Learn Hardcore Swahili: Tafadhali uweke sukari kidogo tu ili chai isiwe tamu mno. - Please put only a little sugar so the tea is not too sweet.

uweke is the 2nd person singular subjunctive form of kuweka, used here as a polite command—especially after tafadhali. The bare stem weka is the direct imperative (“put!”), while uweke (with the subject prefix u- plus the subjunctive ending -e) softens the request and sounds more courteous.

Why is kidogo placed after sukari, and what does it mean?

kidogo means “a little” or “some.” In Swahili, adjectives and quantifiers normally follow the nouns they describe. So sukari kidogo literally “sugar little” conveys “a little sugar” or “some sugar.”

What is the function of tu in kidogo tu?

tu is a limiting particle meaning “just” or “only.” When you say kidogo tu, you’re emphasizing “just a little” or “only a bit.” You could also say tu kidogo, but placing tu after the word it limits is very common.

What does ili do in this sentence?

ili is a conjunction meaning “so that” or “in order that.” It introduces a purpose clause explaining why you want only a little sugar:
“ili chai isiwe tamu mno” = “so that the tea won’t be too sweet.”

Why is the verb isiwe used here instead of a simple negative like haiwe?

After ili (a purpose marker), the verb must be in the subjunctive mood. The positive subjunctive of kuwa (“to be”) is iwe, and the negative subjunctive is isiwe (“may it not be”). haiwe would be the present‐tense negative (“it is not”), but for expressing purpose you need the subjunctive.

What is the role of mno, and can I replace it with sana?

mno is an intensifier meaning “very” or “too much,” and it follows the word it modifies (tamu mno = “too sweet”). You can indeed substitute sana (“very”) and say isiwe tamu sana; both are correct, though mno is slightly more colloquial in some areas.

Why is sukari not in plural form?

sukari is an uncountable (mass) noun in Swahili—just like “sugar” in English—so it stays singular even when you want some of it.

Can tafadhali be placed somewhere else or omitted?

Yes. tafadhali (“please”) can start the sentence (Tafadhali uweke…) or come at the end (Uweke sukari kidogo tu ili chai isiwe tamu mno, tafadhali). You can also drop it, but including it adds politeness.