Learn Hardcore Swahili: Wakati wa mapumziko, niliangalia runinga, nikasikia tangazo, nikatuma barua pepe. - During the break, I watched TV, heard an announcement, and sent an e-mail.

“Wa” is the possessive/associative concord that agrees with the head noun “wakati” (time). “Wakati” takes the concord “wa,” so you say “Wakati wa …” = “Time of … / During ….” You don’t use “ya” because agreement is with “wakati,” not with “mapumziko.”

Is “mapumziko” singular or plural? Why not “pumziko”?

“Mapumziko” is morphologically plural (class 6), from the singular “pumziko.” However, “mapumziko” is very commonly used for “a break” or “break time” in general, so you’ll often see it even when English would use a singular. The possessive concord changes when “mapumziko” is the head noun: e.g., “Mapumziko ya mchana” (lunch break), where “ya” agrees with class 6 “mapumziko.”

How is “niliangalia” built morphologically?

ni- (1st person singular subject) + -li- (past tense marker) + angalia (verb stem “look/watch”) → niliangalia.

Why do the following verbs use “nika-” (nikasikia, nikatuma) instead of “nili-”?

“-ka-” is the consecutive/narrative marker. After the first verb sets the tense (“nili-” = past), “-ka-” chains subsequent actions in sequence: “and then I ….” It’s a natural way to tell a series of past events. The time reference comes from the first clause.

Can I just say “nilisikia …, nilituma …” instead?

Yes. It’s grammatical, but it sounds less like a tightly sequenced narrative. Using “-ka-” is more story-like (“I did X, then Y, then Z”). Without “-ka-,” you might add words like “kisha/halafu” (then) to show sequence.

When should I use “-ka-,” and are there limits?

Use “-ka-” to show a sequence or consequence after a prior action has been established, often in the past. It can appear with any subject: nikasikia, akasikia, wakasikia, etc. You can even start a sentence with it if the prior context is understood (“… and then I said …” = “nikasema …”). It’s less natural inside many subordinate/time clauses where other linkers already show sequence (e.g., after “baada ya …”).

How do I negate this chain of actions?

Swahili doesn’t have a simple, direct negative for the consecutive “-ka-.” You typically break the chain and use the normal negative for the relevant tense:

“Wakati wa mapumziko, niliangalia runinga, nikasikia tangazo, lakini sikutuma barua pepe.” (… but I didn’t send an email.) Here “siku-” is the past negative (1sg) and replaces “-li-.”

What if the subject changes in the middle of the chain?

Change the subject marker before “-ka-.” For example:

“Niliangalia runinga, jirani yangu akasikia tangazo.” (I watched TV, and my neighbor heard an ad.) Here “aka-” uses the 3rd-person singular subject “a-” plus “-ka-.”

Are the commas necessary?

They’re stylistic. Commas help readability in longer chains. You could also write: “Wakati wa mapumziko nilitazama runinga nikasikia tangazo nikatuma barua pepe,” or use words like “kisha/halafu” to make the sequence extra clear.

What’s the difference between “runinga” and “televisheni”?

Both mean TV. “Runinga” is very common in Tanzania and widely understood; “televisheni” (or colloquial “TV”) is also common. Use whichever your context prefers; both are fine.

Is there a difference between “kuangalia” and “kutazama” for “to watch”?

They overlap. “Kuangalia” often means “to look at/watch/check,” very common in everyday speech. “Kutazama” leans a bit more toward “to watch/view,” sometimes slightly more formal or careful looking. With TV, both are acceptable: “kuangalia runinga” / “kutazama runinga.”

What does “tangazo” cover? How about plural?

“Tangazo” is “announcement/advertisement.” For a TV/radio commercial you can also say “tangazo la biashara.” Plural is “matangazo.” So “nikasikia tangazo” (I heard an ad/announcement); “nikasikia matangazo” (I heard ads/announcements).

How does “barua pepe” behave (spelling, number, class)?

Spelling: usually written as “barua pepe” (two words). You might also see “barua-pepe,” but the spaced form is very common.
It belongs to the N-class; singular and plural look the same. Use numbers or context: “barua pepe moja” (one email), “barua pepe mbili” (two emails).
Agreement follows the N-class when needed.

How do I say “I sent him/her an email”?

Two common ways:

Use “kwa” for the recipient: “Nikatuma barua pepe kwa rafiki yangu.”
Use the applicative “-ia” with an object marker for the person: “Nikamtumia barua pepe” (I sent him/her an email). Here “-m-” is the 3rd-person singular object marker.

Why is there no “a/an/the” before the nouns?

Swahili has no articles. Definiteness/indefiniteness is inferred from context or made explicit with words like “moja” (one) or demonstratives like “hiyo” (that), if needed.

Can the time phrase go at the end instead of the beginning?

Yes. Word order is flexible for adverbials. You could say: “Niliangalia runinga, nikasikia tangazo, nikatuma barua pepe wakati wa mapumziko.” Fronting it, as in the original, emphasizes the time frame.