Learn Hardcore Swahili: Kwa kweli nafasi adimu kama hiyo hutolewa kwa umati mdogo tu. - Indeed, such a rare opportunity is given to only a small crowd.

Kwa kweli is a discourse marker meaning “indeed,” “honestly,” or “in fact.” It adds emphasis or signals that what follows is a firm assertion. It’s optional; you could drop it without changing the core proposition. Synonyms/near-equivalents:

Kweli (shorter, more neutral)
Hakika (certainly)
Kusema kweli / Kiukweli (more conversational: “to be honest”)

What does the prefix hu- in hutolewa mean?

hu- marks a general/habitual statement (often “usually,” “tend(s) to,” or generic truth). It doesn’t take a subject marker; you don’t say “inahutolewa.” Compare:

hutolewa = is usually offered
inatolewa = is being offered/is offered (specific present, not generic)
imetolewa = has been offered (completed action)

Why is the passive hutolewa used? Could I make it active?

The passive highlights the thing being offered (the opportunity) and leaves the agent implicit. An active equivalent is possible:

Waandaaji hutolea nafasi adimu kama hiyo kwa umati mdogo tu. (“The organizers usually offer such a rare opportunity to only a small crowd.”) You’ll often see the applicative form (-le-, here -lea) with “offer/give to,” hence hutolea is very natural in the active.

How is hutolewa formed from the verb toa?

Breakdown:

Root: toa (“to give out, issue, remove”)
Passive suffix pattern for “-oa” verbs: -olewa → tolewa (“be given/issued”)
Habitual marker: hu- → hu-tolewa So, hutolewa = “is usually offered/issued.”

Why is it kwa umati mdogo tu? What role does kwa play?

Here kwa introduces the recipient/beneficiary with this verb choice and voice: “offered to a small crowd.” In contrast:

na after a passive would mark the agent (“by”): e.g., hutolewa na wizara (“is offered by the ministry”). With verbs of giving/issuing, kwa commonly introduces the recipient in many real-world usages, especially after passives or with the applicative in the active.

What does tu mean and where does it go?

tu means “only/just/merely.” It attaches to the end of the phrase it restricts. Here it narrows “a small crowd”:

kwa umati mdogo tu = “to only a small crowd” Moving tu changes scope:
tu kwa umati mdogo (sounds odd) would suggest “only to a small crowd (and nowhere else),” but idiomatically you place tu right after the NP: umati mdogo tu.
Kwa kweli … hutolewa tu kwa umati mdogo is also acceptable and makes “only” modify the PP “to a small crowd.”

What does kama hiyo add to nafasi adimu?

kama hiyo literally “like that (one),” giving the sense “such a rare opportunity.” It points to a specific or previously mentioned type. Without it, nafasi adimu is “a rare opportunity” in general; with it, you imply “a rare opportunity of that sort.”

Why is it hiyo and not ile or hii?

Demonstratives agree with noun class and indicate distance/deixis:

hii = this (near the speaker)
hiyo = that (near the listener or already known in context)
ile = that (far from both) Since nafasi is class 9/10, the forms are hii/hiyo/ile. The sentence chooses hiyo to signal a contextually known/mentioned opportunity.

Does the adjective adimu change form to agree with nafasi?

No. adimu (“rare”) is one of the invariable adjectives that don’t take class prefixes. It stays adimu with all noun classes:

mji adimu (a rare town)
nafasi adimu (a rare opportunity)
fursa adimu (a rare chance)

Is the word order of modifiers okay in nafasi adimu kama hiyo?

Yes. Noun + adjective + comparative phrase is natural:

nafasi adimu (rare opportunity)
nafasi adimu kama hiyo (a rare opportunity like that/such a rare opportunity) You could also say nafasi kama hiyo adimu, but it’s less typical; the given order flows more naturally.

What exactly is umati? Could I say “group” instead?

umati means “crowd (of people),” often implying a mass or gathering. It’s a class 14 u- noun typically treated as singular and used for crowds in general. If you mean “a small group,” alternatives might be:

kikundi kidogo (a small group)
watu wachache (a few people) Note that umati mdogo (“a small crowd”) is acceptable, but stylistically you might prefer kikundi kidogo depending on context.

Is there anything special about agreement with umati in umati mdogo?

Yes: many u- nouns (class 14) take adjectives with the m-/mw- agreement in the singular, so:

umati mdogo
umeme mkali (intense electricity) This is normal for the class; don’t use ndogo here.

Could I say nafasi adimu kama hizo if I meant plural “such rare opportunities”?

Yes. nafasi is class 9/10 and its plural is also nafasi (same form). The demonstrative changes to plural:

Singular: nafasi adimu kama hiyo
Plural: nafasi adimu kama hizo

How would I explicitly mention the agent (who offers the opportunity) in the passive?

Add na + agent after the verb:

… hutolewa na waandaaji kwa umati mdogo tu.
… hutolewa na wizara kwa umati mdogo tu. Remember: na marks the agent in passives; kwa marks the recipient/beneficiary here.

Is there a difference between Kwa kweli and just Kweli?

Subtle nuance:

Kweli can be a bare adverb (“truly”) or even a standalone interjection (“Really?”/“True.”).
Kwa kweli is a set phrase meaning “indeed/actually,” slightly more formal or explicit as a stance marker. Both are fine; Kwa kweli reads a bit more polished.

Could I use another adjective for “rare,” like nadra?

Yes. nadra (from Arabic) is common and also invariable:

nafasi nadra kama hiyo (such a rare opportunity) Both adimu and nadra are idiomatic; choose by style preference.

How would I negate the idea, “such a rare opportunity is not offered to only a small crowd”?

You can negate the verb and/or change the scope:

Specific present: … haitolewi kwa umati mdogo tu. (“… is not offered to only a small crowd.”)
If you want a general/habitual negation, Swahili typically avoids a direct negative of hu-; use a periphrasis like: Kwa kawaida … haitolewi kwa umati mdogo tu. (“As a rule, … is not offered to only a small crowd.”)

Are there stylistic alternatives for “only,” besides tu?

pekee = alone/only (exclusive): kwa umati mdogo pekee (“to that small crowd only (and no one else)”)
tu = only/just (often less emphatic) Scope and nuance differ: pekee is more exclusive; tu is lighter and very common.