Learn Hardcore Swahili: Leo kipaumbele ni usafi darasani. - Today the priority is cleanliness in the classroom.

Leo = today
kipaumbele = priority (class 7; plural: vipaumbele)
ni = is/are (copula linking two nouns)
usafi = cleanliness; the act of cleaning (abstract noun, class 14)
darasani = in the classroom / in class (from darasa “class/classroom” + locative suffix -ni)

Why is there no word for “the” or “a” in the sentence?

Swahili has no articles. Definiteness or indefiniteness is inferred from context. kipaumbele can mean “a priority” or “the priority” depending on what’s being talked about.

What exactly does ni do here? Is it a verb?

ni is the copula “is/are” that links two nouns or a noun and a descriptor. It doesn’t change for number or person. In the present tense you just use ni. For past/future you typically switch to forms of kuwa (to be):

Past: Jana kipaumbele kilikuwa usafi darasani. (Yesterday the priority was classroom cleanliness.)
Future: Kesho kipaumbele kitakuwa usafi darasani. (Tomorrow the priority will be classroom cleanliness.)

Could I omit ni?

In normal sentences, no—keep ni. You might see it dropped in headlines or very informal notes, but standard usage includes it.

Why is it usafi darasani and not usafi wa darasa?

Both are possible, with a nuance:

usafi darasani = “cleanliness/cleaning in the classroom” (focus on location; -ni means “in/at”)
usafi wa darasa = “the classroom’s cleanliness” or “cleanliness of the classroom” (possessive/genitive feel) You’ll also hear usafi wa darasani in real usage, but many speakers prefer either the locative (darasani) or the simple genitive (wa darasa) rather than combining both.

Can I move leo to a different position?

Yes. Time words are flexible:

Leo kipaumbele ni usafi darasani. (neutral)
Kipaumbele ni usafi darasani leo. (also fine)
Leo, kipaumbele ni usafi darasani. (with a comma for clarity is fine but optional)

Should there be a comma after Leo?

It’s optional. Many writers add a comma when a time expression starts the sentence for readability: Leo, kipaumbele ni...

How do I ask “Is cleanliness the priority today (in class)”?

Je, kipaumbele ni usafi darasani leo?
Kipaumbele ni usafi darasani leo? (question intonation)

How do I negate it?

Use the negative copula:

Leo kipaumbele si usafi darasani. (Today the priority is not classroom cleanliness.) You’ll also hear sio in many regions: Leo kipaumbele sio usafi darasani. Both are widely understood; si is the classical negative copula.

How do I say “our priority” or “their priority”?

Possessives must agree with class 7 (ki-/vi-), so use cha-/vya-:

kipaumbele chetu = our priority
kipaumbele chao = their priority Example: Leo kipaumbele chetu ni usafi darasani.

What’s the plural of kipaumbele and how would the sentence look with multiple priorities?

Plural is vipaumbele (class 8). Example:

Leo vipaumbele ni usafi na nidhamu darasani. (Today the priorities are cleanliness and discipline in class.) Note that ni still works as “are.”

What exactly does darasani cover—“in the classroom” or “during class”?

Both, depending on context. darasani can mean “in the classroom (space)” or “in class (during the lesson).” If you want to be strictly spatial, katika darasa or ndani ya darasa also work.

Can I say katika darasa instead of darasani?

Yes:

... usafi katika darasa (in the classroom; slightly more formal)
... usafi ndani ya darasa (inside the classroom; emphasizes interior) The concise, everyday choice is darasani.

What’s the difference between usafi, safi, and -safisha?

safi = clean (adjective): darasa safi (a clean classroom)
usafi = cleanliness/cleaning (noun, class 14)
-safisha = to clean (causative verb): kusafisha darasa (to clean the classroom)

How would I strongly emphasize that it’s cleanliness that is the priority?

Front the focused element or use a focus copula:

Usafi darasani ndicho kipaumbele leo. Here ndicho agrees with kipaumbele (class 7) and adds a “it is X that is Y” focus.

Is kipaumbele really a class 7 noun even though it starts with “ki-”?

Yes. kipaumbele is class 7 (ki-/vi-) with plural vipaumbele. Many abstract/result nouns with ki- are in class 7. Agreement and possessives follow class 7 patterns (e.g., kipaumbele chetu, past with ki-: kilikuwa).

How would I put the whole idea in the past or future without relying on ni?

Use kuwa with class 7 agreement:

Past: Jana kipaumbele kilikuwa usafi darasani.
Future: Kesho kipaumbele kitakuwa usafi darasani. You can also add time words to the original ni sentence, but ni itself doesn’t mark tense.

Is the pronunciation straightforward?

Yes. Swahili is syllable-timed with penultimate stress:

Leo: LE-o
kipaumbele: ki-pa-um-BE-le (each vowel pronounced; “pau” is two syllables)
usafi: u-SA-fi
darasani: da-ra-SA-ni

Are there near-synonyms I might confuse with kipaumbele?

kipaumbele = priority (what comes first)
mkazo = emphasis/stress (focus of attention, not necessarily first in order) So “Today the emphasis is cleanliness” would be Leo mkazo ni usafi, which is close in meaning but not identical to prioritizing.