Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mtandao umekatika sasa, tutasubiri kidogo. - The internet is down now; we will wait a bit.

u- = subject prefix for noun class 3 (things like mtandao, mti), singular
-me- = perfect aspect (resultative/recent past)
katika = to be cut/broken/off

So mtandao umekatika = “the network has gone off/been cut (and is off now).”

Why is it umekatika and not imekatika?

Because mtandao is in noun class 3 (m-/mi-), whose singular subject prefix is u-. You use i- with the plural (class 4).

Singular: Mtandao umekatika.
Plural: Mitandao imekatika.

Is the verb katika here the same as the preposition katika (“in/within”)?

They’re homonyms:

katika (verb) = to break, be cut off, go out (signal/power)
katika (preposition) = in/within

Context and the verb morphology (u- -me- katika) show it’s the verb here.

What’s the difference between umekatika and umekatwa?

umekatika (intransitive/stative): “it has gone off/been cut (by itself/unspecified cause).”
umekatwa (passive of kata “to cut”): “it has been cut (by someone).” Use:
General outage: Mtandao umekatika.
Explicit human action: Mtandao umekatwa na serikali. (cut by the government)

Does umekatika mean “has just gone down” or “is down”?

Both are possible. The perfect -me- often marks a present state resulting from a recent event. With sasa it naturally reads as “it’s down now” (and likely just went down).

What does sasa add here? Can I leave it out?

sasa emphasizes the time frame “now/at the moment.” You can omit it:

Mtandao umekatika, tutasubiri kidogo. (still fine) Including sasa clarifies immediacy.

How do sasa, sasa hivi, and kwa sasa differ?

sasa = now (general)
sasa hivi = right now/this very moment (more immediate)
kwa sasa = for now/for the time being (temporary state) Examples:
Mtandao umekatika sasa hivi.
Mtandao umekatika kwa sasa.

Why is there just a comma between the clauses? Could I use a connector?

A comma is fine for a simple cause→result sequence. You can add a connector for clarity:

Mtandao umekatika sasa, kwa hiyo tutasubiri kidogo.
Mtandao umekatika sasa, basi tutasubiri kidogo.
Mtandao umekatika sasa, hivyo tutasubiri kidogo.

Is tutasubiri a firm plan or a suggestion? How would I say “let’s wait a bit”?

tutasubiri = “we will wait” (statement/plan). To suggest: use the subjunctive/jussive:

Tusubiri kidogo. (Let’s wait a bit.) Softer/polite suggestion:
Naomba tusubiri kidogo.
Tafadhali tusubiri kidogo.

What exactly does kidogo mean here? Can it modify time?

Yes—here kidogo means “a little / a short while.” It modifies the duration of waiting. Alternatives:

Tutasubiri kwa muda mfupi.
Tutasubiri dakika chache. You can also add emphasis: kidogo tu (just a little).

Can I say Tutangoja instead of Tutasubiri?

Yes. kungoja and kusubiri both mean “to wait.” Minor nuances/usage preferences vary by region and context, but in most cases they’re interchangeable:

Tutangoja kidogo.
Tutasubiri kidogo.

How do I negate each part?

“The internet hasn’t gone down (now)”: Mtandao haujakatika (sasa).
- ha- (negation) + u- (class 3 subject) + -ja- (negative perfect)
“We won’t wait”: Hatutasubiri.
- ha- (negation) + tu- (we) + -ta- (future)

How would this change if I’m talking about multiple networks?

Use the class 4 (plural) agreement:

Mitandao imekatika sasa, tutasubiri kidogo.
- i- subject prefix instead of u-

Do I need to say sisi with tutasubiri?

No. The subject tu- already means “we.” Use sisi only for emphasis or contrast:

Neutral: Tutasubiri kidogo.
Emphatic/contrastive: Sisi tutasubiri kidogo.

Are there more colloquial ways to say the first part?

Yes:

Hakuna mtandao sasa. (There’s no network now.)
Mtandao umepotea. (The network has disappeared/gone.)
Slangy in some areas: Neti imekatika. or Network imecut. (mixing English/Swahili)