Learn Hardcore Swahili: Walimu wenye huruma wanahimiza wanafunzi kusoma. - Teachers who are compassionate encourage students to read.

Walimu = teachers (noun class 2 plural; singular is mwalimu)
wenye = who have/with (plural of mwenye; agrees with walimu)
huruma = compassion (noun, class 9/10)
wanahimiza = they encourage/are encouraging
- wa- (subject marker, 3rd person plural “they”)
- -na- (present tense marker)
- -himiza (verb root “encourage”)
wanafunzi = students (noun class 2 plural; singular is mwanafunzi)
kusoma = to study/read (infinitive: ku-
- soma)

Why is wenye huruma used instead of a simple adjective?

Swahili often uses mwenye/wenye + [noun] to express “having/with [quality],” functioning like an adjective:

walimu wenye huruma = teachers with compassion → “compassionate teachers” There isn’t a common simple adjective from huruma, so this “having” construction is the normal way to say “compassionate.”

Why is it wenye and not mwenye or yenye?

Agreement. Walimu is class 2 plural (people), so the “having” form is wenye. The singular would be mwenye:

Singular: mwalimu mwenye huruma
Plural: walimu wenye huruma Forms like yenye/chenye/vyenye are used with other noun classes, not class 1/2.

Does wenye agree with walimu or with huruma?

With walimu. The phrase wenye huruma modifies the head noun walimu, so it takes class 2 plural agreement. Huruma is just the thing possessed (“compassion”), not the head.

Is the present tense here progressive (“are encouraging”) or habitual (“encourage”)?

It can be either, depending on context. -na- covers present progressive or general present/habitual. If you want a clear habitual, Swahili also uses hu- (no subject marker):

Habitual: Walimu huhimiza wanafunzi kusoma.
Progressive (right now): context or adverbs make it explicit.

How do I make it past or future?

Past: Walimu wenye huruma walihimiza wanafunzi kusoma. (wali- = past)
Future: Walimu wenye huruma watahimiza wanafunzi kusoma. (ta- = future)

How do I negate the sentence?

Use the negative subject prefix and change the final vowel to -i; there’s no -na- in the negative present:

Walimu wenye huruma hawahimizi wanafunzi kusoma.
- hawa- (negative 3rd person plural) + himizi (negative final -i)

Should there be an object marker for “students,” like wanawahimiza?

Not required. With an overt object (wanafunzi), leaving out the object marker is normal and often gives a generic/indefinite feel (“students in general”). Adding the object marker wa- (wanawahimiza wanafunzi kusoma) cross-references the object and typically implies specific/definite students (those already known in context) or adds emphasis. If the object is only a pronoun, you must use the object marker and can drop the noun:

Specific: Walimu wenye huruma wanawahimiza kusoma. (“They encourage them to study.”)

Can I say the same idea with a clause instead of the infinitive kusoma?

Yes. Use ili + subjunctive:

Walimu wenye huruma wanahimiza wanafunzi ili wasome. This is “encourage the students so that they study.” It can feel a bit more purposeful/goal-oriented than the bare infinitive.

What does kusoma cover—“read” or “study”?

Both. kusoma means “to read” and “to study.” Context disambiguates. Here, with wanafunzi, “to study” is the natural reading, but “to read” is possible if the context is about literacy/reading practice.

Could I say walimu wema instead of walimu wenye huruma?

They’re different:

walimu wema = good/kind teachers (broadly positive)
walimu wenye huruma = compassionate teachers (specifically “having compassion”) Use what matches the nuance you want.

Where do modifiers like this go—before or after the noun?

After. In Swahili, adjectives and most modifiers follow the noun:

walimu wema
walimu wenye huruma
walimu walio na huruma (a relative clause alternative, “teachers who have compassion”)

Is walio na huruma a correct alternative to wenye huruma?

Yes. Both are correct:

walimu wenye huruma (short, idiomatic “having”)
walimu walio na huruma (relative clause: “teachers who have compassion”) The meaning is essentially the same; the wenye form is more compact.

How would the sentence look in the singular?

Mwalimu mwenye huruma anahimiza mwanafunzi kusoma.
- mwalimu (sg.), mwenye (sg. agreeing with class 1), anahimiza (a- = 3rd sg.), mwanafunzi (sg.)

Can I make a passive version focusing on the students?

Yes. Use the passive suffix -w-:

Wanafunzi wanahimizwa kusoma na walimu wenye huruma.
- -himiza → -himizwa (“are encouraged”)

What’s the difference between kuhimiza, kushawishi, and kuhamasisha?

kuhimiza: to encourage/urge (general, supportive pushing)
kushawishi: to persuade/convince (appeal to reason, change someone’s mind)
kuhamasisha: to mobilize/rouse (energize people to take action, often collective or campaign-like) Choose based on the kind of encouragement you mean.