Tafadhali tembea kwa utulivu ndani ya ukumbi.

Please walk calmly inside the hall.

Breakdown of Tafadhali tembea kwa utulivu ndani ya ukumbi.

• kutembea: to walk
• tafadhali: please
• ndani ya: inside
• ukumbi: the hall
• kwa utulivu: calmly

Questions & Answers about Tafadhali tembea kwa utulivu ndani ya ukumbi.

What form is the verb tembea here, and how would I say it to more than one person?

It’s the second-person singular imperative (the bare verb stem). To address multiple people, use the plural imperative with -ni: tembeeni.

• Singular: Tafadhali tembea kwa utulivu...
• Plural: Tafadhali tembeeni kwa utulivu...

Where can I put tafadhali, and is it required?

Tafadhali (please) is optional. You can place it at the beginning or the end:

• Tafadhali tembea...
• Tembea..., tafadhali. Putting it in the middle is possible but less natural. In everyday politeness, many speakers also use softeners like samahani (excuse me) or naomba (I kindly request): Samahani, tembea kwa utulivu... or Naomba utembee kwa utulivu...

Why is it kwa utulivu and not just tulivu?

Swahili often forms adverbial manner phrases with kwa + noun. Utulivu is a noun (calmness) built from the adjective tulivu (calm) using the nominalizing prefix u-. So kwa utulivu literally means with calmness → calmly/quietly. Similar patterns:

• kwa upole (gently, politely)
• kwa makini (carefully)
• kwa haraka (quickly)

Could I use polepole, taratibu, or kimya kimya instead of kwa utulivu?

Yes, with different nuances:

• polepole = slowly (speed)
• taratibu = gently/slowly/with care (manner and speed)
• kimya kimya = quietly, often with a sense of secrecy or stealth
• kwa utulivu = calmly, quietly (not causing disturbance) All are acceptable depending on what you want to emphasize.

Does kwa mean “in” here?

No. In kwa utulivu, kwa introduces manner (with/in a … way). The “in” meaning in the sentence is provided by ndani ya (inside of).

Why is it ndani ya ukumbi and not ndani wa ukumbi?

Because ndani is a noun (class 9) meaning inside/interior, and its associative connector is fixed as ya. It doesn’t change to agree with the following noun. Other fixed pairs:

• nje ya (outside of)
• katikati ya (in the middle of)

What’s the difference among ndani ya, kwenye, and katika?

• ndani ya = inside (physically within something)
• kwenye = at/in/on (very common, general location)
• katika = in/within (more formal or written) All would be understood here:
• Tembea kwa utulivu ndani ya ukumbi.
• Tembea kwa utulivu kwenye ukumbi.
• Tembea kwa utulivu katika ukumbi.

Can I use the locative suffix -ni instead of ndani ya?

Yes. Ukumbini means in/at the hall. For example: Tafadhali tembea kwa utulivu ukumbini. The -ni locative is compact; ndani ya more strongly emphasizes the interior.

What exactly does ukumbi refer to, and what is its plural?

Ukumbi is typically a hall, auditorium, or large room used for meetings/performances. In some contexts it can mean a lobby or veranda, depending on region. The plural is kumbi (e.g., kumbi za mikutano = conference halls).

Which noun class is ukumbi, and how does agreement work?

Ukumbi is class 11 (u-), with plural in class 10 (kumbi). Adjective agreement:

• Singular: ukumbi mkubwa (a big hall)
• Plural: kumbi kubwa (big halls) For possessives: ukumbi wa shule (the school hall).

How do I make a negative command?

Use the negative imperative:

• Singular: Usitembee... (Don’t walk...)
• Plural: Msitembee... (Don’t walk...) For a more natural prohibition related to noise: Usipige kelele ukumbini / Msipige kelele ukumbini (Don’t make noise in the hall).

Is there a more indirect or polite way to ask this?

Yes, use a polite lead-in or the subjunctive/modals:

• Naomba utembee kwa utulivu ukumbini. (I kindly request that you walk calmly in the hall.)
• Samahani, unaweza kutembea kwa utulivu ukumbini? (Excuse me, could you walk calmly in the hall?) For a group: Naomba mtembee... / Mnaweza kutembea...

Do I need to include wewe (you) in the sentence?

No. The imperative already encodes the addressee. Wewe is only used for emphasis or contrast: Wewe, tafadhali tembea kwa utulivu...

Can I change the word order to emphasize the place?

Yes. Fronting the place is natural for emphasis:

• Ndani ya ukumbi, tafadhali tembea kwa utulivu.
• With -ni: Ukumbini, tafadhali tembea kwa utulivu.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• dh in tafadhali is like the th in English this (voiced [ð]); many speakers also pronounce it as [d].
• Stress is on the second-to-last syllable of each word: ta-fa-DHA-li, tem-BE-a, u-tu-LI-vu, NDA-ni, u-KU-mbi.
• Vowels are pure and not reduced.

Does tembea ever mean “go,” not just “walk”?

Yes, in context it can mean move/go (especially on foot) or even move/operate for vehicles: Gari linatembea (the car is moving). But if you mean go in the general sense, enda/kwenda is the usual verb.