Learn Hardcore Swahili: Juma anavuta hewa safi karibu na bahari.

The marker -na- is the present/imperfective. It can mean “is doing (now)” or “does (generally),” depending on context. Morphology: a- (3rd person sg subject) + -na- (present) + vuta (verb root “draw/pull/inhale/smoke”) + final vowel -a → anavuta.

Does vuta mean “smoke,” and does the sentence sound like he’s smoking?

Vuta can mean “smoke” when the object is something like sigara (cigarette). With hewa (air), it means “draw/inhale air,” i.e., breathing in. So here it does not imply smoking.

Can I use pumua instead of vuta?

Yes. Anapumua hewa safi is perfectly natural and focuses on the act of breathing. Anavuta hewa safi emphasizes drawing air in. Both are acceptable; pumua feels more neutral for “breathe.”

Why is it hewa safi and not safi hewa or safi ya hewa?

Adjectives normally follow the noun in Swahili, so “air clean” = hewa safi. Safi ya hewa would mean “the cleanliness of air,” which is a different structure (noun + of + noun).

Does the adjective safi change to agree with hewa?

For class 9/10 nouns like hewa, many adjectives keep the same form. Safi stays safi: hewa safi. Other adjectives do show class agreement: e.g., hewa nzuri, hewa njema (not “mzuri/jema”).

Do I need an object marker here? Could I say anaivuta hewa safi?

No object marker is needed. With inanimate, indefinite objects like “air,” you typically omit it. Anaivuta hewa safi (with -i- for class 9) is grammatical but sounds odd/overmarked here. Use simply anavuta hewa safi.

What exactly does karibu na mean? Can I drop na?

Karibu na means “near/close to.” The na is part of the prepositional phrase; don’t drop it before a noun. Karibu on its own can mean “nearby” as an adverb or “welcome!” as an interjection, but for “near [a noun]” use karibu na.

Can I place the location first for emphasis?

Yes. Fronting a location is common for emphasis or scene-setting: Karibu na bahari, Juma anavuta hewa safi. Meaning stays the same.

Could I use a locative like baharini instead of bahari?

Yes, baharini means “at/in the sea.” You’d usually say either karibu na bahari (near the sea) or pick a more specific shore place word like ufukweni (at the shore) or pwani (at the coast). Karibu na baharini is acceptable but can feel redundant.

How do I negate the sentence?

Use the negative subject marker and change the final vowel to -i (and drop -na- in the present). For 3rd person singular: Juma havuti hewa safi karibu na bahari. Quick pattern (present negative):

I: sivuti
you (sg): huvuti
he/she: havuti
we: hatuvuti
you (pl): hamvuti
they: hawavuti

How would it change for a plural subject (they)?

Use the plural subject prefix wa-: wanavuta. Example: Wao wanavuta hewa safi karibu na bahari. Negative: hawavuti.

Why is there no word for “the” before “sea”? How do I make it definite?

Swahili has no articles (no “a/the”). Definite vs. indefinite is decided by context or by using demonstratives or specific modifiers:

bahari hii/ile (this/that sea)
Bahari ya Hindi (the Indian Ocean)

Any pronunciation tips for the whole sentence?

Stress the second-to-last syllable of each word: a-na-VU-ta | HE-wa | SA-fi | ka-RI-bu | ba-HA-ri. Consonants are generally as in English; v as in “van,” and vowels are pure and short.

Is Juma necessarily male? Does Swahili mark gender?

Juma is a common male name in East Africa (historically linked to being born on Friday). Swahili grammar itself doesn’t mark gender; a- works for “he” or “she.”

What’s the difference between bahari, pwani, ufukwe, and similar words?

bahari: the sea/ocean (the water body)
pwani: the coast/coastline region
ufukwe: the shore/beach
Alternatives for “near”: karibu na, kando ya (by/alongside), jirani na (adjacent to), pembeni ya (beside)