Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mpokezi aliwaomba wangoje dakika kumi kabla ya kuingia. - The receptionist asked them to wait ten minutes before entering.

Mpokezi means “receptionist” (literally, “receiver,” from the verb kupokea “to receive”). It’s in noun class 1 (singular human). The plural is wapokezi (class 2). Because it’s a class‑1 singular subject, the verb takes the subject prefix a- in the past: a-li-…

How is the verb form aliwaomba built, exactly?

It’s a stack of prefixes around the verb stem -omba (ask/request):

a- = third person singular subject “he/she”
-li- = past tense
-wa- = object marker “them” (people, class 2)
-omba = verb root “ask/request” So a-li-wa-omba = “he/she asked them.”

Why is kuomba (to request) used here and not kuuliza (to ask)?

In Swahili, kuomba is used for requests or asking someone to do something. Kuuliza is used for asking a question. Compare:

Aliwaomba wangoje… = “He asked them to wait…”
Aliwauliza swali… = “He asked them a question…” (not a request to act)

What is wangoje grammatically?

Wangoje is the subjunctive of kungoja (to wait) with a third‑person plural subject:

wa- = “they” (subject marker)
ngoje = subjunctive stem of ngoja (final -a becomes -e in the subjunctive) So it literally means “that they wait/should wait.” It’s the normal way to report a request or command indirectly.

Could I use wasubiri instead of wangoje?

Yes. Kusubiri and kungoja both mean “to wait,” with subiri often sounding a touch more formal/neutral and ngoje/ngoja more colloquial/common. Both subjunctives work:

Aliwaomba wasubiri dakika kumi…
Aliwaomba wangoje dakika kumi…

Why do we see both -wa- in aliwaomba and wa- in wangoje? Aren’t they redundant?

They do different jobs:

-wa- in aliwaomba marks the object “them” of the verb “ask.”
wa- in wangoje marks the subject “they” of the waiting action in the subordinate clause. In indirect requests, you normally keep both: “He asked them [that they wait]…” You can’t drop the wa- in wangoje; verbs in Swahili require a subject marker.

Why doesn’t wangoje start with ku-?

Ku- marks the infinitive (the “to …/‑ing” form), e.g. kungoja “to wait.” Wangoje is not an infinitive; it’s the subjunctive mood, which uses subject markers and ends in -e (not -a) and does not take ku-.

Could I say aliwaomba kusubiri instead?

Avoid that here. Aliwaomba kusubiri can be ambiguous (and often suggests “he asked them for the act of waiting” rather than clearly making them the ones who should wait). The clearest, most idiomatic way to report a request to someone to do something is with the subjunctive and a subject marker: aliwaomba wasubiri/wangoje. By contrast, Aliomba kusubiri (no object marker) means “He asked to wait” (he himself wants to wait).

How does kabla ya kuingia work?

It’s the fixed prepositional phrase kabla ya “before (the)” plus an infinitive: kuingia “entering/to enter.” So kabla ya kuingia = “before entering.” The ya is required after kabla.

Could I use a finite verb after kabla instead, like “before they enter”?

Yes. Two common options:

Kabla ya kuingia = “before entering” (infinitive construction).
Kabla hawajaingia = “before they have entered” (literally “before they haven’t yet entered,” using the negative perfect ha-…-ja-).
Using kabla waingie is not standard; use one of the two patterns above.

Do I need to say kabla ya wao kuingia to show that “they” are the ones entering?

It’s optional. Kabla ya kuingia usually gets its subject from context. If you want to be extra explicit or contrastive, you can say kabla ya wao kuingia (“before they enter”), inserting wao for emphasis/clarity.

Is dakika kumi the correct way to say “ten minutes”? Do numbers agree with the noun?

Yes, dakika kumi is correct. The number follows the noun. For 6–10 (including kumi), no agreement prefix is used. For 2–5, some classes take agreement, but class 9/10 nouns like dakika typically do not: dakika mbili, dakika tatu, etc.

Should there be a kwa before the duration, like kwa dakika kumi?

Both are acceptable. (Wa)ngoje dakika kumi and (wa)ngoje kwa dakika kumi can both mean “wait for ten minutes.” In everyday speech, dakika kumi without kwa is very common and perfectly fine.

Can I move kabla ya kuingia to the front of the sentence?

Yes: Kabla ya kuingia, mpokezi aliwaomba wangoje dakika kumi. Adverbial phrases like this can appear at the beginning or the end. The version you have is the most natural linear order, but fronting for emphasis is fine.

How would the forms change if the receptionist addressed one person instead of several?

Change the object marker and the subject of the subordinate verb:

“He asked him/her to wait…” → Alimwomba angonje/ asubiri dakika kumi kabla ya kuingia.
(Object marker -m(u)- becomes mw- before the vowel in -omba; subordinate subject a- = “he/she.”)
“He asked you (sg) to wait…” → Alikuomba usubiri/ungoje…
“He asked me to wait…” → Aliniomba nisubiri/ningoje…
“He asked us to wait…” → Alituomba tusubiri/tungoje…

How would I make the request negative, e.g., “He asked them not to wait” or “not to enter yet”?

Use the negative subjunctive, placing -si- after the subject marker:

“He asked them not to wait.” → Aliwaomba wasisubiri / wasingoje.
“He asked them not to enter yet.” → Aliwaomba wasiingie bado.
Or with the “before” construction: Aliwaomba wangoje dakika kumi kabla hawajaingia.

What’s the difference between aliwaomba and aliwaambia in this context?

Aliwaomba = “He asked/requested them (politely).” It frames a request.
Aliwaambia = “He told them.” It frames an instruction or statement.
Both can be followed by a subjunctive clause: Aliwaambia wasubiri… = “He told them to wait…,” which is stronger than a request.