Learn Hardcore Swahili: Ningekuwa na siagi ya kutosha, ningeoka mandazi matamu kwa Jumapili. - If I had enough butter, I would bake sweet doughnuts for Sunday.

The -nge- segment is the irrealis or conditional marker. You form a conditional (“would…”) by inserting -nge- between the subject prefix and the verb root. For example:
• ni- (1 sg subject) + -nge- (conditional) + kuwa (to be) → ningekuwa (“I would be”)
• ni- + -nge- + oka (to bake) → ningeoka (“I would bake”)

Why is the subject prefix ni- repeated on both ningekuwa and ningeoka?

In Swahili each independent verb must carry its own subject prefix. Since there are two verbs here—kuwa (“to be”) in the if-clause and oka (“to bake”) in the main clause—each gets the 1 sg prefix ni-.

Why is there no kama or ikiwa at the start of the conditional clause?

Once you use the -nge- conditional marker on a verb, you don’t need an “if” word (like kama or ikiwa). The hypothetical meaning is already clear. Adding kama is optional; it’s simply more explicit but not required.

How do you express “to have” as in “if I had enough butter” in Swahili?

Swahili expresses possession with the construction kuwa na (“to be with”). In ningekuwa na siagi y a kutosha, na links kuwa (“to be”) with siagi (“butter”), so literally “I would be with butter,” i.e. “I would have butter.”

What does siagi ya kutosha literally mean, and why is ya used?

siagi is noun class 9 (“butter”).
For class 9, the possessive concord is ya.
kutosha is a verbal noun meaning “to suffice” or “enough.”
Putting them together, siagi ya kutosha literally reads “butter of enough,” i.e. “enough butter.”

Is kutosha a verb or a noun here?

Here kutosha is a verbal noun (the infinitive form of tosha, “to suffice”). It acts like a noun meaning “sufficiency” or “enough.”

Why are mandazi and matamu both plural, and not mtamu?

mandazi is treated as a plural noun in noun class 6 (mass or paired items).
Adjectives must agree with the noun’s class and number.
The class 6 plural adjective for “tasty” is matamu.
Using mtamu would be the class 3 singular form, which doesn’t match mandazi.

What is the role of kwa Jumapili, and could you omit kwa?

kwa Jumapili means “for Sunday,” indicating the deadline or occasion.
You could say Jumapili alone to mean “on Sunday,” but kwa adds a sense of “for” or “by” (e.g. “in time for Sunday”).

Could you begin the sentence with Kama (if), as in Kama ningekuwa na siagi…? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, you can start with Kama:
Kama ningekuwa na siagi ya kutosha, ningeoka mandazi matamu kwa Jumapili.
It doesn’t change the sense—kama simply makes the “if” explicit, while the -nge- marker already shows the conditional.

What’s the difference between nilikuwa and ningekuwa?

nilikuwa uses the past tense marker -li- and means “I was.”
ningekuwa uses -nge- and expresses “I would be” (a hypothetical or unreal situation).