Learn Hardcore Swahili: Tafadhali safisha choo mara tatu kwa wiki ili kudumisha usafi. - Please clean the toilet three times a week in order to maintain cleanliness.

The root -safi means “clean.” Adding the causative suffix -isha turns it into safisha, “to clean” (i.e. to cause something to be clean). In Swahili, causative extensions like -isha are very common.

How do you form the imperative in Swahili, as in safisha?

For affirmative singular commands, you use the verb stem plus any extensions (here the causative -isha) without any tense or subject prefixes. So kusafisha (to clean) becomes the command safisha (“clean!” or “please clean”).

What does choo mean?

Choo means toilet or latrine. Contextually it refers to the fixture you clean. (In other contexts, choo can also mean “feces.”)

What does mara tatu kwa wiki mean?

mara = “times”
tatu = “three”
kwa = “per” (in this frequency construction)
wiki = “week”
So mara tatu kwa wiki = three times a week.

Can you say kila wiki instead of kwa wiki?

Kila wiki means “every week” (once per week). To express “three times a week,” you need mara tatu kwa wiki. You could also say kila wiki mara tatu, but mara tatu kwa wiki is the most standard.

What is the role of ili in this sentence?

Ili introduces a purpose clause, equivalent to English in order to. Whatever follows is an infinitive explaining the goal of the action.

Why is the verb kudumisha used after ili?

The root -dumu means “to last” or “to remain.”
Adding the causative extension -isha gives dumisha, “to maintain.”
As an infinitive it takes the prefix ku-, so kudumisha = “to maintain.”
Thus ili kudumisha usafi means “in order to maintain cleanliness.”

Why does kudumisha start with ku-?

All Swahili infinitives are marked by the prefix ku-. Here ku- + dumisha = kudumisha (“to maintain”).

What does usafi mean?

Usafi is an abstract noun (noun class 15/17) meaning cleanliness or hygiene. The u- prefix marks the noun class for many abstract or quality-related words.

Why is there no subject pronoun in Tafadhali safisha choo…?

Imperative sentences in Swahili generally omit the subject pronoun. The verb form itself (here safisha) tells you it’s a command directed at “you.”

How would you address multiple people, or refer to cleaning multiple toilets?

For multiple people: add -eni to the verb → Tafadhali safisheni choo (“please you all clean the toilet”).
For multiple toilets: change choo (class 7 singular) to vyoo (class 8 plural):
Tafadhali safisheni vyoo mara tatu kwa wiki ili kudumisha usafi.