Learn Hardcore Swahili: Vipindi ambavyo vimeongezwa vitatusaidia kufanya mazoezi ya lugha kila wikiendi. - The periods that have been added will help us practise the language every weekend.

In Swahili, relative pronouns must agree with the noun class of the word they refer to. Vipindi (“episodes”) belongs to noun class 8 (vi–/zi–). The appropriate relative pronoun for class 8 is ambavyo, so vipindi ambavyo means “episodes which/that…”.

What does vimeongezwa mean, and why is it formed that way?

Vimeongezwa comes from the verb ongeza (“add”), in the class-8 perfect passive. It breaks down as:
• vi- (class-8 subject prefix for “they”)
• -me- (perfect tense marker, “have/has”)
• ongeza (verb root, “add”)
• -w- (passive voice marker)
• -a (final vowel)
Altogether it means “they have been added.”

How is vitatusaidia constructed, and what tense does it express?

Vitatusaidia means “they will help us.” Its parts are:
• vi- (class-8 subject prefix for “they,” referring back to vipindi)
• -ta- (future tense marker)
• -tu- (object prefix “us”)
• saidia (verb root, “help”)
• -a (final vowel)
So vitatusaidia = “they (the episodes) will help us.”

Why does the sentence use kufanya after vitatusaidia?

In Swahili, when a verb like saidia (“help”) is followed by another action, that second verb appears in the infinitive form (prefix ku- + root). Hence kufanya = “to do.”
So vitatusaidia kufanya literally means “they will help us to do.”

What is the role of ya in mazoezi ya lugha?

Mazoezi is the plural of zoezi (“exercise”), and lugha (“language”) is class 9/10. To link “exercises” and “language” in a possessive/genitive sense, Swahili uses ya for class 9/10. Thus mazoezi ya lugha = “language exercises” or “exercises of language.”

What does kila wikiendi mean, and why is kila used here?

Kila means “every” and is followed by a singular noun. Wikiendi (“weekend”) is singular, so kila wikiendi means “every weekend.”

Could we replace ambavyo vimeongezwa with vilivyoongezwa, and if so, what’s the difference?

Yes. Vilivyoongezwa is the more compact relative form for class 8, built as:
• vi- (class-8 relative prefix)
• -li- (past/perfect relative marker)
• -yo- (concord for class 8)
• -gezwa (passive perfect stem of ongeza)
Both vipindi vilivyoongezwa and vipindi ambavyo vimeongezwa mean “episodes that have been added,” but the former is a single-word relative and the latter spells out the subject and tense separately.

Where does the relative clause appear in Swahili, and why is it placed there?

In Swahili, a relative clause immediately follows the noun it modifies. That’s why ambavyo vimeongezwa comes right after vipindi. This pre-nominal placement ensures the listener knows exactly which noun is being described.

Why is there no additional object marker in mazoezi ya lugha?

Because mazoezi is the noun receiving the genitive link ya lugha, it’s not a verb needing an object marker. Object markers appear on verbs, not between two nouns. Here, ya alone expresses “of language.”