Learn Hardcore Swahili: Kwa madhumuni hayo, tuliandika muhtasari na mkakati wa usafi. - For that purpose, we wrote a summary and a strategy for cleanliness.

kwa = for/by/with (a preposition)
madhumuni = purposes, aims (noun, class 6)
hayo = those (class-6 demonstrative, medial/previously mentioned) Placed at the start, this prepositional phrase sets the context or emphasis. You can also put it at the end with no change in core meaning: Tuliandika … kwa madhumuni hayo.

Why is it hayo and not haya after madhumuni?

Because madhumuni is class 6 (ma-), and class-6 demonstratives are:

haya = these (near the speaker)
hayo = those (near the listener / already mentioned; neutral/medial)
yale = those (far/remote or strongly deictic) Here hayo signals purposes that are known from the prior context (already mentioned).

Do I need ya after madhumuni (as in kwa madhumuni ya …)?

Use one of two patterns:

Kwa madhumuni hayo = For those purposes (noun + demonstrative). No ya needed.
Kwa madhumuni ya X = For the purpose(s) of X (noun + genitive). Here ya is the class-6 possessive concord. Examples:
kwa madhumuni ya usafi = for the purpose of cleanliness/hygiene
Not natural: kwa madhumuni ya hayo (for the purposes of those…) unless you then specify what “those” are.

What tense is tuliandika, and how do I form related tenses?

tuliandika is simple past: tu- (we) + -li- (past) + andika (write) → “we wrote.” Common related forms:

tunaandika = we are writing / we write
tumeandika = we have written (result now holds; recent past)
tutaandika = we will write
hatukuandika = we did not write (past negative)
hatujaandika = we have not (yet) written (perfect negative)

Could I use tumeandika instead of tuliandika? What’s the nuance?

Yes, but the nuance shifts:

tuliandika = simple past, a completed past event (narrative past).
tumeandika = present perfect, focusing on the current result or recency (“we have written [now it’s done]”). Pick the one that matches your timeline or emphasis.

Does na here mean “and” or “with”? How can I tell?

Here na is the coordinator “and”: muhtasari na mkakati = “a summary and a strategy.”

As “with/using,” na typically follows a verb: Tulikuja na muhtasari = “We came with a summary.” Context and position tell you which meaning is intended.

Does wa usafi modify both muhtasari and mkakati, or only mkakati?

By default, readers attach wa usafi to the nearest noun (mkakati). So it reads as “a summary and a hygiene/sanitation strategy.” To make both clearly about hygiene, repeat the genitive:

muhtasari wa usafi na mkakati wa usafi (clear but a bit repetitive) If your intent is “a summary of the hygiene strategy,” say:
muhtasari wa mkakati wa usafi

Which noun classes are muhtasari, mkakati, usafi, and madhumuni, and how do they affect agreement?

muhtasari = class 3 (m-/mi-) → plural mihtasari
mkakati = class 3 (m-/mi-) → plural mikakati
usafi = class 14 (u-, abstract) → typically no plural
madhumuni = class 6 (ma-), often plural-only; pairs with class-6 forms like haya/hayo/yale Agreement impact (genitive “of”):
Class 3 head noun takes wa: mkakati wa usafi
Class 6 head noun takes ya: madhumuni ya mradi (purposes of the project) For comparison: class 5 uses la (e.g., jina la…), class 7 uses cha (e.g., chombo cha…), etc.

What are the plurals of muhtasari and mkakati? Is there a singular for madhumuni?

muhtasari → mihtasari (class 3/4 pattern)
mkakati → mikakati
madhumuni is commonly used as plural-only (“purpose(s)”). A singular dhumuni exists but is rare; speakers usually use lengo (class 5) for “a purpose,” plural malengo.

Can I move Kwa madhumuni hayo to the end? Does the comma matter?

Yes. Both are fine:

Kwa madhumuni hayo, tuliandika … (fronted for emphasis)
Tuliandika … kwa madhumuni hayo. The comma after a long fronted phrase is common and helps readability, but it’s not obligatory.

Any pronunciation tips for these words?

madhumuni: dh is like the th in English “this” (voiced, no stop). Syllables: ma-dhu-mu-ni.
muhtasari: pronounce the h clearly: muh-ta-sa-ri (the cluster ht is real).
mkakati: start with the mk cluster: mka-ka-ti (say both consonants).
usafi: u-sa-fi.
kwa: the kw is a single cluster: kwa.

Is usafi “hygiene” or “cleanliness”? How is it different from usafishaji or kusafisha?

usafi = cleanliness; often also “hygiene,” especially in phrases like usafi wa mazingira (environmental sanitation).
usafishaji = cleaning/cleanup (the process).
kusafisha = to clean (verb).
safi = clean (adjective); msafi = a clean person. In your sentence, mkakati wa usafi can be read as “hygiene/sanitation strategy,” depending on context.

Could I express purpose with ili instead of kwa?

Yes, but ili introduces a purpose clause with a verb, not a noun phrase. For example:

Ili kutimiza madhumuni hayo, tuliandika muhtasari na mkakati wa usafi. = “In order to fulfill those purposes, we wrote…”
Kwa madhumuni hayo = “For those purposes” (nominal phrase). Both are correct; choose based on whether you want a clause (ili…) or a noun phrase (kwa…).