Learn Hardcore Swahili: Tulikaa shuleni siku yote.

tulikaa is the simple past tense of kukaa (“to sit” or “to stay”) for “we.” You can break it down as follows:
• tu- = 1st person plural subject marker (“we”)
• ‑li- = past tense marker
• ‑kaa- = verb stem “sit/stay”
• ‑a = final vowel

Put together, tu-li-kaa-a contracts to tulikaa, literally “we sat/stayed.”

Why does kaa mean “stay” here instead of just “sit”?

In Swahili kaa can mean both “to sit” (physically) and “to stay/remain” (at a place). Context tells you which sense to take. When you see it with a locative (e.g. shuleni) it usually means “stay” or “remain at,” not just “sit down.”

What is the function of the -ni suffix in shuleni?

The -ni suffix marks the locative case (“at/in/on”).
• shule = “school”
• shuleni = “at the school”

Instead of using a separate preposition for “at,” Swahili often adds -ni directly to the noun.

Why is it siku yote and not siku zote?

The adjective “all” in Swahili agrees with the noun class of the head noun.
• siku (“day”) belongs to noun class 9 (singular)
• The class 9 form of “all” is yote
If it were class 10 plural (e.g. masiku, “days”), you would say masiku ote.

Could I say tulikaa shuleni kwa siku yote? Why or why not?

You generally don’t need kwa here, because siku yote already expresses duration (“the whole day”). Adding kwa can sound redundant.
• Correct: Tulikaa shuleni siku yote.
• Redundant: Tulikaa shuleni kwa siku yote.

However, kwa is used with certain duration expressions (e.g. kwa muda mrefu, “for a long time”).

What’s the difference between tulikaa and tumekaa?

Both involve kukaa, but differ in aspect:
• tulikaa (tu-li-kaa-a) = simple past, “we stayed” (specific past event)
• tumekaa (tu-me-kaa-a) = present perfect, “we have stayed” (focus on result or recent completion)

Use tulikaa to report a finished action in the past; use tumekaa when the emphasis is on how long you’ve been somewhere up to now.

Is the word order fixed? Can I move shuleni or siku yote around?

Swahili is typically Verb–Subject–Object/Adverbial:
• Tulikaa (shule) siku yote.
You can sometimes front time or place for emphasis, but the verb usually comes first. For example:
• Siku yote tulikaa shuleni. (emphasizing “all day”)
• Shuleni tulikaa siku yote. (emphasizing “at school”)
That flexibility exists, but the unmarked order keeps the verb in front.