Learn Hardcore Swahili: Taa za barabarani zikitengenezwa haraka, msongamano utaisha mapema. - If the street lights are fixed quickly, the traffic jam will end early.

zi- : 3rd person plural subject prefix (agrees with taa, class 10 “lights”)
-ki- : temporal/conditional marker “when/if”
tengene : verb root “fix”
-n- (durability extension, part of the root)
-zwa (passive suffix)

Put together: zi + ki + tengene + n + zwa → zikitengenezwa “when/if they are fixed.”

Why is taa za barabarani used for “street lights”? What roles do za and -ni play?

za is the genitive marker for class 10 nouns (those ending in -a like taa), meaning “of the.”
barabarani = barabara (“road”) + locative suffix -ni (“on/at”).

So taa za barabarani literally is “lights of (the) roads” → “street lights.”

What type of noun is msongamano, and why does the verb start with u-?

msongamano (“traffic jam, congestion”) is a class 3 singular noun (prefix m-).
The verb utaisha breaks down as:
• u- : 3rd person singular subject prefix (agrees with class 3)
• -ta- : future tense marker
• isha : verb root “end”

Hence utaisha = “it will end.”

What is haraka, and why is it placed after zikitengenezwa?

haraka is an adverb of manner meaning “quickly.” In Swahili, manner adverbs normally follow the verb or verb phrase they modify. Thus zikitengenezwa haraka = “when/if they are fixed quickly.”

What role does the prefix -ki- in ziki- play compared to conjunctions like kama or wakati?

-ki- is a bound temporal/conditional marker that attaches directly to the verb, meaning “when” or “if.” It creates a subordinate clause without using separate words. For example:
• ziki-tengenezwa (with -ki-) vs.
• kama zinapotengenezwa or wakati zinapotengenezwa (using kama “if” or wakati “when”).

Why is the main clause in the future tense? Could it be in another tense?

The future tense (-ta-) expresses the anticipated result of the condition. You could choose other tenses to match context:

Past: li- → msongamano liliisha mapema (“the jam ended early”)
Present habitual: na- → msongamano unaisha mapema (“the jam ends early [regularly]”)

But to talk about what will happen once the lights are fixed, -ta- is appropriate.

What does mapema mean, and why is it used here instead of haraka?

mapema is an adverb of time meaning “early.” It refers to when the jam ends. haraka is an adverb of manner (“quickly”) and modifies how something is done (the fixing process). Thus each adverb has a distinct role.

Can you swap the two clauses? For example:
Msongamano utaisha mapema zikitengenezwa haraka taa za barabarani.

No. In Swahili, subordinate -ki- clauses almost always precede the main clause. Reversing them sounds awkward or incorrect. The natural order is:
[zikitengenezwa haraka], [msongamano utaisha mapema].