Learn Hardcore Swahili: Baada ya kukimbia, nina kiu sana.

Baada ya means “after.” Literally it’s “the after of …,” where ya is the linker “of” connecting baada to what follows.
Treat baada ya as a fixed prepositional phrase: use ya whether the next word is a noun (e.g., baada ya kazi) or an infinitive (e.g., baada ya kula).

Why is it kukimbia and not kimbia?

After prepositions like baada ya or kabla ya, Swahili uses the infinitive (the verb with ku-) to turn the action into a noun-like phrase: “after running.”
Kimbia without ku- is the imperative “Run!” So you need ku- here.

What does nina mean—“I am” or “I have”?

Nina means “I have” (present possession). Literally, nina kiu is “I have thirst.”
Other present forms: una (you have), ana (he/she has), tuna, mna, wana.

How do I negate nina kiu and how do I ask a question?

Negative: Sina kiu = “I’m not thirsty.” Other negatives: huna, hana, hatuna, hamna, hawana.
Yes/no question: Una kiu? or more formal Je, una kiu? = “Are you thirsty?”

Where does sana go, and what does it add?

Sana means “very/very much/a lot” and normally comes after the word or phrase it modifies.
So nina kiu sana is natural. Forms like “sana nina kiu” are not.
Stronger options: sana sana (very, very) or mno (excessively).

Can I move the time phrase to the end?

Yes: Nina kiu sana baada ya kukimbia. Placing baada ya kukimbia first just foregrounds the time frame; meaning is the same.

Is the comma after kukimbia necessary?

Optional. Many writers include a comma after an initial time phrase, but you’ll also see it without one.

How do I say “before running”?

How would I say it in the past, like “After I ran, I was very thirsty”?

Baada ya kukimbia, nilikuwa na kiu sana.
For a habitual meaning: Ninapata kiu sana baada ya kukimbia (“I get very thirsty after running”).

What exactly is kiu? Is it an adjective?

Kiu is a noun meaning “thirst.” Swahili often uses a noun with kuwa na (“to have”) for bodily states:
- nina njaa (I’m hungry), nina baridi (I’m cold), nina homa (I have a fever).

Do I ever need mimi here (as in Mimi nina kiu sana)?

Not for grammar. Mimi adds emphasis (“As for me, I’m very thirsty”). The subject prefix ni- in nina already encodes “I.”

Could I say niko na kiu instead of nina kiu?

Standard/neutral is nina kiu.
Niko na kiu is common in some colloquial varieties (e.g., Kenya) to emphasize “I’m currently with thirst,” but in careful/standard Swahili use nina kiu.

Is baadaye the same as baada ya?

No. Baadaye means “later (on)” and doesn’t take an object: Baadaye, tutaondoka (“Later, we’ll leave”).
Baada ya means “after [something]”: Baada ya chakula, tutaondoka (“After the meal, we’ll leave”).

Does the ku- ever change before certain verbs?

Occasionally, yes. Before vowel-initial stems, ku- often surfaces as kw- (e.g., kwenda “to go” from kuenda).
Here, kimbia starts with a consonant, so it stays ku-: kukimbia.

Can I use a noun instead of the infinitive after baada ya?

Yes. For example: baada ya mbio = “after the race.”
Use the infinitive (baada ya kukimbia) when you mean the activity in general (“after running”).

How do I pronounce kiu and the whole sentence?

Kiu is two syllables: ki-u.
Syllabification: Ba-a-da ya ku-kim-bi-a, ni-na ki-u sa-na.
Approx. IPA: [ba.a.da ja ku.kim.bi.a | ni.na ki.u sa.na]. Swahili stress is light and typically on the second-to-last syllable of each word.

Why not ninayo kiu?

Ninayo is used when referencing a specific previously mentioned thing (“I have it”). With general states like kiu, the idiomatic form is nina kiu.

Any other natural ways to express the idea?

Immediate result: Nimekimbia, nina kiu sana. (“I’ve run; I’m very thirsty.”)
Habitual tendency: Ninapata kiu sana baada ya kukimbia. (“I get very thirsty after running.”)