Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mtangazaji ataonyesha ni saa ngapi tarehe ya mwisho itakapofika. - The broadcaster will show what time the deadline will arrive.

a- = 3rd person singular subject (he/she), agreeing with Mtangazaji (class 1)
-ta- = future tense marker
-onyesha = verb stem “show/display” So ataonyesha = “he/she will show.” Plural would be wataonyesha (for Watangazaji).

Could I use atangaza instead of ataonyesha?

Yes.

atangaza (from -tangaza) = “will announce.”
ataonyesha (from -onyesha) = “will show/display/point out.” Both work here; atangaza sounds more like making an announcement, ataonyesha can also imply displaying the time (e.g., on a screen).

What is the function of ni in ni saa ngapi? Do I need it in an embedded question?

ni is the copula “is/are.” In questions like Ni saa ngapi? (“What time is it?”) it’s required. In embedded questions after verbs like “say/know/show,” speakers commonly keep ni: ataonyesha ni saa ngapi …. You may hear it omitted in fast or informal speech, but keeping ni is clear and standard.

Why saa ngapi and not saa gani or lini?

saa ngapi = “what time (o’clock)?” (most standard for clock time)
saa gani = also used colloquially for “what time,” but ngapi is more standard for hours
lini = “when?” (open-ended; could be date or time) Here, saa ngapi is the precise choice because we want a clock time.

Does ngapi change with noun classes?

Yes, it can. With many N‑class nouns like saa it stays ngapi: saa ngapi. But it agrees with some other classes:

Class 2 (wa‑, people): watu wangapi (how many people)
Class 6 (ma‑): magari mangapi (how many cars) For class 9/10 (N‑class) like saa/siku/nchi, use ngapi: siku ngapi, nchi ngapi.

What exactly does tarehe ya mwisho mean?

Literally “the date of end,” i.e., “the last date.” In usage it means “the final date/the deadline.”

tarehe = date (class 9)
ya = “of” agreeing with class 9
mwisho = end/last/final

Why is it ya in tarehe ya mwisho, not wa?

The possessive connector agrees with the noun class of tarehe (class 9). Class 9 uses ya. Examples:

tarehe ya mwisho (N‑class: ya)
mtu wa mwisho (class 1: wa)
magari ya mwisho (class 6: ya)

How is itakapofika built, and what does it contribute?

It’s a future‑time relative/temporal form meaning “when it arrives/when it comes.”

i- = class 9 subject prefix, agreeing with tarehe
-takapo- = fused future + relative locative “when” (future “at the time that”)
-fika = arrive So itakapofika = “when it arrives/when it comes (in the future).”

Why not just say itafika instead of itakapofika?

itafika = “it will arrive.” That’s a plain future statement. itakapofika adds the “when” sense, tying the arrival to the time in question. The sentence asks “what time it will be when the deadline arrives,” so the relative temporal form is natural.

Can I use ikifika instead of itakapofika?

Yes, often. ikifika (with the -ki- “when/if” conjunction) is common and slightly more informal or general: “when it arrives/if it arrives.”

itakapofika is more explicit/formal for a future‑time “when.” Both are widely understood: … ni saa ngapi tarehe ya mwisho ikifika/itakapofika.

Why is the subject prefix in itakapofika an i- and not a-?

Because the subject is tarehe (class 9). Class 9 takes i- for the subject prefix in most tenses. a- would be for class 1 (human singular), e.g., mtu atakapofika.

Is the word order fixed, especially around ni saa ngapi and the time clause?

Typical and clear is to keep the wh‑phrase early and the clause after it:

… ataonyesha ni saa ngapi tarehe ya mwisho itakapofika. You can also hear:
… ataonyesha ni saa ngapi itakapofika tarehe ya mwisho. Both are acceptable; the first is very common and feels slightly more formal.

Does kuonyesha need a direct object? How would I add “us”?

Yes, -onyesha is transitive and here its object is the embedded clause (ni saa ngapi …). To add “us,” use the object marker -tu-:

Mtangazaji atatuonyesha ni saa ngapi tarehe ya mwisho itakapofika. = “The announcer will show us …”

How would I negate or change the tense?

Negative future: Mtangazaji hataonyesha ni saa ngapi tarehe ya mwisho itakapofika.
Past (main verb) + past relative: Mtangazaji alionyesha ni saa ngapi tarehe ya mwisho ilipofika. Note the relative past on the N‑class subject: ilipofika (i- + -li- + -po- + -fika).

Is itakapofika written as one word?

Yes. Relative/temporal verb complexes are written as one orthographic word: itakapofika, atakapofika, ilipofika, etc. Do not split -takapo- from the verb stem.