Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mwanafunzi alitoa hotuba mbele ya hadhira shuleni. - The student gave a speech in front of the audience at school.

In Swahili verb structure, a- is the 3rd person singular subject prefix, meaning “he/she/it.” It attaches to the tense marker and verb root:
a- (he/she) + li- (past) + toa (give/deliver).

Why do we see -li- in alitoa, and what tense does it mark?

The infix -li- is the past-tense marker. When you want to say “gave” or “delivered,” you insert -li- between the subject prefix and the verb root.

What is the verb root in alitoa, and how would you say “to give” in its infinitive form?

The verb root is toa. In the dictionary (infinitive) form you’ll see kutoa, which literally means “to give” or “to deliver” (e.g. a speech).

Why is hotuba used as a separate noun rather than an object prefix?

Swahili allows two ways to mark objects:

Use a noun immediately after the verb (as here): alitoa hotuba.
Incorporate a pronominal object prefix (only for pronouns, not full nouns).
Since hotuba is a full noun, it stands on its own after the verb.

Swahili has no articles like “a” or “the.” How do you know whether hotuba means “a speech” or “the speech”?

There are no definite/indefinite articles in Swahili. Context tells you if it’s “a speech” or “the speech.” If you need clarity, you can add a demonstrative: hotuba hiyo (“that speech”) or hotuba moja (“a certain speech”).

How do you express “in front of” in Swahili?

Use mbele ya + noun.

mbele means “front”
ya is the linking/possessive marker for certain noun classes
So mbele ya hadhira means “in front of the audience.”

Why do we say mbele ya hadhira instead of mbele wa hadhira?

The linking marker (ya, wa, cha, etc.) depends on the noun class of the following noun. hadhira (audience) belongs to class 9/10, which uses ya. If the noun were class 2 (wa-), you’d use wa.

What noun class is hadhira, and how does that affect the linking marker?

hadhira is class 9/10 (the “N-” class that doesn’t change between singular and plural). Class 9/10 takes ya as its linking/possessive marker in constructions like mbele ya hadhira.

What does the suffix -ni do in shuleni?

The suffix -ni marks the locative case (“at,” “in,” or “on”).

shule = school
shuleni = at school

If you didn’t want to use -ni, how would you otherwise say “at school”?

You can use the preposition katika (in/at):
katika shule = in/at school

How would you express “He gave a speech to the audience” (making the audience the recipient)?

Use the preposition kwa for the indirect object:
Alitoa hotuba kwa hadhira.
Here kwa hadhira means “to the audience.”

How would you form the present tense of toa for “he gives a speech”?

Present tense uses -na- as the infix:
a- (he) + na- (present) + toa (deliver) + hotuba =
anatoa hotuba (“he gives/delivers a speech”).