Learn Hardcore Swahili: Chanjo mpya itakuwezesha kuwa na uhakika wa afya yako wakati wa safari. - The new vaccine will allow you to have certainty about your health during the trip.

itakuwezesha =
• i- : subject marker for chanjo (class 9 noun)
• -ta- : future tense marker (“will”)
• -ku- : object marker “you”
• wezesha : verb root “enable” (causative of weza, “be able”)

Why is mpya placed after chanjo, not before it?

In Swahili, adjectives normally follow the noun they describe. So chanjo mpya is literally “vaccine new.”

What does kuwa na uhakika mean, and how is it structured?

Literally “to be with certainty”:
• kuwa = “to be”
• na = “with”
• uhakika = “certainty” or “assurance”

Why do we use wa in uhakika wa afya yako instead of ya?

The connector wa shows “of” or possession between two nouns. Here it links uhakika (“certainty”) to afya (“health”). The choice of wa vs. ya depends on noun classes and initial letters; uhakika takes wa.

Why is yako at the end of afya yako, not before?

Possessive pronouns in Swahili follow the noun. So afya yako means “your health.”

What does wakati wa safari mean, and why is wa used again?

• wakati = “time” or “when”
• wa = genitive connector “of”
• safari = “trip/journey”
Together wakati wa safari = “the time of the trip,” i.e. “during the journey.”

Can I use a verb form like unaposafiri instead of wakati wa safari to say “while traveling”?

Yes. unaposafiri = “when you travel.” You could say:
Chanjo mpya itakuwezesha kuwa na uhakika wa afya yako unaposafiri.

Is there a shorter way to say “during the journey” using a locative suffix?

Yes. Use the locative -ni on safari: safarini = “on/at the trip.”
E.g. …uhakika wa afya yako safarini.

How would you change itakuwezesha if you wanted to say “will enable us” or “will enable them”?

Replace the object marker -ku- (“you”) with:
• -tu- for “us”: itatuwezesha (i-ta-tu-wezesha)
• -wa- for “them”: itawawezesha (i-ta-wa-wezesha)