Learn Hardcore Swahili: Watoto wanapendana; wanacheza katika kiwanja cha shule kila mchana. - The children love one another; they play in the school field every afternoon.

wa- : class 2 subject prefix (“they” for watoto)
-na- : present-tense/aspect marker
penda : verb root “love/like”
-ana : reciprocal suffix (“each other”)
Literally, wanapendana means “they love each other.”

How does wanapenda differ from wanapendana?

wanapenda = wa-
- -na-
  - penda → “they love/like [an object or person],” not necessarily mutual.
wanapendana adds -ana → “they love one another.”
Use wanapenda when there’s a direct object (e.g. wanapenda muziki “they like music”) and wanapendana when two or more subjects act on each other.

Why is there no space between wa, -na-, and pendana in wanapendana?

Swahili verbs attach all their prefixes and suffixes directly to the root. The sequence wa- + na- + penda + -ana is written as one word, wanapendana, rather than separate parts.

What role does the suffix -ana play in verbs like wanapendana?

The suffix -ana is the reciprocal marker. It turns a simple transitive verb (“love/like”) into a mutual action (“love each other”). Without -ana, penda is one-way; with -ana, the action is shared by the subjects.

In Watoto wanapendana; wanacheza katika kiwanja cha shule kila mchana, why is watoto repeated before wanacheza when the prefix wa- already marks the subject?

Swahili often repeats the noun subject for clarity or emphasis. You have both:

the noun watoto (“children”)
the prefix wa- on the verb
It’s perfectly grammatical to say just wanacheza, but Watoto wanacheza makes the sentence extra clear.

Can you break down kiwanja cha shule and explain why cha is used instead of ya?

kiwanja : “playground/open space” (class 7; prefix ki-)
cha : genitive connector for class 7 (“of”)
shule : “school”
Hence kiwanja cha shule = “school playground”. Class 7 nouns take cha in “of” constructions, whereas class 9/10 nouns would take ya.

What does kila mchana mean, and can mchana mean both “afternoon” and “daytime”?

kila = “every/each”
mchana = “afternoon” (often “daytime” in broader contexts)
Together kila mchana = “every afternoon.” If you meant “every day,” you’d use kila siku.

Why is katika used in wanacheza katika kiwanja cha shule, and could you use another preposition?

katika is a general locative preposition meaning “in/inside/at.”
You can also say kwenye: wanacheza kwenye kiwanja cha shule.
Both are common; kwenye is slightly more colloquial, but both mean “play in/at the schoolyard.”

What tense and aspect does wanacheza convey in this sentence?

wanacheza = wa- (class 2 subject) + -na- (present) + cheza (play). The -na- form covers both habitual actions (“they play regularly”) and ongoing actions (“they are playing”). Here, with kila mchana, it’s understood as a habitual action: “they play every afternoon.”

In written Swahili, is it acceptable to replace the semicolon with other punctuation between the two clauses?

Yes. Swahili follows general punctuation rules:

A comma can join closely related clauses: Watoto wanapendana, wanacheza...
A period can separate them: Watoto wanapendana. Wanacheza...
A semicolon simply gives a stronger pause; all are stylistic choices.