Learn Hardcore Swahili: Kwa ujumla, safari ilikuwa nzuri, ingawa tulikumbana na foleni fupi. - In general, the trip was good, although we encountered a short queue.

It means “overall / in general.” It’s an adverbial set phrase formed from kwa + the abstract noun ujumla. It most naturally comes at the start with a comma: Kwa ujumla, … You can also put it mid‑clause (Safari, kwa ujumla, ilikuwa nzuri) or at the end (Safari ilikuwa nzuri kwa ujumla), though initial position is most common.

Why is it ilikuwa (with initial i‑) and not alikuwa?

Because the subject is safari (trip), a class 9 (N-class) noun. Class 9 uses the subject marker i-. So:

Class 9: i-li-kuwa → ilikuwa (it was)
1st person singular/he/she would be ni-/a- (e.g., alikuwa = he/she was), but that’s not what we have here.

Could I use imekuwa instead of ilikuwa? What’s the nuance?

ilikuwa = simple past: “was” (a past state; neutral narrative past).
imekuwa = “has been/has become,” often implying a present relevance or a change that has led to the current state. In this sentence, ilikuwa is the most natural choice to report how the trip went.

Why is nzuri used with safari? Could I say njema?

Both are fine:

safari ilikuwa nzuri = the trip was good/nice.
safari ilikuwa njema = the trip was good/pleasant (a bit more formal/”well”). Note: The travel wish “Have a good trip” is the set phrase Safari njema!

What does ingawa mean, and are there alternatives?

ingawa = “although/though.” Alternatives:

ijapokuwa / japokuwa / ingawaje = literary/formal variants of “although.”
lakini = “but” (starts a new clause, not a subordinator).
hata hivyo = “however/nevertheless” (sentence adverb; not a subordinator). In this sentence, ingawa correctly introduces the concessive clause.

Does ingawa force any special verb form or word order?

No. The clause after ingawa uses normal tense and word order. Here, tulikumbana is the regular past.

Is the comma before ingawa required?

Not strictly, but it’s good style to add a comma before a concessive clause introduced by ingawa for readability. You’ll see both with and without a comma in real texts.

What does tulikumbana na literally mean?

It’s a set expression meaning “we encountered / we came up against / we ran into.” Morphology:

tu- (we, subject marker) + -li- (past) + verb -kumbana
- preposition na (“with”). The na is part of the idiom: kumbana na [thing/problem].

Can I drop na and say tulikumbana foleni fupi?

No. With this verb, the idiomatic construction is kumbana na [object]. Keep na.

What’s the difference between kumbana na, kutana na, and kuta here?

kumbana na = encounter/face/come up against (often challenges, delays, obstacles). Most idiomatic with foleni.
kutana na = meet/run into (typically people; can be used with things, but less natural with foleni).
kuta = find/come upon (e.g., tulikuta foleni fupi = we found/arrived to find a short queue). This also works well.

What does foleni mean? Queue or traffic jam?

Both, depending on context. In East African usage:

foleni = line/queue (at a bank, office, etc.).
foleni = traffic jam (on the road). Here, context decides. The sentence itself allows either interpretation.

Why is it foleni fupi and not foleni mfupi?

Agreement with N-class (9/10) nouns like foleni typically uses the “N-class” adjective form without an extra class prefix. So:

foleni fupi (short queue/jam) Similarly, safari nzuri uses nzuri (not mzuri) for the same reason.

Is there a difference between foleni fupi and foleni ndogo?

fupi = short (length/duration). foleni fupi suggests a short line or a brief jam.
ndogo = small (size/extent). foleni ndogo suggests a small/thin queue or minor jam. Both are possible; the nuance differs.

Can I say Kwa jumla instead of Kwa ujumla?

Yes. Both kwa jumla and kwa ujumla are used to mean “in general/overall.” Kwa ujumla is very common in contemporary usage.

What is the full breakdown of tulikumbana?

tu- = subject marker “we”
-li- = past tense
-kumban- = verb stem (from -kumbana)
-a = final vowel Together → tulikumbana = “we encountered/ran into.”

Could I use the narrative -ka- tense here (e.g., tukakumbana)?

Not in this specific structure. ingawa introduces a concessive subordinate clause, and the normal past (tuli-…) is appropriate. -ka- is mainly for sequencing events in narratives in main clauses. Using tukakumbana after ingawa would sound odd.