Mradi tu unafuata maagizo, kwa sasa unaweza kufanya kazi mwenyewe.

As long as you follow the instructions, for now you can work by yourself.

Breakdown of Mradi tu unafuata maagizo, kwa sasa unaweza kufanya kazi mwenyewe.

• kuweza: to be able
• kufanya kazi: to work
• kufuata: to follow
• kwa sasa: for now
• mradi tu: as long as
• agizo: the instruction
• mwenyewe: by yourself

Questions & Answers about Mradi tu unafuata maagizo, kwa sasa unaweza kufanya kazi mwenyewe.

What exactly does the phrase mradi tu mean, and where does it go in the sentence?

Mradi tu means as long as / provided that / on condition that. It introduces a condition clause and comes at the start of that clause:

• Mradi tu unafuata maagizo, kwa sasa unaweza kufanya kazi mwenyewe. You can also say mradi without tu; tu adds the nuance of “only/just.”

Is mradi here the same word as the noun meaning project?

Yes. Mradi is polysemous:

• As a noun: mradi = a project.
• As a conjunction: mradi (tu) = provided that/as long as. Context tells you which one it is.

Could I say mradi tu ukifuata maagizo instead of mradi tu unafuata maagizo?

Yes. Both are acceptable. With a condition:

• ukifuata (the -ki- conditional) is very common and often sounds more idiomatic.
• unafuata (simple present) is also used in everyday speech.
• You might also hear future: mradi tu utafuata maagizo if the following is in the future.

What does tu add in mradi tu? Can I drop it?

Tu means just/only/merely and adds a slight emphasis: “so long as you just/provided you simply…”. You can drop it: mradi unafuata maagizo is fine and means the same in most contexts.

Why is it kufanya kazi to mean “to work”? Isn’t fanya just “do/make”?

Correct: fanya = do/make. But “to work” in Swahili is idiomatically kufanya kazi (literally “to do work”). So:

• Unaweza kufanya kazi = You can work.
• Kazi alone is a noun (“work, job”), not a verb.

What does mwenyewe mean here, and how is it different from peke yako?

Mwenyewe means yourself / on your own, emphasizing that the subject does it without help. Peke yako focuses more on being alone/by yourself physically or without company.

• fanya kazi mwenyewe = do the work yourself (no assistance).
• fanya kazi peke yako = work by yourself/alone (no one with you).

Why is it mwenyewe and not yenyewe after kazi?

Because mwenyewe is referring to the subject you (wewe), not to kazi. If you were referring to the work itself, you’d use agreement with noun class 9: kazi yenyewe = the work itself. In this sentence, mwenyewe = you yourself.

Where can I place kwa sasa? Are kwa sasa, sasa, and sasa hivi different?

Placement is flexible:

• Kwa sasa unaweza kufanya kazi mwenyewe.
• Unaweza kufanya kazi mwenyewe kwa sasa. Nuance:
• kwa sasa = for now/for the time being (temporary).
• sasa = now (neutral).
• sasa hivi = right now/this very moment (more immediate).

Do I need to say wewe explicitly, like wewe unaweza?

Not unless you want emphasis. The subject prefix u- in unaweza/unafuata already means “you (sg)”. Use wewe for emphasis or contrast:

• Wewe unaweza kufanya kazi mwenyewe (you, specifically, can…).

How do I negate this? How would I say “If you don’t follow the instructions, for now you can’t work by yourself”?

• Negate ability: huwezi (you can’t).
• Negative “if” clause: usipofuata (if you don’t follow). Example: Usipofuata maagizo, kwa sasa huwezi kufanya kazi mwenyewe.

What’s the difference between maagizo and maelekezo?

Both can mean “instructions”:

• maagizo = orders/instructions, often from authority, to be followed.
• maelekezo = directions/guidance/explanations on how to do something. In many contexts they overlap.

Can you break down the key verb forms in the sentence?

• unafuata = u- (you sg) + -na- (present) + fuata (follow) → “you are/you do follow.”
• unaweza = u- (you sg) + -na- (present) + weza (be able) → “you can/are able.”
• kufanya = ku- (infinitive) + fanya (do/make) → “to do/make,” in this collocation “to work.”

Is the comma necessary in Mradi tu … , kwa sasa …?

It’s optional, used to mark a natural pause between the condition and the main clause. Swahili punctuation is flexible here; both with and without the comma are acceptable.

Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky parts like mradi, maagizo, and fuata?

• mradi: pronounce the initial cluster smoothly: mra-di (don’t insert a vowel before m).
• maagizo: the double aa is a longer a or a slight hiatus: maa-gizo.
• fuata: the ua glides; think fwa-ta (not foo-ata).