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Tafadhali weka vikombe mezani kwa utaratibu.

Tafadhali weka vikombe mezani kwa utaratibu.
Please place the cups on the table in an orderly way.
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Questions & Answers about Tafadhali weka vikombe mezani kwa utaratibu.

What form is the verb in weka?
  • Weka is the affirmative imperative, addressing one person: “put/place.”
  • Plural command (to more than one person): wekeni.
  • Negative commands:
    • Singular: usiweke (don’t put).
    • Plural: msiweke (don’t put).
  • With an object marker in a command (when “cups” are already known in context):
    • Singular addressee: viweke (put them), kiweke (put it, one cup).
    • Plural addressees: viwekeni, kiwekeni are used regionally, but most commonly you keep the OM and use the plural imperative: mviweke, mkiweke (with the subject prefix m- for 2nd pl: “you-pl put them/it”). In everyday speech, many simply say wekeni vikombe unless pronouns are needed.
How do I address more than one person politely?
  • Say: Tafadhali wekeni vikombe mezani kwa utaratibu.
  • You can also move tafadhali: Wekeni vikombe mezani kwa utaratibu, tafadhali.
Do I need tafadhali, and where can it go?
  • Tafadhali means “please.” It softens the command but isn’t grammatically required.
  • Position is flexible: start, middle, or end.
    • Tafadhali weka…
    • Weka, tafadhali, …
    • Weka … tafadhali.
  • Other polite options:
    • Naomba uweke… (I request that you put…)
    • Unaweza kuweka…? (Could you put…?)
Why is it vikombe and not kikombe?
  • Kikombe = one cup (class 7).
  • Vikombe = cups (plural, class 8).
  • Swahili has no articles, so vikombe can mean “cups,” “the cups,” or “some cups,” depending on context.
How do I say “Put it/them on the table” without repeating “cup(s)”?
  • Use object markers before the verb:
    • One cup (class 7): Kiweke mezani = Put it on the table.
    • Cups (class 8): Viweke mezani = Put them on the table.
  • If talking to more than one person: commonly Mkiweke mezani (it) / Mviweke mezani (them).
What exactly does mezani mean, and why the -ni?
  • Mezani = “at/on the table.” It’s meza (table) + the locative suffix -ni, which marks a place.
  • It often corresponds to English “at/in/on,” depending on the noun: shuleni (at school), nyumbani (at home), mezani (at/on the table).
  • You can also say:
    • kwenye meza (at/on the table; general location)
    • juu ya meza (on top of the table; explicitly on the surface)
Is there any difference among mezani, kwenye meza, and juu ya meza?
  • Mezani: idiomatic and compact; usually “at the table” or “on the table” (context decides).
  • Kwenye meza: neutral “at/on the table.”
  • Juu ya meza: specifically “on top of the table” (surface).
What does kwa utaratibu add, exactly?
  • Kwa utaratibu literally “in an orderly way,” i.e., neatly, methodically, carefully arranged.
  • It uses the pattern kwa + noun to form an adverbial phrase of manner.
  • Near-synonyms and nuances:
    • Kwa mpangilio = with arrangement, neatly laid out.
    • Kwa makini = carefully (attentively).
    • Vizuri = nicely/well (broad praise).
  • Compare:
    • Weka vikombe mezani kwa utaratibu = arrange/place them neatly.
    • Weka vikombe mezani taratibu/polepole = put them slowly/gently (focus on speed/gentleness, not arrangement).
Can I just say taratibu instead of kwa utaratibu?
  • Taratibu on its own usually means “slowly/gently.”
  • Kwa utaratibu means “in an orderly manner/with organization.”
  • So:
    • Weka vikombe taratibu = Put the cups gently/slowly.
    • Weka vikombe kwa utaratibu = Put/arrange the cups neatly/in order.
Would panga be better than weka here?
  • Weka = put/place (a general action).
  • Panga = arrange (specifically about ordering/lining up).
  • If you want to emphasize neat arrangement, say:
    • Tafadhali panga vikombe mezani kwa utaratibu.
What’s the typical word order for elements like object, place, and manner?
  • A natural order is: Verb (imperative) + Object + Place + Manner.
    • Weka vikombe mezani kwa utaratibu.
  • You can move the manner phrase, but the example above is the most common and smooth.
  • Fronting tafadhali is also common for politeness: Tafadhali weka…
How do I make “the cups,” “those cups,” or “some cups” explicit in Swahili?
  • No articles in Swahili, so use demonstratives/quantifiers when needed:
    • Vile vikombe = those cups (far from both).
    • Hivi vikombe = these cups (near me).
    • Hizo vikombe = those cups (near you).
    • Vikombe vyote = all the cups.
    • Baadhi ya vikombe = some of the cups.
How do I pronounce tafadhali, especially the dh?
  • dh is typically the voiced “th” sound in English this.
  • Many speakers pronounce it closer to d; you’ll be understood either way.
  • Swahili stress is on the second-to-last syllable:
    • ta-fa-DHA-li
    • WE-ka, vi-KOM-be, me-ZA-ni, u-ta-ra-TI-bu
Is mezani the same as mezeni?
  • No. Mezani = “at/on the table” (meza
    • -ni).
  • Mezeni is the plural imperative of meza (“to swallow”): “you all, swallow!” Completely different verb and meaning.
How would I say “Please set the table” in general?
  • Tafadhali andaa meza. (prepare the table)
  • Tafadhali tandika meza. (lay/set the table—often implies laying a cloth, cutlery, etc.)