Learn Hardcore Swahili: Ni vyema usiwe na aibu unapouliza bei sokoni. - It is good not to be shy when you ask the price at the market.

Ni vyema = It is good/advisable/proper (slightly formal or proverbial tone).
Ni vizuri = It is good/nice (most common, neutral).
Ni bora = It is better/it would be best (expresses preference or stronger recommendation). All three can work here; the sentence uses Ni vyema to sound like general advice.

Why is usiwe used, and how is it formed?

Usiwe is the negative subjunctive of kuwa (to be), used after expressions of advice/desire like Ni vyema.

Form: u- (2sg subject) + -si- (negative) + -we (subjunctive of kuwa) → usiwe.
Affirmative counterpart: uwe (be! / you should be).
Plural negative: msiwe (you all should not be).

What does na mean in usiwe na aibu?

Here na means “with” and functions like “to have”: kuwa na = “to have.” So usiwe na aibu literally means “don’t be with shame,” i.e., “don’t be shy/embarrassed.”

Could I say usione aibu or usiwe na haya instead? Are aibu, haya, and soni different?

Usione aibu (don’t feel shy) is very common and idiomatic.
Usiwe na haya also works; haya is near-synonymous with aibu (shyness/modesty/embarrassment).
Soni is more “shyness/modesty” (often used in Tanzania); e.g., usione soni. All are fine; aibu is the most general and widely understood.

How does unapouliza work morphologically?

Unapouliza = u- (you sg) + -na- (present) + -po- (“when/at the time that”) + uliza (ask).

The sequence po + uliza becomes pouliza in writing: unapouliza.
Meaning: “when you ask.”

What’s the difference between unapouliza and ukiuliza?

Both can mean “when you ask,” but:

-po- (in unapouliza) points to a specific time/occasion: “at the time that you ask.”
-ki- (in ukiuliza) is more general/conditional: “when(ever)/if you ask.” In everyday speech, uki- is very common; -po- can sound a bit more specific or careful.

Could I use the infinitive instead, like Ni vyema usione aibu kuuliza bei sokoni?

Yes. That version means “It’s good not to be shy to ask the price at the market” (general advice). The original with unapouliza highlights the moment of asking; the infinitive kuuliza frames it as the general act of asking.

How do I say this to more than one person?

Use plural subject markers:

Ni vyema msiwe na aibu mnapouliza bei sokoni.
Or with -ki-: Ni vyema msiwe na aibu mkiuliza bei sokoni.

What does sokoni mean exactly, and why the -ni?

Sokoni = soko (market) + -ni (locative “at/in”). It literally means “at the market.” You can also say kwenye soko (at/in the market); sokoni is shorter and very idiomatic.

Why is there no word for “the” in bei sokoni?

Swahili has no articles. Bei sokoni can mean “the price at the market” or “(a) price at the market,” depending on context. Definiteness is inferred from the situation.

Do I need an object marker for bei (like uiulize bei)?

No. Uliza bei is the normal way to say “ask the price.” An object marker is usually used when the object is topical/known and often omitted, e.g., uiulize (ask it) when the price is already established in context and not repeated. With the noun bei right there, don’t add an object marker.

Which noun class is bei, and what agreement does it take?

Bei is class 9/10. For agreement:

Adjective: bei nzuri (not mzuri)
Pronoun: hii bei (this price), ile bei (that price) Verbs don’t change because bei isn’t the subject in this sentence.

Any pronunciation tips (especially vyema, kuuliza, unapouliza)?

vyema: pronounce the cluster as [vye-], like “vye-ma” (stress on the penultimate: VYE-ma).
kuuliza: it’s ku + uliza, so you really have two u’s: “koo-LEE-za” (stress on LI).
unapouliza: “u-na-poo-LEE-za” (the “poo” comes from po + u). Swahili stress is on the penultimate syllable.

Can I rearrange the clauses, e.g., put the “when” part first?

Yes. For emphasis or flow you can say:

Ni vyema, unapouliza bei sokoni, usiwe na aibu.
Or: Unapouliza bei sokoni, ni vyema usiwe na aibu. Commas simply mark the pause; the meaning stays the same.

Is there a quick, everyday alternative to the whole sentence?

Common shorter advice you’ll hear:

Usione aibu kuuliza bei.
Usiwe na aibu ukiuliza bei sokoni. Both are natural and widely used.