Learn Hardcore Swahili: Wewe unafanya kazi ofisini kila siku.

Wewe is the second-person singular pronoun “you.” In Swahili the subject is already marked on the verb (the u- in unafanya), so wewe is optional and mainly used for emphasis or contrast (“you (and not someone else) work…”). You can safely drop it: Unafanya kazi ofisini kila siku.

How is the verb unafanya formed? What are its parts?

Break unafanya into three morphemes: • u- = second-person singular subject (“you”)
• -na- = present-tense/aspect marker (“now” or ongoing)
• fanya = verb root “do/make.”
Together: u + na + fanya = “you do/make,” so in context unafanya kazi = “you work.”

Why is kazi placed after unafanya? Is it the object?

Yes. Kufanya is a transitive verb meaning “to do/make.” Kazi (“work”) is its direct object:
kufanya kazi = “to do work” → “to work.”
If you said just unafanya, listeners would expect you to specify what you’re doing.

What does ofisini mean, and how does the -ni suffix work?

Ofisi means “office.” Adding the locative suffix -ni turns it into “in/at the office.” This is a common way in Swahili to say “at/in [place]” without a separate preposition. So:
ofisi + ni → ofisini = “in/at the office.”
Alternatives include katika ofisi or kwenye ofisi, but ofisini is more concise.

What does kila siku mean, and why is siku singular?

Kila means “each” or “every” and must pair with a singular noun. Thus kila siku literally “each day” = “every day.”
If you want “all days,” you’d use the plural with zote, e.g. siku zote = “all days.”

How do I turn this statement into a question: “Do you work at the office every day?”

For a yes/no question, you can start with Je and keep the verb unchanged:
Je, unafanya kazi ofisini kila siku?
In casual speech you can drop Je and rely on intonation:
Unafanya kazi ofisini kila siku?

How do I say “I work at the office every day” in Swahili?

Change the subject prefix u- (“you”) to ni- (“I”):
Nafanya kazi ofisini kila siku.
Optionally add mimi for emphasis: Mimi nafanya kazi ofisini kila siku.

How can I make it negative: “You don’t work at the office every day”?

Use the negative present tense prefix hu- and change the final -a of the verb to -i:
Haufanyi kazi ofisini kila siku.

What’s the difference between unafanya and hufanya?

u-na-fanya is the simple/present progressive: “you are doing/you do.”
hu-fanyi is the habitual present: “you usually/regularly do.”
Both can express “you work,” but hufanyi kazi kila siku stresses the habitual aspect (“you habitually work every day”) while unafanya is more neutral/present. With time words like kila siku, speakers commonly use either.