungua dirisha. - If gas leaks, please turn off the stove and open the window.

ikivuja is the conditional/temporal verb form meaning “when/if it leaks.” It consists of:
• i- (class 5 subject prefix for gesi)
• -ki- (the conditional/temporal marker “when/if”)
• vuj (the verb root “leak”)
• -a (present-tense final vowel)
Altogether: i-ki-vuj-a → ikivuja.

Why not just use kama gesi inavuja or ikiwa gesi inavuja?

You can! Both Kama gesi inavuja,… and Ikiwa gesi inavuja,… mean exactly “If gas leaks,…”. Using the -ki- form (ikivuja) is simply a more concise and conversational way to express the same idea.

What’s the difference between ikivuja (using -ki-) and ikivujika (using -ka-)?

Both -ki- and -ka- can create conditional/temporal clauses:
• -ki- (as in ikivuja) often highlights an ongoing or repeated condition (“when/if it’s leaking”).
• -ka- (as in ikivujika) can focus on the occurrence of the event itself or past actions (“once it leaks”).
In everyday speech they often overlap, though -ki- is more common for present/habitual contexts.

What is tafadhali, and why is it placed here?

Tafadhali means “please.” It softens requests in imperatives and normally comes right before the verb. In this sentence it follows the conditional clause and precedes the first command:
…tafadhali funga jiko… = “…please close the stove…”

Why does funga directly take jiko without any extra marker?

In Swahili imperatives, full noun objects follow the verb directly with no object‐marker needed. You say funga jiko (“close the stove”) rather than funga li-jiko. Object markers (like ku-, ni-, etc.) are used mainly with pronouns, not full nouns.

What does na do in funga jiko na fungua dirisha?

Na is the conjunction “and.” It links the two commands:
• funga jiko = close the stove
• fungua dirisha = open the window

Why is funga used for close but fungua for open? They look so similar!

They are two separate verbs sharing the root fung-:
• kufunga → imperative funga = close/shut
• kufungua → imperative fungua = open
You need to memorize that funga closes and fungua opens.

Why is there no subject prefix before funga? How does Swahili mark the person in commands?

In affirmative singular imperatives (addressing one person), Swahili drops the subject prefix altogether and uses only the verb stem (funga, fungua). To address multiple people, you add -ni to the stem (e.g. funganeni).