Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mtu yeyote anaweza kuja darasani mapema.

Mtu is a class 1 noun meaning “person.”
Yeyote is the class-1 form of the indefinite pronoun meaning “any.” It agrees with class 1 and follows the noun: mtu yeyote = “any person/anyone.”
Yeyote can also stand alone to mean “anyone” if the context is clear, though keeping mtu makes it explicit.
To emphasize “anyone at all/whosoever,” you can say mtu yeyote yule.

How do I make it plural: “Any people can come …”?

Use class 2 agreement:

Could I say kila mtu instead of mtu yeyote? What’s the difference?

Mtu yeyote = “anyone (whichever person).”
Kila mtu = “everyone” (each person, without exception).
Both take singular verb agreement: anaweza. Example: Kila mtu anaweza kuja darasani mapema = “Everyone can come to class early.”

Why is it anaweza kuja and not just anaweza?

Weza “can/be able” usually takes an infinitive complement: ku- + verb. So you say:

anaweza kuja = “(he/she) can come”
Similarly: anataka kuja (wants to come), anajaribu kuja (tries to come). Without the infinitive, anaweza leaves “can (do what?)” unspecified.

Can I use the subjunctive aje instead?

Yes, but it changes the meaning:

Mtu yeyote anaweza kuja … = states ability/permission/possibility.
Mtu yeyote aje … = “Let anyone come …” (invitation/command using the subjunctive). It sounds like an announcement or instruction.

Does anaweza mean ability or permission?

Primarily ability/possibility (“is able to/can”). In everyday speech it can imply permission, but if you want to be explicit:

Permission: anaruhusiwa kuja = “is allowed to come.”
Asking permission: Je, naweza kuja darasani mapema? = “May/Can I come to class early?”

What does the -ni in darasani do?

It’s the locative suffix meaning “in/at/to.” Darasa (classroom) + -ni → darasani:

With motion verbs (e.g., kuja, “come”), it’s typically “to (the classroom).”
With stative verbs (e.g., niko), it’s “in/at (the classroom).” Alternatives: katika darasa or kwenye darasa (both “in/at the classroom”), though darasani is the most natural and concise.

Does kuja darasani mean “come to class” or “come in class”?

With a motion verb like kuja, darasani expresses destination: “come to the classroom.”

Can I swap darasani and mapema? Which order is better?

Both are fine:

… kuja darasani mapema
… kuja mapema darasani Swahili allows flexible placement of time and place expressions. A common tendency is place before time, but you can front the part you want to emphasize.

How do I say “No one can come early to class”?

Use hakuna (“there is no …”) with a relative clause:

Hakuna mtu anayeweza kuja darasani mapema. You can also say:
Hakuna yeyote anayeweza kuja darasani mapema. Avoid Mtu yeyote hawezi … to mean “no one can …”; it sounds like “anyone cannot,” which is not how Swahili expresses this idea.

Can I say kwenye darasa or katika darasa instead of darasani?

Yes:

kwenye darasa (colloquial/neutral)
katika darasa (formal/neutral) But darasani is the most idiomatic and compact. Don’t use kwa darasa; kwa is used for “at/to someone’s place,” among other uses.

What are other “any” forms for different noun classes?

A few high-frequency patterns:

People (class 1/2): mtu yeyote / watu wowote
Things (class 7/8): kitu chochote / vitu vyovyote
Abstract/large things (class 5/6): jambo lolote / mambo yoyote
Common in class 9/10 nouns: nyumba yoyote (any house)
Places: mahali popote = “anywhere” Forms vary by noun class, so memorize them with typical nouns.

Is it OK to write ye yote instead of yeyote?

Yes. You’ll see both. Modern usage commonly writes the fused form yeyote (similarly wowote, chochote, lolote, vyovyote).

How is anaweza built, and how do I change the tense?

a- (3rd person singular subject for class 1) + -na- (present/habitual) + weza (root) → anaweza. Common changes:
Future: ataweza kuja … (will be able to)
Past: aliweza kuja … (was able to)
Negative present: hawezi kuja … (cannot)
Negative past: hakuweza kuja … (could not)

Can yeyote stand on its own?

Yes: Yeyote anaweza kuja … is acceptable when “person” is understood. Using mtu keeps it explicit and is very common.

Is mapema the same as haraka?

No:

mapema = early (time)
haraka/upesi = quickly/fast (speed) You can intensify with mapema sana (“very early”) or compare with mapema kuliko … (“earlier than …”).