Learn Hardcore Swahili: Je, ungependa kusubiri ndani ya ukumbi, au tukae kwenye benchi la nje? - Would you like to wait inside the hall, or shall we sit on the bench outside?

Je is a yes–no question marker placed at the very start of a question.
It’s optional; many speakers simply use rising intonation: Ungependa kusubiri …?
In writing, it’s common to add a comma after it: Je, …?

Why use ungependa instead of unataka or unapenda?

How is ungependa formed? What about plural you?

Why kusubiri? Could I say kungoja or subiria?

kusubiri and kungoja are near-synonyms meaning to wait; both work here.
subiria (applicative) typically means to wait for (someone/something) and takes an object: subiria basi (wait for the bus).
With no explicit object, kusubiri/kungoja sound most natural.

What does ndani ya add, and are there alternatives?

ndani ya = inside (of), emphasizing being indoors.
Alternatives:
- katika ukumbi = in the hall/lobby (neutral, a bit formal).
- ukumbini = with the locative -ni: in the hall.
All are fine; ndani ya slightly highlights the interior.

What exactly does ukumbi mean—lobby, hall, or auditorium?

ukumbi covers several English words depending on context: lobby/foyer, hall, auditorium, function room, sometimes a verandah-like sitting area.
Here it most naturally means lobby/foyer or a waiting hall.

Why is it au tukae and not something like au tunakaa?

tukae is the 1st-person plural subjunctive used for suggestions: shall we sit / let’s sit.
tunakaa means we sit/are sitting (present), which doesn’t sound like a suggestion.
You could also say tuketi (from keti); both tukae and tuketi are acceptable.

Why switch from you (ungependa) to we (tukae) in the same sentence?

It’s a polite way to propose a joint action: Would you like to wait … or shall we sit …?
You could keep you throughout—e.g., au uketi kwenye benchi la nje?—but the inclusive tu- makes the offer warmer and more natural.

What’s the difference between kaa and keti here?

Why kwenye benchi instead of juu ya benchi or benchini?

kwenye is a general locative meaning at/on/in and is the most natural with places you occupy (benchi, kiti).
juu ya benchi literally means on top of the bench and can sound odd for sitting.
benchini (with -ni) is also fine and common in some styles: tukae benchini.

What does benchi la nje literally mean, and why la?

Literally bench of the outside → the outside bench.
la is the associative/possessive agreement for a class 5 noun (benchi; plural mabenchi).
In the plural you’d say mabenchi ya nje.

Is la nje the same as nje ya …?

No. la nje classifies the bench as an outside bench.
nje ya [place] means outside of nje ya ukumbi = outside the lobby.
You could say: tukae nje ya ukumbi, kwenye benchi (sit outside the lobby, on the bench).

Can I use ama instead of au for or?

Yes. ama also means or in many regions/registers. au is the safest neutral choice.
In some contexts ama can feel more contrastive (or else), but in offers both are fine.

Is the punctuation and word order correct?

Yes: Je, [option 1], au [option 2]? is standard.
The comma after Je is conventional; the comma before au is optional but helps clarity.

How could I make this more casual or more formal?

More casual: Ungependa kusubiri ukumbini, au tukae benchini?
More direct (less soft): Unataka kusubiri …, au tukae …?
More formal: Je, ungependa tusubiri ndani ya ukumbi, au tuketi kwenye benchi la nje?