Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mama alinisogezea kiti karibu na dirisha. - Mother moved the chair closer to me near the window.

a- = subject marker for class 1 (he/she) matching Mama
-li- = past tense
-ni- = object marker for 1st person singular (me)
sogezea = verb stem: sogeza (to move something closer) + applicative -ea (adds “to/for/at” sense) So: a-li-ni-sogezea = she-PAST-me-moved-closer-(for/to).

Why is there an object marker -ni- if kiti (chair) is already the object?

Because -ni- here marks the applied/beneficiary object (me), not the thing being moved. The direct object is still kiti. The applicative -ea allows an extra object (beneficiary/goal), and Swahili commonly marks that beneficiary with the object marker.

Could I say the same sentence without -ni-?

Yes: Mama alisogezea kiti karibu na dirisha. That means “Mom moved the chair closer to the window,” but it does not say she did it for me. The -ni- specifically adds “for me/to me.”

What’s the difference between alinisogezea and alinisogeza?

alinisogeza (no applicative) = she moved me closer (I am the thing being moved).
alinisogezea (with applicative -ea) = she moved something (here, the chair) closer for me/to me. The applicative changes the role of -ni- from patient to beneficiary/goal.

Where does the object marker go in the verb?

The order is: Subject Marker – Tense/Aspect – Object Marker – Verb stem. Here: a-li-ni-sogezea. So the object marker sits between the tense and the stem.

If the verb already has a- for “she,” why say Mama?

Swahili verbs always carry a subject marker, but you still mention the noun (here, Mama) to identify who the subject is (since a- could be “he” or “she”). It’s normal and not redundant.

What’s the function of -ea in sogezea?

It’s the applicative extension. It adds a sense like “to/for/at” and permits an extra object (beneficiary, recipient, or location). That’s why you can have both -ni- (me) and kiti (chair).

Why is it karibu na dirisha and not just karibu dirisha?

When “near” governs a following noun, Swahili uses karibu na (“near to/close to”). Karibu alone can work adverbially (“nearby”), but with a specific noun it’s idiomatic to say karibu na + noun.

Could I say kwenye dirisha or dirishani instead of karibu na dirisha?

kwenye dirisha = at the window (location at/onto), not necessarily “near.”
dirishani (locative -ni) = at the window (on/at the window area).
karibu na dirisha = near the window (proximity). Use the one that matches your meaning. For closeness, karibu na dirisha is best.

Is dirishani acceptable with karibu na (e.g., karibu na dirishani)?

It’s possible and heard, but many speakers prefer the simpler karibu na dirisha. Adding the locative -ni can feel like double-marking location; not wrong, just stylistically heavier.

How do definiteness and articles work with kiti here?

Swahili has no articles. kiti can mean “a chair” or “the chair” depending on context. If you need to specify, you add demonstratives: kile kiti (that chair), kiti kile, etc.

What noun classes are involved, and how do they affect agreement?

Mama is class 1 (people), so the subject marker is a-.
kiti is class 7; its object marker is ki- (e.g., aliki-… if you wanted to mark the chair).
dirisha is class 5; plural madirisha (class 6). In this sentence the only object marker used is -ni (me). Standard Swahili allows only one object marker per verb.

Can I also mark the chair with an object marker?

Not in standardized Swahili. You choose one object marker. If you wanted to mark the chair instead, you could say Mama alikisogezea kiti? No—this would be ungrammatical because you can’t mark an object and repeat it as a full noun. You could do either:

Mama alikisogezea karibu na dirisha. (She moved it—meaning the chair—closer to the window, for someone implied.)
Or keep the noun: Mama alisogezea kiti karibu na dirisha. (No object marker, chair explicit.) But you wouldn’t mark both objects at once in Standard Swahili.

How would I say this in present, future, and negative past?

Present: Mama ananisogezea kiti karibu na dirisha.
Future: Mama atanisogezea kiti karibu na dirisha.
Negative past: Mama hakunisogezea kiti karibu na dirisha. (Negative marker ha-, past negative uses final -ku- instead of -li-.)

Are there alternatives to karibu na with slightly different nuances?

Yes:

pembeni ya dirisha = beside/at the side of the window
kando ya dirisha = alongside/by the window
mbele ya dirisha = in front of the window Use whichever best fits the spatial relation.

How do I pronounce alinisogezea and where is the stress?

Swahili stress is on the second-to-last syllable. a-li-ni-so-ge-ze-a → stress on ze: a-li-ni-so-ge-ZE-a. The g in soge- is a hard g (as in “go”), and sh in dirisha is like English “sh.”