Learn Hardcore Swahili: Bila shaka, tutafika sokoni mapema. - Without a doubt, we will arrive at the market early.

Literally, bila shaka = “without doubt.” It’s a natural sentence adverb meaning “of course,” “surely,” or “definitely.” It can stand alone as a reply (e.g., Q: “Will you come?” A: “Bila shaka!”).

Is the comma after "bila shaka" required?

No. The pause is optional. You’ll often see a comma in writing: Bila shaka, ... In speech there’s usually a slight pause.

Can "bila shaka" go elsewhere in the sentence?

Yes. It can go at the end or after the subject for emphasis:

Tutafika sokoni mapema, bila shaka.
Sisi, bila shaka, tutafika sokoni mapema.

How is "tutafika" formed?

It’s Subject prefix + Future marker + verb: tu- (we) + -ta- (future) + fika (arrive) → tutafika “we will arrive.” Mini paradigm:

nitafika (I will arrive)
utafika (you sg)
atafika (he/she)
tutafika (we)
mtafika (you pl)
watafika (they)

How do I make the future negative?

Add the negative subject prefix before -ta-:

sitafika (I will not)
hutafika (you sg will not)
hatafika (he/she will not)
hatutafika (we will not)
hamtafika (you pl will not)
hawatafika (they will not)

Why is there no word for “to/at” before “market”?

Swahili uses the locative suffix -ni on nouns to mean “at/in/to.” So sokoni = “at/to the market.” The verb kufika (arrive) is intransitive, so the place takes the locative, not a preposition.

What’s the difference between "sokoni," "kwenye soko," and "katika soko"?

sokoni: concise, very common for both motion and location (“to/at the market”).
kwenye soko: “at/in the market,” general, everyday.
katika soko: “in/within the market,” more formal or emphasizing inside-ness.

Can you give more -ni locative examples?

Yes:

nyumbani (at home)
shuleni (at school)
kazini (at work)
kanisani (at church)
mjini (in town)
kijijini (in the village)

Is "sokoni mapema" the only natural order? What about "mapema sokoni"?

Both are fine:

sokoni mapema (place then time) is very common.
mapema sokoni (time then place) shifts emphasis to “early.” Swahili adverbial order is flexible; the default feel is often to end with time like mapema.

What exactly does "mapema" convey? How do I say “earlier/earliest/very early”?

mapema = early (relative to expectation/habit). Variants:

very early: mapema sana / kabisa
earlier (than): mapema kuliko ... or mapema zaidi
earlier than usual: mapema kuliko kawaida
as early as possible: mapema iwezekanavyo

How is "mapema" different from "asubuhi"?

asubuhi = “morning.” mapema = “early.” Combine them for “early in the morning”: asubuhi mapema or mapema asubuhi. Similarly: mchana mapema (early afternoon), jioni mapema (early evening).

Are there articles (“the/a”) in Swahili? How do we know if it’s “the market” or “a market”?

Swahili has no articles. sokoni can mean “to the market” or “to a market” depending on context.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

Stress is usually on the second-to-last syllable: bi-LA SHA-ka | tu-ta-FI-ka | so-KO-ni | ma-PE-ma.
sh as in English “ship.”
Vowels are pure and short: a, e, i, o, u.

Is "fika" transitive? Can I say something like “arrive the market” without -ni?

kufika is intransitive. You don’t take a direct object; you use a locative: kufika sokoni (arrive at the market). Saying kufika soko (without -ni) is ungrammatical in this sense.

Are there alternatives to "bila shaka" with slightly different tones?

Yes:

hakika / kwa hakika (certainly/indeed; a touch formal)
kwa kweli (truly/indeed)
hakuna shaka (there’s no doubt) All can introduce or follow the sentence for emphasis.

How would I turn this into a yes/no question?

Use intonation or the particle Je:

Tutafika sokoni mapema?
Je, tutafika sokoni mapema? Answers can be: Ndiyo/La, or Bila shaka! for “Certainly!”