Wacha tucheze mpira kesho mchana.

Let's play ball tomorrow afternoon.

Breakdown of Wacha tucheze mpira kesho mchana.

• kucheza: to play
• mpira: the ball
• wacha: to let
• kesho mchana: tomorrow afternoon

Questions & Answers about Wacha tucheze mpira kesho mchana.

What does wacha mean here, and why is it used?

wacha is the imperative form of kuacha (“to leave” or “to let”). In this context it functions like let’s, so wacha tucheze literally means let’s play.

Why is the verb after wacha in the -e form (tucheze) rather than the usual present tense (tunacheza)?

After wacha you must use the subjunctive. The subjunctive stem of -cheza is cheze, and with the tu- subject prefix it becomes tucheze.

Who is doing the playing in tucheze?

The subject is built into the verb. tu- is the first-person-plural prefix (“we”), so tucheze means (for) us to play or let’s play.

What does mpira mean in this sentence?

mpira can mean ball, football, or soccer, depending on context. Here it refers to playing football/soccer.

Why is there no article before mpira (like “the” or “a”)?

Swahili does not use articles the way English does. Nouns stand alone and take their meaning from context. Thus mpira can mean a ball, the ball, or soccer without any extra word.

What does kesho mchana mean, and why is it at the end of the sentence?

kesho means tomorrow and mchana means daytime or afternoon. Combined, kesho mchana = tomorrow afternoon. Time phrases typically come at the end in Swahili.

Could you say mchana kesho instead of kesho mchana?

Although understandable, kesho mchana is the idiomatic order. Swahili generally places the main time word (kesho) before the qualifier (mchana).

Can you drop wacha and just say tucheze mpira kesho mchana?

Yes, but without wacha it reads as a statement (“we will play soccer tomorrow afternoon”) rather than a suggestion (“let’s play soccer tomorrow afternoon”).

What’s the difference between acha and wacha? They look similar.

acha is the infinitive “to leave/stop.” wacha is its imperative form used for commands or suggestions (“let [something]…,” “stop…”). In casual speech wacha is far more common for “let’s…” or “stop…” commands.