Acha tushirikiane kusafisha jikoni.

Let’s cooperate in cleaning the kitchen.

Breakdown of Acha tushirikiane kusafisha jikoni.

• kusafisha: to clean
• kushirikiana: to cooperate
• acha: to let
• jikoni: the kitchen

Questions & Answers about Acha tushirikiane kusafisha jikoni.

What does Acha mean in this sentence, and can I replace it with Hebu?

Acha is the imperative of kuacha (“to stop/allow”) used here to urge or invite a group into action—much like “let’s…” in English. You could also say Hebu tufanye… (“let’s just do…”), but acha adds a stronger sense of “come on, let’s get started.”

Why is tushirikiane used, and how is it formed?

Tushirikiane means “let us cooperate/work together.” It’s the first-person-plural hortative, built as:
• tu- (we)
• shirik (root: share/cooperate)
• -ish- (causative extension: “make/share”)
• -an- (reciprocal extension: “with each other”)
• -e (subjunctive ending: “let us”)

Why is kusafisha in the infinitive form rather than a normal verb form?

After a hortative like tushirikiane, Swahili often uses an infinitive (ku- + verb) to express purpose: “to clean.” So kusafisha means “to make clean,” mirroring English “let’s work together to clean.”

What exactly does safisha mean, and how is it different from osha?

Safisha is the causative of safi (“clean”), so it means “make (something) clean” or “tidy up.” Osha means “wash” (usually with water). Thus:
• kusafisha jikoni = to clean/tidy up the kitchen
• kuosha vyombo jikoni = to wash dishes in the kitchen

What is jikoni, and does it change for singular or plural?

Jikoni simply means “kitchen.” It’s treated as a standalone noun here (no extra suffix). If you really needed a plural, you’d say majikoni, but that’s rare.

Can I omit Acha and just say Tushirikiane kusafisha jikoni?

Yes. Tushirikiane kusafisha jikoni still means “let’s work together to clean the kitchen.” Adding acha simply makes it more of a “come on, let’s get going” invitation.

How would I rephrase this using ili (“so that”)?

You can say:
Acha tushirikiane ili tusafishe jikoni.
Here ili introduces a purpose clause (“so that”), and tusafishe is the subjunctive of safisha.