Learn Hardcore Swahili: Wakulima wanatumia mbegu bora kuzalisha mahindi mengi. - Farmers use good seeds to produce a lot of maize.

mkulima (‘farmer’) belongs to noun class 1 (singular). To form the plural, class 1’s prefix m- is replaced by class 2’s prefix wa-, giving wakulima (‘farmers’). So wakulima is noun class 2.

What are the components of the verb wanatumia, and what tense does it express?

wanatumia breaks down as:

wa- (subject prefix for class 2 “they”)
-na- (present tense marker)
-tumia (verb root “use”)
Together, wanatumia means “they use” in the present tense (covering both simple present and present continuous).

Why is kuzalisha in the infinitive form (with ku-) rather than conjugated like wanazalisha?

Using the infinitive kuzalisha (“to produce”) after wanatumia expresses purpose: “they use … in order to produce.” In Swahili you attach the infinitive (prefix ku- + root) directly after an action verb to show “for the purpose of.” If you said wanazalisha, it would simply mean “they produce,” not “they use … to produce.”

What noun class is mbegu, and how do you know it’s plural here? Why doesn’t it change form?

mbegu (“seed/seeds”) belongs to noun class 9/10. Class 9/10 nouns typically have no distinct singular vs. plural prefix, so the form stays mbegu in both. You know it’s plural (“seeds”) from context (farmers use seeds, not one seed) and verb agreement—but if you needed “one seed,” you’d say mbegu moja, and “many seeds” could be mbegu nyingi.

Why is the adjective bora used without any prefix, and how do adjectives agree with nouns in Swahili?

Most Swahili adjectives take a noun-class prefix to agree with the noun (e.g. mtoto mzuri, watoto wazuri). However, some adjectives are invariable—they never take a prefix—and bora (“excellent, high-quality”) is one of them. Even though mbegu is class 9/10 (which normally has no prefix on adjectives), bora stays unchanged.

Why is the plural of mhindi mahindi, and what noun class is that?

mhindi (“maize ear”) is class 5 singular with prefix m-. Its plural is class 6, which uses prefix ma-, giving mahindi (“maize ears” or plural “maize”). So mahindi is noun class 6.

How does the adjective mengi agree with mahindi, and why isn’t it wengi?

Swahili has two words for “many”:

wengi used with people (class 2), e.g. wanafunzi wengi
mengi used with non-human plurals (classes 4, 6, 10, etc.), e.g. mahindi mengi
Since mahindi is non-human class 6, you use mengi, not wengi.

What is the literal word order of this sentence, and how would you translate it word-for-word into English?

The structure is:
Subject – Verb – Object – Infinitive – Object (of the infinitive)

Wakulima / wanatumia / mbegu bora / kuzalisha / mahindi mengi.

Literally: “Farmers use good seeds to produce maize many.” A smooth English translation is “Farmers use high-quality seeds to produce a lot of maize.”

What nuance does the present tense marker -na- carry in Swahili, and how does it compare to English simple present vs. present continuous?

The -na- marker covers both English simple present (“they use”) and present continuous (“they are using”). Swahili doesn’t distinguish continuous vs. habitual in the verb form; wanatumia can mean “they use regularly” or “they are using right now,” depending on context. In this sentence it conveys a general or habitual action.