Learn Hardcore Swahili: Usiguse waya karibu na maji. - Do not touch the wire near water.

u- = you (singular) subject prefix
-si- = negative marker
verb root: -gus- (from gusa, “to touch”)
final vowel -e = subjunctive ending used in negative commands So: Usiguse = “Don’t touch.” Affirmative would be Gusa! (touch!).

How do I say it to more than one person?

Use the plural negative imperative with msi-:

Msiguse waya karibu na maji. = “Don’t touch the wire(s) near water,” addressed to several people. Affirmative plural would be Guseni!

Is waya singular or plural? How do I say “wires”?

Waya is singular (noun class 11). The common plural is nyaya (class 10).

If I want to emphasize “any wires,” how do I say that?

Use the “any” form that agrees with the noun class:

Does karibu na literally mean “near to”? Can I say just karibu maji?

Yes, karibu na X = “near/close to X,” and you should include na when specifying what it’s near:

Correct: karibu na maji = near water
Without an object, karibu alone means “nearby/close” or “almost”: e.g., tuko karibu (we’re close), karibu mia moja (almost 100).

Is “near water” describing the action (touching) or the wire? How do I remove the ambiguity?

As written, it can be read either way. To disambiguate:

Action/location (don’t touch when you are near water):
- Ukiwa karibu na maji, usiguse waya.
Noun (don’t touch the wire that is near water):
- Usiguse waya ulio karibu na maji. (class-11 relative: ulio)
- You can also say: …ulioko karibu na maji (emphasizes “located near”).

Why is it karibu na maji and not “in the water”? How would I say “in the water”?

Karibu na maji = near water (not inside it). “In the water” uses the locative:

majini = “in water” (maji + -ni). Note: majini also happens to be the plural of “jini” (genie/evil spirit), but context usually clarifies.

What’s the difference between gusa and shika? Can I say Usishike?

gusa = touch (make contact)
shika = hold/grasp Use Usiguse for “don’t touch” and Usishike for “don’t hold.” Safety warnings usually prefer gusa for avoiding any contact.

How do I include “electric” (electric wire)?

Use a genitive phrase:

Usiguse waya wa umeme karibu na maji. = Don’t touch an electric wire near water. For plural: nyaya za umeme.

How do I say “Don’t ever touch wires near water” or make it stronger?

Add kamwe (“ever/at all” in negatives), often placed before the verb:

Kamwe usiguse nyaya karibu na maji. You can also use the cautionary usije uk- structure:
Usije ukagusa waya karibu na maji. (Don’t you end up touching…)

Where would an object marker go if I mean “Don’t touch it (the wire)”?

For a class-11 object (like waya), the object marker is -u-:

Usiuguse. = Don’t touch it. If you also keep the noun (to reinforce a specific wire already in context), you can say:
Usiuguse waya huu. (this wire) For plural nyaya (class 10), the object marker is -zi-:
Msiziguse. = Don’t touch them.

Can I move the location phrase to the front?

Yes, fronting is natural:

Karibu na maji, usiguse waya. You can also put it after the verb or after the noun, as in the original.

What’s the politeness level of this command? How do I soften it?

A bare negative imperative is direct. To soften:

Any quick pronunciation tips?

g in gusa/guse is hard (as in “go”).
u is like “oo” in “goose”: gú-sa, gú-se.
waya ≈ “wah-yah.”
maji ≈ “mah-jee.”
karibu ≈ “kah-REE-boo” (r is a tap). Stress usually on the penultimate syllable.

How would I say “this wire” or “these wires” in this context?

Demonstratives must agree with noun class: