Kesho kutwa, mimi nitaona daktari.

The day after tomorrow, I will see a doctor.

Breakdown of Kesho kutwa, mimi nitaona daktari.

• mimi: I
• kuona: to see
• daktari: the doctor
• kesho kutwa: the day after tomorrow

Questions & Answers about Kesho kutwa, mimi nitaona daktari.

What is the literal and idiomatic meaning of kesho kutwa?

Kesho literally means tomorrow, kutwa means daytime or sunrise, but together they form the fixed expression the day after tomorrow.

Why can't we use kutwa by itself to mean the day after tomorrow?

On its own, kutwa usually refers to daylight or daytime. To express the day after tomorrow, Swahili uses the combination kesho kutwa. Saying just kutwa would not be understood as the day after tomorrow.

How is the future tense formed in the verb nitaona?

Future tense in Swahili is built from: • Subject prefix + -ta- tense marker
• Verb stem + final vowel
So in nitaona:
• ni- = subject prefix for I
• -ta- = future marker
• on- = verb stem see
• -a = final vowel
Combined: ni + ta + on + a = nitaona (I will see).

Is mimi necessary in mimi nitaona daktari? What role does it play?

The subject prefix ni- in nitaona already indicates I, so mimi (I) is optional. It's used for emphasis or clarity, especially in spoken Swahili. You can omit it: Kesho kutwa nitaona daktari.

Why is there no a or the before daktari? How do articles work in Swahili?

Swahili has no articles like a or the. Daktari can mean a doctor or the doctor, depending on context. If you need to specify that doctor, you can say daktari yule (that doctor).

Can the time phrase kesho kutwa be placed elsewhere in the sentence?

Yes. Swahili word order is flexible. You could say:
• Mimi kesho kutwa nitaona daktari
• Kesho kutwa mimi nitaona daktari
• Mimi nitaona daktari kesho kutwa (less common)
Starting with the time expression is most natural but not obligatory.

How do you form the negative of this sentence: I will not see a doctor the day after tomorrow?

The negative future uses subject prefix si-, the tense marker -ta-, the verb stem, and the final vowel changes to -i.
So for "I will not see": si + ta + on + i = sitataona.
Full sentence: Kesho kutwa sitataona daktari
(Or Kesho kutwa mimi sitataona daktari if you include mimi.)

How do you ask Will you see a doctor the day after tomorrow in Swahili?

Replace the subject prefix ni- with u- (you) and add a question intonation or je at the start. For example:
• Kesho kutwa utaona daktari?
• Je kesho kutwa utaona daktari?
You can also add wewe for emphasis: Wewe kesho kutwa utaona daktari?