Learn Hardcore Swahili: Bomba linavuja jikoni, tafadhali funga maji. - The pipe is leaking in the kitchen, please turn off the water.

Because bomba is class 5, whose subject marker is li-. The i- subject marker belongs to class 9/10 nouns. Using inavuja would agree with a class 9 noun, which bomba is not.

What noun class is bomba, and what’s its plural?

Bomba is class 5; its plural is mabomba (class 6).

Singular agreement: li- (e.g., bomba linavuja)
Plural agreement: ya- (e.g., mabomba yanavuja) Demonstratives: hili bomba “this tap,” yale mabomba “those pipes.”

Why is it jikoni and not just jiko?

-jikoni is jiko + the locative suffix -ni, meaning “in/at the kitchen.” The -ni turns a place noun into a location: shuleni “at school,” kazini “at work,” nyumbani “at home,” jikoni “in the kitchen.”

Can I say katika jikoni or ndani ya jikoni instead of jikoni?

Yes:

jikoni is the most natural, compact choice.
katika jikoni and ndani ya jikoni both mean “in the kitchen,” but are wordier. Use them when you want extra emphasis or formality; otherwise, jikoni is enough.

Does jiko mean stove or kitchen? Does jikoni still mean “in the kitchen”?

Jiko can mean “stove/cooker” or “kitchen,” depending on context. Jikoni almost always means “in the kitchen” (the place where cooking happens), not “on the stove.”

Why does funga maji mean “turn off the water”? Shouldn’t it be “close the tap”?

Funga is “close/shut.” With utilities and valves, Swahili commonly uses:

funga maji = shut off the water (the supply/valve)
funga bomba = close the tap/faucet Both are idiomatic. You’ll hear either, depending on whether the speaker thinks of the valve/supply (maji) or the tap (bomba).

Is zima ever used with water, as in “turn off the water”?

Normally, zima (“extinguish/turn off”) is for lights, engines, fires, devices (zima taa, zima moto, zima redio). For water, funga/fungua is standard. You may hear zima maji informally in some areas, but funga maji is the safe, common choice.

How do I say “turn on the water”?

fungua maji = turn on the water
fungua bomba = open the tap

How do I make the command plural?

Use the -eni ending:

Singular: funga maji (to one person)
Plural: fungeni maji (to more than one person)

Where does tafadhali go? Is the comma necessary?

Tafadhali can go:

At the beginning: Tafadhali funga maji.
At the end: Funga maji, tafadhali.
After a pause: …, tafadhali funga maji. Comma use follows normal punctuation style; it’s optional and used for readability/intonation.

What’s the negative of bomba linavuja?

Bomba halivuji = “The tap isn’t leaking.” Explanation: Negative present drops -na-, adds the negative ha-, and the verb ends in -i:

Affirmative: li-na-vuja
Negative: ha-li-vuj-i → halivuji

How would I say “The tap has leaked” vs “The tap is leaking”?

lina‑vuja = it is leaking (ongoing)
lime‑vuja = it has leaked/has sprung a leak (perfect) Both agree with class 5 (li-/li-me-).

Does maji behave like a plural grammatically?

Yes. Maji is class 6 (plural form, no singular). It takes class 6 agreement:

Maji ni mengi = The water is a lot/there’s a lot of water.
Maji yanachemka = The water is boiling. In the imperative funga maji, there’s no agreement marking on the object, so nothing changes.

Could I add more detail like “the kitchen water”?

Yes: funga maji ya jikoni = “shut off the kitchen water.” You can also front the location: Jikoni, bomba linavuja, tafadhali funga maji.

Can I put the place first: “In the kitchen, the tap is leaking…”?

Yes: Jikoni bomba linavuja, tafadhali funga maji. Fronting jikoni is natural for emphasis or setting the scene.

What’s the difference between kuvuja and kumwagika?

kuvuja = to leak (through a crack, seal, or joint), typical for pipes/taps.
kumwagika = to spill (liquid ends up out unintentionally), e.g., Maji yamemwagika “The water has been spilled/has spilled.”

Which demonstratives and adjectives should I use with bomba?

Because bomba is class 5:

Demonstratives: hili bomba “this tap,” lile bomba “that tap.”
Adjective “new”: bomba jipya; plural: mabomba mapya.