Learn Hardcore Swahili: Kabla ya uchaguzi, kila mtu ataruhusiwa kupiga kura kwa uhuru. - Before the election, everyone will be allowed to cast a vote freely.

Kabla means “before.” In Swahili, when a preposition like kabla is followed by a noun, you insert the genitive connector ya to link them. Uchaguzi is “election,” so Kabla ya uchaguzi literally = before the election.

What does kila mtu mean and which noun class is mtu?

Kila means “each” or “every,” and mtu means “person.” Together kila mtu = everyone (every person). Mtu belongs to noun class 1 (singular), so any verb referring to mtu takes the class 1 subject prefix (which is a-).

Why does the verb begin with a- in ataruhusiwa?

Swahili verbs agree with their subjects via prefixes. Because kila mtu (“everyone”) is class 1 singular, the verb carries the class 1 subject prefix a- (he/she/it). Even though “everyone” is technically plural in English, each individual is treated as a singular class 1 noun in Swahili.

What function does the -ta- in ataruhusiwa serve?

-ta- is the future tense marker. Swahili builds tenses between the subject prefix and the verb root. Here we have: • a- (class 1 subject)
• -ta- (future)
• ruhusi (verb root)
• -wa (passive suffix)
→ a-ta-ruhusi-wa = will be allowed

How is the passive voice formed in ataruhusiwa?

To make a verb passive in Swahili, you add -wa to the root, often changing a final -a to -i first. For ruhusu (“to allow”): • Drop the final u → ruhusi
• Add -wa → ruhusiwa (“be allowed”)
Then include the subject and tense: a- + -ta- + ruhusiwa = ataruhusiwa.

Why is kupiga kura used after ataruhusiwa?

Verbs like ruhusu require the action being permitted to appear as an infinitive (a noun-like form). Swahili infinitives start with ku-. So kupiga kura = to vote, functioning as the object of “allow.”

What does kupiga kura literally mean?

• piga = “to hit/strike”
• kura = “vote”
Literally “to hit a vote,” but idiomatically kupiga kura means to vote or to cast a ballot.

What does kwa uhuru mean and why isn’t it just huru?

Uhuru is the noun “freedom.” To turn it into “freely,” Swahili uses kwa + noun = “with freedom.” Thus kwa uhuru = freely. Huru on its own is an adjective (“free” as in a free person or free item), not an adverb.

How would you express the same idea in the active voice?

You can name the agent (e.g. the government) as the subject and use the active verb ruhusu: Serikali itaruhusu kila mtu kupiga kura kwa uhuru kabla ya uchaguzi.
(“The government will allow everyone to vote freely before the election.”)

How would you change the verb prefix if the subject were explicitly plural like watu wote?

Watu is noun class 2 (plural of class 1). For class 2 subjects, the prefix is wa-. So in future passive you’d say: Kabla ya uchaguzi, watu wote wataruhusiwa kupiga kura kwa uhuru.
(Here wa- + -ta- + ruhusiwa = wataruhusiwa.)