Learn Hardcore Swahili: Juma anapendekeza tule chakula cha mboga mara mbili kwa wiki. - Juma suggests that we eat vegetarian food twice a week.

Break it down into three parts: a- (3rd person singular subject prefix, “he/she”), -na- (present tense/habitual marker), and pendekeza (verb root meaning “suggest”). Altogether anapendekeza = “he/she suggests” or “he is suggesting.”

Why does the sentence use tule instead of tunakula?

After verbs of suggestion like pendekeza, Swahili requires the subjunctive mood. tule is the 1st person plural subjunctive of kula (“to eat”), meaning “that we eat.” tunakula would be the indicative present (“we eat/are eating”), which isn’t used after suggestions.

How do you form the subjunctive mood in Swahili?

To form the subjunctive:

Drop the ku- of the infinitive.
Change the final -a to -e.
Add the appropriate subject prefix.
Example with kula (“to eat”):
I → nile, you (sing.) → ule, we → tule, he/she → ale, etc.

What is chakula cha mboga, and why is cha used instead of ya?

chakula (“food”) belongs to noun class 7 (ki-vi), so its genitive/relational connector is cha. That links it to mboga (“vegetable(s)”), forming “vegetable food” or “vegetable meal.” ya would be used for nouns in class 9 or other classes, not for class 7.

What does mara mbili kwa wiki mean, and how would you express other frequencies?

mara mbili means “two times,” kwa wiki means “per week.” Together it’s “twice a week.” Similarly:
• mara moja kwa siku = “once a day”
• mara tatu kwa mwezi = “three times a month”
• mara nne kwa mwaka = “four times a year”

What is the function of kwa in kwa wiki?

Here kwa is a preposition meaning “per” or “for” when used with units of time or measure. It marks “per week” in kwa wiki.

Why aren’t there words for “the” or “a” in this sentence?

Swahili has no definite or indefinite articles. Nouns stand alone, and context tells you whether something is “a” or “the.”