Nitaosha vikombe, halafu nitaweka vyombo kwenye stoo.

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Breakdown of Nitaosha vikombe, halafu nitaweka vyombo kwenye stoo.

• kwenye: in
• kuosha: to wash
• chombo: the utensil
• kuweka: to put
• kikombe: the cup
• stoo: the storeroom
• halafu: then

Questions & Answers about Nitaosha vikombe, halafu nitaweka vyombo kwenye stoo.

Where is “I” in the sentence?

Swahili marks the subject on the verb. The prefix ni- means “I.” So Nitaosha literally has ni- (I) + -ta- (future) + -osha (wash). You can add Mimi for emphasis: Mimi nitaosha…, but it’s not required.

How is the future tense formed here?

With the tense marker -ta- inside the verb.

• Nitaosha = ni- (I) + -ta- (will) + -osha (wash)
• Nitaweka = ni-
  • -ta-
    • -weka (put)
      There’s no separate word for “will.” For the negative future, use si-
      • -ta-: Sitaosha…, Sitaweka….

Why is there no separate word for “then”?

There is: halafu means “then/after that.” You can write a comma before it (as in the model), but it’s optional. You can also start the next clause with Halafu nitaweka…. Synonyms: kisha (slightly more formal), baadaye (“later,” not necessarily immediate). Colloquial spelling alafu is common in speech but standard spelling is halafu.

What does vikombe mean exactly, and what’s its noun class?

Vikombe = “cups” (plural of kikombe). It’s noun class 7/8 (singular class 7: ki-, plural class 8: vi-). So:

• Singular: kikombe
• Plural: vikombe

What does vyombo mean, and is it the same class?

Vyombo (plural of chombo) is also class 7/8. In kitchen contexts it means “dishes/utensils.” More generally it can mean “instruments, vessels (even ships), agencies.” So:

• Singular: chombo
• Plural: vyombo
  Here, vyombo is a general term that includes cups, plates, pots, etc.

Why do we see vi- in vikombe but vy- in vyombo?

It’s the same plural prefix for class 8, but it surfaces differently:

• Before most consonant-initial stems, it’s vi- (e.g., vikombe).
• Before vowel-initial stems (like -ombo), vi- becomes vy- (hence vyombo).
  Similarly, singular ki- can surface as ch- before vowel-initial stems (hence chombo, not “kiombo”). It’s a regular sound change; just memorize pairs like chombo/vyombo.

Do I need an object marker in the verb for “cups/dishes”?

No. Since the object noun is present, you can omit the object marker, as in Nitaosha vikombe and nitaweka vyombo. If the object is already known/topical, you can include the class-8 object marker -vi-:

• Nitaviosha vikombe (“I’ll wash the cups [those we know about]”)
• Nitaviweka vyombo (“I’ll put the dishes [them]…”)
  You can also drop the noun and keep just the verb with the object marker if context is clear: Nitaviweka kwenye stoo = “I’ll put them in the storeroom.”

Could I accidentally use the wrong object marker like -ya- here?

Avoid -ya- (class 6). Both vikombe and vyombo are class 8, whose object marker is -vi-. So use Nitaviosha… / Nitaviweka…, not “Nitayaosha / Nitayaweka.”

Why is it kwenye stoo? Can I say stooni or use other prepositions?

All are possible, with small nuances:

• kwenye stoo = “in/at the storeroom” (very common and neutral)
• stooni = locative suffix -ni on the noun; very natural: Nitaweka vyombo stooni
• katika stoo = “in/within the storeroom” (more formal)
• ndani ya stoo = explicitly “inside the storeroom” (emphasizes interior)

Is stoo the most natural word here?

It’s common in East African Swahili for “storeroom/pantry.” If you mean a kitchen cupboard, you’d usually say kabati la vyombo. So depending on the home layout, you might say:

• Nitaweka vyombo kwenye kabati (la vyombo) = I’ll put the dishes in the cupboard.

How do I pronounce the tricky clusters like vy and kw?

• vy as in vyombo is a blended “v” + “y”: think “v-yohm-bo.” Penultimate stress: vyo-mbo (stress on vyo).
• kw in kwenye is “k + w”: “kwen-ye,” with stress on the first syllable.
  Swahili stress is normally on the second-to-last syllable: ni-ta-O-sha, vi-KOM-be, ha-LA-fu, ni-ta-WE-ka, VYO-mbo, KWEN-ye, STO-o.

Can I write a space inside the verb complex, like Ni ta osha?

No. The subject prefix, tense marker, and verb stem form a single word: Nitaosha, Nitaweka. No internal spaces.

How do I make it definite (“the cups,” “those dishes”) since Swahili has no articles?

Use demonstratives for specificity (class 8):

• hivi = these, hivyo = those (near you), vile = those (over there). Examples:
• Nitaosha vikombe hivi = I’ll wash these cups.
• Nitaweka vyombo vile kwenye stoo = I’ll put those dishes in the storeroom.

Is there any difference between kuosha and kusafisha here?

• kuosha = to wash (with water/soap), used for dishes, hands, a car, etc.: kuosha vyombo/vikombe.
• kusafisha = to clean (broader): can include wiping, scrubbing, tidying. You can say Nitasafisha vyombo, but if you specifically mean washing with water/soap, Nitaosha vyombo is the clearest.