Ukipika wali, tumia mwiko kuchanganya taratibu.

When you cook rice, use a cooking stick to stir slowly.

Breakdown of Ukipika wali, tumia mwiko kuchanganya taratibu.

• taratibu: slowly
• kutumia: to use
• wali: the rice
• mwiko: the cooking stick
• kuchanganya: to stir
• ukipika: when you cook

Questions & Answers about Ukipika wali, tumia mwiko kuchanganya taratibu.

What does each part of the sentence do grammatically?

• U-: 2nd-person singular subject marker, “you.”
• -ki-: real/habitual conditional marker meaning “if/when (ever).”
• -pika: verb root “cook.” So ukipika = “when/if you cook.”
• wali: “cooked rice” (a mass noun).
• tumia: singular imperative “use.”
• mwiko: a cooking ladle/wooden spoon.
• kuchanganya: infinitive “to mix/stir,” here expressing purpose.
• taratibu: adverb “gently/carefully/slowly.”

Does ukipika mean “if” or “when”?

Both are possible, depending on context:

• General instructions/habits: “when(ever) you cook...”
• A conditional: “if you cook...” The -ki- form typically covers real conditions and habitual situations. If you want a specific future time (“when you will cook”), use utakapopika.

Why is there a comma after Ukipika wali?

It separates the conditional clause from the main clause. It mirrors the pause you’d make in speech. It’s common but not compulsory; the sentence is still correct without the comma.

Why is it tumia and not utumie?

• tumia is the short, direct imperative (singular): “use.”
• tumieni is the plural imperative: “use (you all).”
• utumie is the polite/subjunctive form: “(that) you should use.” It sounds softer or more formal, e.g., Ukipika wali, utumie mwiko... Both are correct; the given sentence uses the straightforward command.

What is kuchanganya doing here?

It’s an infinitive of purpose: “use a ladle to mix...” You can think of it as shorthand for “use a ladle in order to mix.”

Could I instead make two separate commands like “Use a ladle; mix gently.”?

Yes: Tumia mwiko; changanya taratibu. That gives two separate instructions. The original links them by purpose, which is slightly tighter and more natural in a how-to style.

Is changanya the best verb for “stir,” or should I use koroga?

• changanya = mix/combine (solid with solid, or in general; also “mix it up”).
• koroga = stir, especially liquids, sauces, tea, or semi-solids like porridge/ugali. With rice, both appear in practice. Koroga emphasizes the stirring action; changanya is a safe general choice. You might also see:
• geuza = turn over/flip.
• chochea = poke/stoke/prod (less about mixing).

What exactly does taratibu mean? How is it different from polepole?

• taratibu = gently, carefully, with care (and often slowly).
• polepole = slowly (speed-focused). So taratibu adds a “careful/gentle” nuance, not just slowness. For rice, taratibu fits well.

Do I need kwa before taratibu?

No. Both are fine:

• ... kuchanganya taratibu.
• ... kuchanganya kwa taratibu. Without kwa is very common in speech and writing.

What is a mwiko exactly, and how is it different from kijiko?

• mwiko: a wooden cooking spoon/ladle used for stirring while cooking (think of the tool you’d use for ugali or rice in the pot).
• kijiko: a spoon (often an eating spoon, but can also be used for cooking depending on size/design). In kitchens, mwiko is the classic wooden stirrer.

What’s the plural of mwiko?

miiko (Class 3/4). Note the homonym: miiko also means “taboos”/“prohibitions,” but context disambiguates (kitchen vs. culture).

Why isn’t there an object marker for “rice” in kuchanganya? Could I say “to mix it”?

Because the object is obvious from context, it’s omitted. If you want “to mix it,” attach the object marker to the infinitive:

• kuuchanganya = “to mix it” (object marker u- for wali, class 11). Spelling note: kuu- is from ku- (infinitive) + u- (object), giving kuuchanganya. Both forms are correct, but the marker is optional here.

How would I say this to more than one person?

Use 2nd-person plural in both parts:

• Mkipika wali, tumieni mwiko kuuchanganya taratibu.

What’s the difference between ukipika and utakapopika?

• ukipika: real/habitual “if/when”; fits general instructions or repeated situations.
• utakapopika: “when you (will) cook (that time)”; anchors to a specific future occasion. Example: Utakapopika wali kesho, utumie mwiko...

Can I use kama for “if,” like Kama unapika wali, tumia mwiko…?

Yes. kama + indicative (unapika) is a standard “if.” With -ki-, you typically don’t add kama (avoid kama ukipika). For neutral instructions, ukipika is very natural; kama unapika leans more conditional.

How do I make the instruction negative (don’t use / don’t stir)?

Use the negative subjunctive:

• Don’t use a ladle: Usitumie mwiko.
• Don’t stir (gently): Usichanganye (or usikoroge) taratibu. In a conditional: Ukipika wali, usichanganye kwa nguvu (“don’t mix vigorously”).

Any tips on pronunciation for tricky words here?

• mwiko: roughly “MWEE-koh” (the mw- cluster is like m + w).
• taratibu: “ta-ra-TEE-boo,” stress typically on the penultimate syllable: ta-ra-TI-bu.
• ukipika: “oo-kee-PEE-kah,” penultimate stress: u-ki-PI-ka.

Why is there no subject marker on tumia?

Imperatives in Swahili usually drop the subject marker. The subject is understood (you). That’s why the clause starts with Ukipika (which has the marker u-) but then uses the bare imperative tumia in the main instruction.