Learn Hardcore Swahili: Dada yangu alinitolea uzi mwekundu, nami nikautumia kushona kifungo. - My sister offered me red thread, and I used it to sew a button.

a- = she (3rd person singular subject)
-li- = past tense
-ni- = me (1st person singular object)
-toa = verb root “take out/bring out/offer”
-le- (→ -lea) = applicative suffix meaning “for/to (someone), at (a place)” So: a-li-ni-to-lea = “she took out/offered/fetched (something) for me.”

Why use “tolea” (with the applicative) here instead of just “alinipa …” for “gave me …”?

“Alinipa uzi …” = she gave me thread (straight transfer).
“Alinitolea uzi …” = she got/took out/fetched/offered thread for me (the applicative focuses on doing the action for someone’s benefit, or taking it from somewhere to present it). Both are fine; “tolea” adds the nuance of sourcing/bringing out or doing it on your behalf.

What does “nami” mean, and how is it different from “na mimi”?

“Nami” is the contracted form of “na mimi” = “and I/me.” It’s common in writing and storytelling. In everyday speech, “na mimi” is also fine. They mean the same.

What is the role of “-ka-” in “nikautumia”?

“-ka-” is the narrative/consecutive marker: it links a sequence of actions (“and then/so”). After the first past action, “-ka-” moves the story forward. “Nikautumia …” = “and then I used it …” It’s especially common in narratives.

Can I use normal past instead of the “-ka-” form? For example, “niliutumia”?

Yes:

“Nikautumia …” = narrative sequence (“and then I used it …”).
“Niliutumia …” = simple past (“I used it …”). Both are correct; the “-ka-” form just emphasizes the sequence after the previous clause.

What is the “-u-” in “nikautumia”?

It’s the object marker agreeing with “uzi” (thread), which is noun class 11. Breakdown:

ni- = I (subject)
-ka- = consecutive
-u- = it (object, agreeing with class 11 noun “uzi”)
-tumia = use You can think of “nikautumia” as “and then I it-used.”

Do I need to repeat the noun “uzi” after using the object marker “-u-”?

No. Object markers normally replace the overt object when the referent is clear. You could add it for emphasis or specificity (e.g., “nikautumia uzi huo” = “… used that thread”), but it’s not required.

Why is it “uzi mwekundu” and not something like “uzi wekundu”?

Adjectives agree with noun classes. “Uzi” is class 11, and the color adjective -ekundu takes the agreement form “mwekundu” for this class.

uzi (cl. 11) mwekundu = red thread

What happens if I make “uzi” plural?

The plural is “nyuzi” (class 10). The adjective changes accordingly:

nyuzi nyekundu = red threads So: singular “uzi mwekundu,” plural “nyuzi nyekundu.”

Is the comma before “nami nikautumia …” doing anything special?

It mirrors a natural pause and helps set up the narrative sequence. Grammatically, the key is the “-ka-” in “nikautumia,” which already indicates “and then.”

Does “kushona” here express purpose (“to sew”)?

Yes. The infinitive “kushona” after “nikautumia” expresses purpose: “I used it to sew …” You could also say “ili nishone kifungo” (so that I sew a button), but the infinitive of purpose is simpler and very common.

Is “kifungo” the best word for “button”? What about “kitufe”?

Both exist, with nuance:

kifungo (ki/vi class) = button (esp. clothing fastener); also “bond, tie,” and in legal contexts “imprisonment/sentence.”
kitufe = button (often a small knob/key; very common for keys on devices and on-screen buttons). For sewing on clothing, “kifungo” is standard; “kitufe” is also understood but leans more to devices/UI.

Could I say “kushonea kifungo” instead of “kushona kifungo”?

kushona kifungo = to sew a button (general).
kushonea adds the applicative “-e-” meaning “sew for/onto.” You’d usually specify where: “kushonea kifungo shatini” = to sew a button onto the shirt. Without the destination/beneficiary, plain “kushona kifungo” is most neutral.

Is “mwekundu” used with people too, like “mtu mwekundu”?

Yes, the agreement pattern is the same: class 1 (mtu) takes “mwekundu.” More commonly you’ll see colors like “mweusi/mweupe” with people, but grammatically “mwekundu” follows the same rule.

Any pitfalls with “alinitolea” I should watch for?

Don’t confuse “-toa” (take out/offer) with “-toa” meaning “give” in the sense of hand over (that’s “-pa”). “Alinipa” is the straightforward “she gave me …”
With “tolea,” remember the beneficiary is usually marked as an object (here, “-ni-” = me). If you also include an overt beneficiary, you can drop the object marker: “Alimtolea dada yake uzi …” (She brought out thread for her sister).