Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mwalimu alisahihisha jedwali letu la takwimu. - The teacher corrected our table of statistics.

It’s: a- (3rd person singular subject “he/she”) + -li- (past tense) + sahihisha (verb stem “to correct/mark”). So it literally says “he/she corrected.” Swahili doesn’t mark gender, so context tells you whether it’s he or she. The infinitive is kusahihisha.

Could I say amesahihisha instead of alisahihisha? What’s the difference?

alisahihisha = simple past: “corrected” (a finished past event, time not tied to the present).
amesahihisha = present perfect: “has corrected” (completed with present relevance, often “just” or “already” in feel). Both are correct; the nuance depends on context.

Why is there no word for “the” or “a” before mwalimu or jedwali?

Swahili has no articles. Mwalimu can be “a teacher” or “the teacher,” and jedwali can be “a table (chart)” or “the table,” depending on context.

Why is it la in jedwali letu la takwimu, not ya/wa/cha?

The connector for “of” (the associative) agrees with the head noun. The head noun is jedwali (class 5), whose associative is la. That’s why you get jedwali … la takwimu (“table of statistics”). Other examples:

kitabu cha Kiswahili (class 7) “book of Swahili”
mwalimu wa shule (class 1) “teacher of the school”
Plural class 6: majedwali ya takwimu

Why letu (our) after jedwali, and not wetu?

Possessive forms also agree with the noun class of the thing possessed. Jedwali is class 5, so “our” is letu: jedwali letu. Compare:

mwalimu wetu (class 1)
majedwali yetu (class 6, the plural of jedwali)
vitabu vyetu (class 8)

What’s the plural of jedwali, and how would the whole sentence change?

Plural: majedwali (class 6). Agreements shift to class 6:

Mwalimu alisahihisha majedwali yetu ya takwimu. Note the changes: majedwali (plural), yetu (our, class 6), ya (of, class 6).

Can I include an object marker for “table” in the verb? Where does it go?

Yes. The class-5 object marker is -li- and it goes before the verb stem:

Without object marker: Mwalimu alisahihisha jedwali…
With object marker: Mwalimu a-li-li-sahihisha jedwali… → Mwalimu alilisahihisha jedwali… You normally add the object marker when the object is known/topical or when you omit the noun: Mwalimu alilisahihisha (“The teacher corrected it”).

Does kusahihisha mean “to correct,” “to edit,” or “to grade”? Are there alternatives?

kusahihisha: to correct/mark (e.g., students’ work, an exercise), to make something right.
kurekebisha: to fix/adjust/correct (broadly: a mistake, a device, a plan).
kuhariri: to edit (texts, videos). Pick based on the context. For grading papers, kusahihisha is the default.

Why use jedwali here and not meza?

jedwali = a table/chart (as in a spreadsheet or data table).
meza = a piece of furniture (desk/dining table).

What noun class is takwimu, and does it have a plural?

Takwimu (“statistics/data”) is in the N class (9/10) and is invariable in form (same singular/plural). When it’s the head noun, agreements are class 10: e.g., takwimu za utafiti (“research statistics”). In your sentence, the agreement (la) follows the head noun jedwali (class 5), not takwimu.

Where do adjectives and possessives go in a longer noun phrase like “our big statistics table”?

Typical, natural order: Noun + Possessive + Adjective(s) + “of” phrase.

jedwali letu kubwa la takwimu = our big table of statistics. Placing kubwa after jedwali letu makes it modify the table, not the statistics.

How do I negate the sentence?

Use the negative past haku- and change the final verb vowel to -i:

Mwalimu hakusahihisha jedwali letu la takwimu. = The teacher did not correct our statistics table. With the object marker: Mwalimu hakulilisahihisha (jedwali…).

Can this mean either “he” or “she”? How do I make gender explicit?

Yes—mwalimu with a- is gender-neutral. To be explicit, add a clarifier:

Mwalimu mwanamke alisahihisha… (female teacher)
Mwalimu mwanaume alisahihisha… (male teacher) Or use a name/title that implies gender.

Is there any difference between “of statistics” and “statistical” here?

Swahili usually prefers the “of” construction: jedwali la takwimu = “table of statistics,” which matches English “statistics table” or “statistical table.” You could also say jedwali la data in many contexts.

Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts?

mwalimu: start with the consonant cluster “mw” [mwa].
sahihisha: each vowel is pronounced; the two h are audible: sa-hi-hi-sha.
jedwali: soft “j” as in “jam,” stress tends to fall near the penultimate syllable: je-DWA-li.
takwimu: ta-KWI-mu (the kw cluster like “kw” in “quick”).