Learn Hardcore Swahili: Leo hii tumeanza tathmini ya kwanza, na kila mwanafunzi atapata alama baadaye. - Today we have started the first assessment, and every student will receive a grade later.

Leo means “today.” By adding hii (the demonstrative “this”), you get Leo hii, literally “this day,” which emphasises or specifies today. It’s a common way to stress exactly when something is happening.

What is the structure and tense of tumeanza, and what do the prefixes tu- and -me- indicate?

tumeanza breaks down as:

tu- = 1st-person plural subject prefix (“we”)
-me- = perfect/completive tense marker (“have/has done”)
anza = root verb “begin.”

So tumeanza means “we have begun” or “we started (and the action is complete).”

Why is it tumeanza tathmini ya kwanza instead of tumeanza tathmini kwanza? What role does ya play?

ya is the genitive/linking particle that connects two nouns or a noun plus its qualifier. Here:

tathmini = “evaluation”
ya kwanza = “of first” (i.e. “first”)

Put together, tathmini ya kwanza = “first evaluation.” Without ya, the relationship between the noun and its ordinal becomes unclear.

What does kila mean, and why do we use atapata instead of watapata?

kila means “each” or “every.” It treats the following noun as singular, so any verb referring back to kila mwanafunzi must be in 3rd-person singular. That’s why we say atapata (he/she will get) rather than watapata (they will get).

What does atapata specifically mean, and could we use atapokea instead?

atapata comes from the verb -pata, “to get,” “to obtain,” or “to receive.”
You could use atapokea (from -pokea, “to receive”) and it would still be correct. The nuance:

pata is more general (“obtain, get”)
pokea emphasises the act of receiving something given.

What is baadaye, and why is it placed at the end of the sentence?

baadaye is an adverb meaning “later” or “afterwards.” In Swahili, time-adverbials often go at the end of a clause, so kila mwanafunzi atapata alama baadaye literally means “each student will get marks later.” You could move it for emphasis (e.g. Baadaye, kila mwanafunzi atapata alama), but the default spot is after the verb phrase.

Why is the perfect tense tumeanza used here instead of the present tense tunaanza, and what nuance does that choice convey?

tumeanza (we have begun) signals that the action of starting is already complete or well under way.
tunaanza (we begin/we are beginning) suggests the action is just happening right now or is about to happen.

By using tumeanza, the speaker tells you the evaluation has officially started and you can proceed.

How does the conjunction na function in this sentence?

na is a simple coordinating conjunction meaning “and.” It links two independent clauses:

Leo hii tumeanza tathmini ya kwanza (“Today we have started the first evaluation”)
kila mwanafunzi atapata alama baadaye (“each student will receive marks later”).

It can also sometimes mean “with” or “but” in other contexts, but here it simply joins two statements.