Learn Hardcore Swahili: Ukiona dalili nyingine, tafadhali nenda kituo cha afya haraka. - If you see another symptom, please go to the health station quickly.

Ukiona is a conditional‐temporal form meaning “if/when you see.” It comes from the verb -ona (“to see”) with:
• u-: you-singular subject prefix
• ki-: conditional/relativizer marker
• -ona: verb stem “see”
So u + ki + ona = “when/if you (u) see (ona).”

Why is the verb nenda used here instead of a different form like enda or naenda?

nenda is the affirmative imperative for “you (singular) go.” In Swahili:
• The plain stem -enda means “to go.”
• Imperative for 2nd-person singular adds no subject prefix but may change the initial vowel e → ne, giving nenda.
• naenda would be present‐tense “I am going.”
Thus nenda correctly tells “you go.”

What role does tafadhali play in the sentence?

tafadhali means “please.” It’s a politeness marker placed before or after a command. Here it softens the instruction:
“tafadhali nenda…” = “please go.”

Why do we say kituo cha afya and not kituo ya afya?

Swahili uses noun-class concord to link a noun to its qualifier.
• kituo (“station/center”) is class 7 (ki-/vi-).
• The genitive/linking marker for singular class 7 is -cha.
• afya (“health”) remains unchanged.
So kituo cha afya = “center of health” = “health center.”

Why is the adjective ngine placed after dalili, and why is it ngine instead of some other form?

ngine means “other” and follows the noun it modifies (Swahili adjectives usually come after).
• dalili (“symptoms”) is class 9/10.
• The adjective “other” for class 9/10 is ngine (no additional prefix).
Hence dalili nyingine = “other symptoms.”

What function does haraka serve at the end of the sentence?

haraka means “quickly,” “in a hurry.” Here it’s an adverb modifying the command “go,” telling the listener to go to the health center without delay.
So nenda kituo cha afya haraka = “go to the health center quickly.”