Nikirudi nyumbani jioni, nitaosha vikombe vyote.

When I return home in the evening, I will wash all the cups.

Breakdown of Nikirudi nyumbani jioni, nitaosha vikombe vyote.

• nyumba: the home
• kuosha: to wash
• kikombe: the cup
• vyote: all
• jioni: in the evening
• nikirudi: when I return

Questions & Answers about Nikirudi nyumbani jioni, nitaosha vikombe vyote.

What does the -ki- in Nikirudi mean, and why not just say Nitarudi?

• -ki- marks a subordinate “when/if” clause: ni-ki-rudi = “when/if I return.”
• Nitarudi is a main-clause verb (“I will return”) and doesn’t link two actions.
• Pattern: [ni-ki-VERB], [main clause] = “When/If I VERB, [main clause].” With jioni, it reads naturally as “when.”

How is nitaosha built?

• ni- = I (subject marker, 1st person singular)
• -ta- = future tense
• -osha = wash Together: nitaosha = “I will wash.”

Does nyumbani mean “to home” or “at home”? Do I need a preposition?

• nyumbani uses the locative suffix -ni and can mean “at home,” “to home,” or “home” depending on the verb.
• With a motion/return verb like kurudi, it’s interpreted as “(back) home/to home.”
• No extra preposition is needed.

Where should I put jioni? Does it modify returning or washing?

• In Nikirudi nyumbani jioni, ..., jioni is inside the first clause, so it modifies the returning: “when I return home in the evening.”
• You can move it to target the second clause: Nikirudi nyumbani, jioni nitaosha... = “I’ll wash them in the evening.”
• Other acceptable orders exist (e.g., Nikirudi jioni nyumbani, ...), though many speakers prefer place before time: nyumbani jioni.

Does Nikirudi mean “if I return” or “when I return”? Which is more natural here?

• -ki- can mean either “if” or “when.”
• With a definite time like jioni, it’s most naturally “when.”
• Without such context, it can be read as “if.”

How is -ki- different from -po- (as in nitakaporudi)?

• -ki-: general/real condition or habitual “when/if”; common for plans and routines.
• -po-: a more specific, definite “when (at the time that).”
• You could say Nitakaporudi nyumbani jioni, nitaosha... to stress that specific return this evening. Both are correct; nuance is subtle.

Can I put the “when” clause second?

Yes: Nitaosha vikombe vyote nikirudi nyumbani jioni. Meaning stays the same.

Why is it vikombe vyote and not vikombe wote/yote?

• Noun-class agreement. kikombe (cup) is class 7 (ki-/ch-); plural vikombe is class 8 (vi-/vy-).
• The quantifier -ote (“all/whole”) agrees with the noun class:
  • class 7 singular: kikombe chote (“the whole cup”)
  • class 8 plural: vikombe vyote (“all the cups”)
• For comparison:
  • vitabu vyote (all the books, class 8)
  • sahani zote (all the plates, class 10)
  • magari yote (all the cars, class 6)
  • watu wote (all the people, class 2)

What exactly does vyote add? Could I just say vikombe vyote vs vikombe?

• vyote means “all (of them),” i.e., 100% of the set. vikombe alone is just “cups.”
• vikombe vyote = “all the cups.” Without vyote, it could be some or all; vyote removes ambiguity.

Do I need an object marker on the verb (like nitaviosha)?

• Not required here; the explicit object vikombe vyote already follows the verb.
• Standard style avoids doubling (object marker + full noun) unless for emphasis or topicalization.
• Colloquially you’ll also hear: Nitavi-osha vikombe vyote or fronted: Vikombe vyote, nitavi-osha.

Could I use vyombo instead of vikombe to mean “dishes”?

Yes. vyombo = dishes/utensils. Nitaosha vyombo vyote = “I’ll wash all the dishes.” vikombe is specifically cups.

How would I say the same idea in the past?

• Niliporudi nyumbani jioni, niliosha vikombe vyote. (When I returned home in the evening, I washed all the cups.)
• For a narrative sequence you can also say: Nilirudi nyumbani jioni, nikaosha vikombe vyote. (I returned home in the evening, then I washed all the cups.)

Is the comma necessary?

• Swahili punctuation is flexible. A comma after a fronted -ki- clause is common and aids readability, but omitting it is not ungrammatical.

What’s the difference between kuosha and kusafisha?

• -osha = to wash (with water/soap), used with items like dishes, clothes, hands.
• -safisha = to clean/make clean (general), e.g., kusafisha nyumba (clean the house). Dishes are usually kuosha vyombo.

Pronunciation tips for vyote and vikombe?

• vyote: [VYOH-teh]. The cluster vy- is pronounced with a quick y-glide after v.
• vikombe: [vee-KOM-beh]. Vowels are pure; stress is even.

Can I say Nikirudi nyumbani leo jioni? Where does leo go?

Yes. leo jioni = “this evening.” Common placements:

• Nikirudi nyumbani leo jioni, nitaosha...
• Nikirudi nyumbani, leo jioni nitaosha... (emphasis on time of washing)

Could I drop the noun and just say “I’ll wash them all”?

• With context, you can say Nitavi-osha vyote (“I’ll wash them all”), using the object marker vi- to stand for “them” (class 8 items).
• Nitaosha vyote without an object marker is less clear, because vyote needs a referent.

Is kurudi transitive? Do I need a preposition like “to”?

• kurudi is intransitive (“to return/come back”). You add a locative noun to show destination: nyumbani, shuleni, kazini.
• No preposition is needed. To mean “to someone’s place,” use kwa: Nikirudi kwa mama..., Nikirudi kwake...