Learn Hardcore Swahili: Ni Asha ndiye atakayerudisha begi hili darasani. - It is Asha who will return this bag to the classroom.

It’s a cleft/focus construction. Ni Asha ndiye … means It is Asha (and not someone else) who …. Compared with a plain Asha atarudisha begi hili darasani, the cleft highlights Asha as the exclusive or contrastive focus: she is the one who will do the returning.

Why is it specifically ndiye and not something like ndio or ndicho?

Ndiye agrees with a class 1 (human/animate singular) noun, here Asha. The little ending on ndi- changes to match the focused noun’s class:

Class 1 (person, singular): ndiye — Ni Asha ndiye …
Class 2 (people, plural): ndio — Ni wao ndio …
Class 5 (li-/ya-): ndilo — Gari ndilo …
Class 7 (ki-/vi-): ndicho — Kifaa ndicho …
Class 8 (vi- plural): ndivyo — Vifaa ndivyo …
Locatives: ndipo/ndimo/ndiko — place-focus variants

Since we’re focusing a single person, ndiye is required.

How is atakayerudisha built, and what does each piece mean?

Breakdown: a-ta-ka-ye-rudish-a

a-: subject marker for he/she (3rd singular, class 1)
-ta-: future tense
-ka-: the element used in future relative forms
-ye-: relative marker agreeing with a class 1 antecedent (who)
rudish-: verb root meaning cause to return/bring back
-a: final vowel

Together, atakayerudisha = who will return (something). The -ka- + relative sequence is the normal shape of future relatives in Swahili (e.g., atakaye-, watakao-, kitakacho-).

Why not just say atarudisha instead of atakayerudisha?

Because the cleft structure … ndiye … must be followed by a relative clause: … ndiye atakay(e)- … = … is the one who will …. Without the relative marker (-kaye- / -kayo- / -kacho-, etc.), it stops being a relative clause and the grammar of the cleft breaks.

Could I use ambaye instead of the relative ending?

Yes. You can say:

Ni Asha ambaye atarudisha begi hili darasani. This is slightly more “spelled out.” Using ndiye + -takaye- is tighter and very common. Avoid doubling unless for heavy emphasis: Ni Asha ndiye ambaye atarudisha … is possible but often felt wordy.

What’s the difference between rudisha and rudi?

rudi = to return, go back (intransitive). Example: Asha atarudi darasani (Asha will return to the classroom).
rudisha = to return something, bring/send back (transitive/causative). In the sentence, Asha will return a bag, so rudisha is required.

Why is it begi hili and not hii begi or hiki begi?

Because begi is class 5 (singular), so the proximal demonstrative is hili. Common mix-ups:

hili = this (class 5 singular)
hii = this (class 9/10 singular)
hiki = this (class 7 singular)

Plural would be class 6: mabegi haya (these bags).

Can I say hili begi instead of begi hili?

Yes, both begi hili and hili begi are acceptable. Neutral, everyday Swahili often places the demonstrative after the noun (begi hili). Putting it before (hili begi) can add a touch of emphasis or serve a discourse purpose (drawing attention to the bag right away).

What does the -ni in darasani do exactly? Does it mean in, at, or to?

The suffix -ni marks a locative. Depending on context and the verb, it can mean in/at/to:

darasani = in/at the classroom, and with motion verbs can also mean to the classroom. Alternatives you might hear:
kwenye darasa, katika darasa = in/at the classroom (more explicit prepositions).

Is the word order … begi hili darasani fixed, or can darasani come before the object?

Default neutral order is verb–object–locative: … rudisha begi hili darasani. You can front the locative for emphasis or contrast:

Darasani, Asha ndiye atakayerudisha begi hili. Within the same clause, … rudisha darasani begi hili is possible but less common and can sound marked; keeping the object before the place phrase is the safe default.

If I replace the noun object with an object marker, where does it go in a relative form like this?

It sits after the relative marker and before the verb root:

Ni Asha ndiye atakayelirudisha darasani. (She is the one who will return it there.) Breakdown: a-ta-ka-ye-li-rudish-a (li- = object marker for class 5, matching begi). Don’t repeat the noun after using the object marker unless you’re doing it for special emphasis.

How would I negate this cleft (It is not Asha who will return …)?

Use si/sio/siyo before the focused noun (usage varies by region/register; si and sio are very common):

Si Asha atakayelirudisha begi hili darasani. = It’s not Asha who will return this bag to the classroom. If you need contrast, add it: Si Asha … bali Zainabu … (Not Asha … but Zainabu …).

Is Ni Asha atakayerudisha … (without ndiye) also possible?

Yes. Ni Asha atakayerudisha … is acceptable and still clefts Asha. Adding ndiye often strengthens the focus or feels a bit more explicit: Ni Asha ndiye atakayerudisha …. Both are heard; choose based on how much emphasis you want.