Learn Hardcore Swahili: Tunavaa nguo zile zile kila Ijumaa. - We wear the same clothes every Friday.

ile ile = the same (singular, class 9)
zile zile = the same (plural, class 10)
hii hii / hiyo hiyo / ile ile work similarly depending on distance/pointing.

Why specifically zile with nguo?

Nguo belongs to noun class 9/10. In the plural (class 10), the distal demonstrative is zile, so nguo zile is “those clothes.” Doubling it (nguo zile zile) makes “the same clothes.”

Is nguo singular or plural here?

It’s plural here, because it takes zile (plural demonstrative). Note that nguo can be either singular (“a garment”) or plural (“clothes”); agreement tells you which.

How would I say “We wear the same shirt every Friday”?

Use a specific singular noun and match the demonstrative:

Tunavaa shati lile lile kila Ijumaa. (shati = class 5; distal singular = lile)

For a singular “garment” with the word nguo:

Tunavaa nguo ile ile kila Ijumaa.

Could I use hizo hizo instead of zile zile?

Yes. Hizo (class 10 “those/that previously mentioned”) is also common:

Tunavaa nguo hizo hizo kila Ijumaa. When doubled to mean “the same,” the near/medial/distal nuance (hizi/hizo/zile) matters less; pick the one that fits your discourse context.

Does tunavaa mean “we are wearing” or “we wear”?

Both, depending on context. With a time adverbial like kila Ijumaa, it expresses a habitual (“we wear”). Without such context, it can mean a present ongoing action (“we are wearing”).

Is there a more explicitly “habitual” way to say it?

Very natural: Huwa tunavaa nguo zile zile kila Ijumaa. (huwa = usually/generally)
Avoid using the prefix hu- directly with a subject prefix in standard Swahili (e.g., “tuhu-”), but you can use subjectless hu- for general truths (not ideal for a specific “we”).

How do I negate the sentence?

Hatuvai nguo zile zile kila Ijumaa. = We don’t wear the same clothes every Friday. (negative present: subject negative prefix + verb stem with final -a → -i; here: tu → hatu-, vaa → vai)

Where can I put the time expression?

Kila Ijumaa tunavaa nguo zile zile. (fronted for emphasis on time)
Tunavaa nguo zile zile kila Ijumaa. (neutral) Both are natural.

Can I change the word order of the noun and demonstrative?

Keep the demonstrative after the noun for the neutral style: nguo zile zile. Fronting the demonstrative is possible for emphasis but requires a structure change, e.g.:

Zile zile ndizo nguo tunazovaa kila Ijumaa. (Those very same ones are the clothes we wear every Friday.)

Why is Ijumaa singular after kila?

Kila always takes a singular noun, regardless of meaning (“every X”). So: kila wiki (every week), kila Ijumaa (every Friday).

Could I say “every Friday” another way?

Yes:

Kila siku ya Ijumaa (each Friday/day of Friday)
Ijumaa kwa Ijumaa (Friday after Friday; idiomatic) The original kila Ijumaa is the most concise.

Is it okay/required to capitalize Ijumaa?

Both lowercase and uppercase are seen. Many publications capitalize day names; others don’t. Follow your style guide or keep it consistent.

How do I pronounce the tricky parts?

nguo: starts with “ngw-” ([ŋgw]); say it as NG + w + o.
tunavaa: two a’s in vaa; pronounce as a long “aa.”
Ijumaa: ends with a long “aa” (ee-joo-MAA).
zile: “z” as in “zebra.”

Do I ever write zilezile as one word?

You’ll see it both ways informally, but standard writing keeps them separate: zile zile, ile ile, hii hii, etc.

Is vile vile the same as zile zile?

No. Vile vile means “likewise/similarly/as is,” often as an adverb. Zile zile means “the same (ones)” referring to specific nouns.

If the idea is a uniform, is there a shorter noun than “the same clothes”?

Yes, sare = uniform(s).

Tunavaa sare kila Ijumaa. = We wear uniforms every Friday.