Learn Hardcore Swahili: Hiki ndicho kifutio ninachotumia kila siku darasani. - This is the eraser that I use every day in class.

It’s a cleft/focus construction. Hiki ndicho kifutio ... means “This is the eraser ...” with an emphasis like “this is the very one.” The element ndicho adds a confirming/identifying focus: “it is the one (of class 7) that ...”

Can I just say Hiki ni kifutio ninachotumia ... without ndicho?

Yes. Hiki ni kifutio ... is perfectly correct and more neutral. Using ndicho adds emphasis or contrast (e.g., answering “Which eraser is yours?”).

Why is it ndicho and not something like ndiyo or ndilo?

Because the head noun kifutio is in noun class 7 (ki-/vi-). The emphatic copula agrees with noun class:

Class 7: ndicho (kitu, kifutio)
Class 9/10: ndiyo (kalamu, meza)
Class 5: ndilo (jimbo, darasa) So here, class 7 forces ndicho.

Why is it Hiki and not Hii for “this”?

Demonstratives agree with noun class. Hiki is the class 7 proximal demonstrative “this (ki-class).” Hii is for class 9/10. Since kifutio is class 7, you use hiki.

How is ninachotumia built, and what does each part mean?

It’s one word composed of:

ni- = I (1st person singular subject)
-na- = present/progressive/habitual
-cho- = class 7 relative marker “which/that”
tumia = use So ninachotumia = “which I use / that I use.”

Where does the -cho- come from, and when do I use it?

-cho- is the relative marker for class 7 (ki-). Use it when the head noun of the relative clause is class 7:

Singular (class 7): kifutio ninacho(penda) = “the eraser that I like”
Plural (class 8): vifutio ninavyo(penda) (note the plural -vyo-) The relative marker goes after the tense marker: ni-na-cho-...

Could I use ambacho instead of -cho-?

Yes. Both are correct:

With an embedded relative marker: kifutio ninachotumia
With the linker ambacho: kifutio ambacho ninatumia The ambacho form is slightly more formal/explicit and is useful for clarity in long sentences.

Why not say kifutio ninatumia without any relative marker?

That’s ungrammatical. In Swahili, a relative clause needs either the relative marker inside the verb (e.g., ninachotumia) or the linker ambacho. You can’t leave the relative unmarked.

Can I say ninakitumia instead of ninachotumia?

Not in this structure. ninakitumia just means “I am using it” (with an object marker) and doesn’t form a relative clause tied to kifutio. In a relative clause, the embedded relative marker (-cho-) already links back to kifutio. Doubling with an extra object marker (e.g., ninachokitumia) is often considered redundant or nonstandard in careful Swahili.

Can I change the word order to put the focus at the end?

Yes. For instance: Kifutio ninachotumia kila siku darasani ndicho hiki. = “The eraser I use every day in class is this one.” Same meaning, different focus position.

Why is it kila siku with a singular noun?

kila (“every/each”) is always followed by a singular noun, regardless of noun class: kila siku (every day), kila mwanafunzi (every student). Even though the meaning is plural-ish in English, Swahili keeps it singular after kila.

What exactly does darasani mean, and what does -ni do?

darasani = “in the classroom / in class.” The suffix -ni is a locative marker meaning “in/at/on.” You could also say kwenye darasa or katika darasa, but darasani is compact and common.

What is kifutio built from, and what’s the plural?

It comes from the verb kufuta (“to erase”) with the instrumental noun pattern, giving “thing for erasing.” Singular: kifutio (class 7); plural: vifutio (class 8). You can be specific: kifutio cha penseli (pencil eraser), kifutio cha ubao (board eraser).

How would the sentence change in the plural?

Use class 8 agreement:

Hivi ndivyo vifutio ninavyotumia kila siku darasani. Here, demonstrative hivi (class 8), copula ndivyo (class 8), and relative -vyo- all agree with vifutio.

How do I turn it into a yes/no question: “Is this the eraser that I use every day in class?”

Add a question particle or rising intonation:

Je, hiki ndicho kifutio ninachotumia kila siku darasani?
Or simply say the same sentence with questioning intonation in speech.

How would I say “This is the eraser that I used yesterday in class”?

Change the tense inside the relative clause to past:

Hiki ndicho kifutio nilichotumia jana darasani.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

Hiki = HEE-kee
ndicho = n-DEE-cho (start with an n+dj sound)
kifutio = kee-foo-TEE-oh
ninachotumia = nee-NA-cho-too-MEE-ah
kila siku darasani = KEE-lah SEE-koo dah-rah-SAH-nee Swahili vowels are pure and consistent; stress is usually penultimate (second-to-last syllable).