Learn Hardcore Swahili: Saluni ile inatoa huduma nzuri, na cherehani ya jirani inashona kwa haraka. - That salon offers good service, and the neighbor’s sewing machine sews quickly.

ile = distal that (physically far, or conceptually distant/contrasted).
hiyo = medial that (closer to the listener or just mentioned). In many real contexts either could work; the choice signals nuance. With no clear physical context, ile can also just mean that one we’re talking about, with a slight sense of distance or contrast.

Why is the demonstrative after the noun (Saluni ile) instead of before it?

In standard Swahili the default placement is noun + demonstrative: saluni ile, kitabu hiki. Pre‑posing (ile saluni) is also grammatical but adds emphasis or contrast (roughly that salon in particular).

Why do the verbs start with i- (inatoa, inashona)?

Because both saluni and cherehani are class 9 (the N-class). Class 9 takes the subject prefix i- in the present:

i-na-toa (it gives/provides)
i-na-shona (it sews)

Why is it ya jirani and not wa jirani?

The possessive marker agrees with the head noun, not the possessor. The head here is cherehani (class 9), whose possessive is ya:

cherehani ya jirani (neighbor’s sewing machine) If the head were class 1/2, you’d use wa (e.g., fundi wa jirani).

What class is jirani, and what’s its plural?

As a person noun, jirani belongs to class 1/2:

singular: jirani
plural: majirani Many class 1/2 people nouns lack the visible m- in the singular (e.g., rafiki, jirani).

Does cherehani mean the tailor or the sewing machine?

Literally it’s the sewing machine. In everyday speech, people sometimes use it metonymically to refer to a tailor or a tailoring business. If you want to avoid ambiguity, specify the person: fundi cherehani or mshonaji.

How would I clearly say the neighbor’s tailor sews quickly?

Use a person noun:

Fundi cherehani wa jirani anashona haraka.
Mshonaji wa jirani anashona haraka. Here wa agrees with the head noun fundi/mshonaji (class 1).

Why huduma nzuri and not huduma mzuri?

Adjectives agree with the noun class. Huduma is class 9, and the class-9 form of the adjective is nzuri:

class 1: mtu mzuri
class 9: huduma nzuri

Is kutoa huduma a set expression? Could I use kuhudumia instead?

Yes. Kutoa huduma (to provide service) is a very common collocation. You can also use the verb kuhudumia (to serve):

Saluni ile inahudumia vizuri (the salon serves well). Using nzuri modifies a noun (huduma nzuri), while vizuri modifies a verb (inahudumia vizuri).

What does the -na- in inatoa/inashona mean exactly?

It’s the present (often present-progressive or general present). It can mean is providing or provides. For default habitual statements, Swahili often uses hu-:

Saluni ile hutoa huduma nzuri.
Cherehani ya jirani hushona haraka. Note that with hu- you don’t use a subject prefix.

Do I need kwa in kwa haraka, or can I say haraka alone?

Both are fine:

…inashona haraka (very common and natural)
…inashona kwa haraka (a bit more formal/literary) You can also use upesi or kwa upesi in some regions.

Why is there no word for it before inashona?

Swahili encodes the subject in the verb prefix (i- here). Independent pronouns are only used for emphasis or contrast, not as obligatory subjects.

Is the comma before na required?

No. You can write it with or without a comma:

…huduma nzuri, na cherehani…
…huduma nzuri na cherehani… Writers often use a comma to signal a clearer pause between two full clauses.

Can I drop ile and just say Saluni inatoa huduma nzuri?

Yes. Swahili has no articles, so bare saluni can mean a salon/the salon depending on context. Adding ile specifically points to that (particular) salon.

What are the demonstratives for this noun class (for words like saluni, cherehani, huduma)?

Class 9/10 demonstratives:

proximal this/these: hii/hizi (e.g., saluni hii, huduma hizi)
medial that/those: hiyo/hizo
distal that/those (over there): ile/zile

When would I use za instead of ya with class 9/10?

Use ya with a singular class‑9 head noun and za with a plural class‑10 head noun:

singular: cherehani ya jirani
plural: cherehani za jirani