Learn Hardcore Swahili: Kesho tutaenda kambi ya wanafunzi; kambi hiyo iko karibu na msitu. - Tomorrow we will go to the students’ camp; that camp is near the forest.

Yes. kwenda is an irregular form of kuenda (“to go”). Both tutaenda and tutakwenda are correct and common. No real difference in meaning; kwenda can sound a bit more formal in some contexts.

Do I need a preposition for “go to” in tutaenda kambi ya wanafunzi?

Not necessarily. Swahili often uses the verb -enda directly with the place:

tutaenda kambi ya wanafunzi = we will go (to) the students’ camp. You can also say:
tutaenda kwenye kambi ya wanafunzi (using kwenye “to/at/in”)
tutaenda kambini (using the locative suffix -ni, “to the camp/at the camp”)

Why is it ya in kambi ya wanafunzi, not wa?

The possessive/associative marker -a agrees with the noun class of the head noun (kambi). Kambi is class 9, whose singular associative form is ya. So:

class 9: kambi ya … If the head noun were class 1 (person), you’d see wa (e.g., mwanafunzi wa …).

Could it be kambi za wanafunzi instead?

Yes, if you mean “camps of students” (plural). Class 9/10 plural takes za:

singular: kambi ya wanafunzi
plural: kambi za wanafunzi Then later you would say: kambi hizo ziko… (plural agreement: hizo, ziko).

What does hiyo refer to, and why that form?

Hiyo is the class 9 demonstrative meaning “that (one just mentioned/near the listener).” It refers back to kambi. Other class 9 demonstratives:

hii = this
hiyo = that (near you/already mentioned)
ile = that (over there/farther away)

Why is it iko and not yuko or ziko?

It’s noun-class and animacy agreement:

iko = “it is (located)” for non-human singular (class 9 here: kambi)
yuko = “he/she is (located)” for people (class 1)
ziko = “they are (located)” for non-human plural (e.g., kambi plural)

What’s the difference between iko, ipo, and imo?

They all mean “is” but with different location nuances:

iko: general location (neutral).
ipo: specific/definite location (at the very place in mind).
imo: inside something. In this sentence, iko karibu na msitu is fine; ipo karibu na msitu adds a sense of “it is indeed right there near the forest.”

Could I use the copula ni for location instead of iko?

No. Ni links nouns/adjectives (identification or equivalence), not physical location. For location you use -ko/-po/-mo forms like iko/ipo/imo.

How does karibu na work? Is na required?

Karibu na means “near/close to.” The na is the usual preposition with karibu when specifying what something is near:

iko karibu na msitu = it is near the forest. You will see karibu alone in set phrases (e.g., as a greeting), but for “near X,” use karibu na X.

Does karibu also mean “welcome”?

Yes. As an interjection, Karibu! means “Welcome!” or “You’re welcome/come in.” In the sentence here, karibu na is the prepositional phrase “near.”

Why is there no word for “the” in kambi and msitu?

Swahili has no articles (no “a/an/the”). Definiteness is inferred from context or shown with demonstratives:

kambi hiyo = that (specific) camp
msitu ule = that forest over there

Is the semicolon necessary in this sentence?

No. It’s stylistic. You could write:

Kesho tutaenda kambi ya wanafunzi. Kambi hiyo iko karibu na msitu. A semicolon neatly links the two closely related statements.

Can I move kesho elsewhere in the sentence?

Yes. Common options:

Kesho tutaenda kambi ya wanafunzi…
Tutaenda kesho kambi ya wanafunzi…
Tutaenda kambi ya wanafunzi kesho… Placing kesho first is very natural for emphasis on time.

How do I make the sentence negative?

Verb: hatutaenda = we will not go (ha- + tu + -ta- + -enda).
Location: haiko = it is not (located). Example: Kesho hatutaenda kambi ya wanafunzi; kambi hiyo haiko karibu na msitu.

How is msitu pronounced, and what’s its plural?

Pronunciation: m-si-tu (the initial m is syllabic before s).
Plural: misitu (class 4). For example: iko karibu na misitu = it is near forests.