Learn Hardcore Swahili: Tamasha likifadhiliwa vyema, litavutia vyombo vya habari. - If the festival is well sponsored, it will attract the media.

li- is the subject-agreement prefix for noun class 5. The noun tamasha (“festival”) belongs to class 5, so verbs that refer back to it take li- as their subject marker in both likifadhiliwa and litavutia.

Why does likifadhiliwa have -ki- between li- and the verb root?

The -ki- infix is the adverbial/temporal-conditional marker. When you attach -ki- to a verb stem you create a subordinate clause meaning “when / if ….” In this sentence, likifadhiliwa literally means “when (it) is sponsored.”

Why is the verb fadhiliwa in the passive voice?

Swahili makes a verb passive by inserting the suffix -w- (or -iw-/-ew-) before the final vowel. Here, active fadhili (“to sponsor”) becomes passive fadhiliwa (“to be sponsored”) so that tamasha is the patient (“that which is sponsored”) rather than an agent.

What does lita- add in litavutia?

lita- splits into: • li- (class 5 subject prefix referring to tamasha)
• -ta- (future-tense marker)
When combined with vutia (“to attract”), litavutia means “(it) will attract.”

Why is vyema used here instead of vizuri?

Both vyema and vizuri are adverbs meaning “well.”
• vyema is the adverbial form of the adjective ema (class 8), often slightly more formal or literary.
• vizuri comes from class 8 adjective zuri.
You can use either, but vyema pairs naturally with the passive likifadhiliwa in this style.

What exactly does vyombo vya habari mean, and why the strange “vy-” and “-a-” bits?

• vyombo is the plural of chombo (“tool, instrument”), so it takes the class 8 prefix vy-.
• vya is the class 8 genitive (possessive) linker for connecting to another noun.
• habari means “news.”
Together, vyombo vya habari literally means “tools/instruments of news,” i.e. media outlets or the press.

Can -ki- ever mean “when” instead of “if,” or vice versa? How do I tell?

-ki- covers both “when” and “if” in Swahili. Context decides:
• If the action is seen as certain (e.g. a daily event), translate -ki- as “when.”
• If the action is hypothetical or future-uncertain, “if” fits better.
In Tamasha likifadhiliwa…, because the sponsorship may or may not happen, “if” often feels most natural, though “when” also works stylistically.

Why is the subordinate clause likifadhiliwa vyema placed before litavutia vyombo vya habari? Could it come after?

Swahili is flexible, but it commonly puts time/conditional clauses (marked by -ki-) before the main clause. Placing likifadhiliwa vyema first emphasizes the condition (“if it is well sponsored”), then states the result. You could invert it for stylistic reasons, but the standard order is subordinate → main clause.