Learn Hardcore Swahili: Kwa sasa tusogee polepole; mwishowe tutaelewa vizuri. - For now let’s move slowly; in the end we will understand well.

sasa = now (neutral “now”; can also work as a discourse filler meaning “so/then”).
kwa sasa = for now/for the time being (suggests a temporary state that may change).
sasa hivi / hivi sasa = right now/this very moment (more immediate).

Why does tusogee end in -ee? What form is this?

It’s the hortative/volitional subjunctive meaning “let’s …”. In Swahili, the subjunctive ends in -e. For verbs ending in -ea, that becomes -ee:

stem: sogea → subjunctive: sogee
with 1st person plural subject prefix tu-: tusogee = “let’s move/shift (forward/over)”.

Is tusogee negative? How would I say “let’s not move (yet / too fast)”?

No—tusogee is positive. The negative subjunctive inserts si after the subject prefix and still ends in -e:

tusisogee = let’s not move To add nuance: Tusisogee haraka bado (let’s not move quickly yet) or Tusifanye haraka (let’s not rush).

Could I say tuende/twende polepole instead of tusogee polepole?

Yes. Tuende/Twende polepole = “let’s go slowly” (general movement/progress).
Tusogee polepole = “let’s shift/move forward bit by bit,” often implying careful, incremental movement (physical or figurative).
Both are fine; pick the verb that best fits your context.

What’s the difference between sogea and songa?

sogea: move/shift/come closer (often a small or cautious movement; intransitive).
songa (mbele): push/advance/press on (can be stronger or more purposeful; often used with mbele “forward”).
You can say tusogee polepole (shift forward gently) or tusonge polepole (advance slowly) depending on the feel you want.

If I’m addressing a crowd, do I need -ni (e.g., tusogeeni)?

No. Let’s … is always formed with the subject prefix tu-: tusogee.
-ni marks a second-person plural imperative: sogeeni = “you all, move!” That excludes the speaker.

What exactly does polepole mean, and why is it doubled? Any synonyms?

Polepole is a reduplicated adverb meaning “slowly/gently/gradually.” Reduplication is how Swahili forms this adverb; pole by itself is mostly the sympathy word (“sorry”).
Close alternatives: taratibu (slowly/carefully), kwa taratibu (in an orderly way). You’ll also hear softeners like polepole tu (just slowly).

How do I pronounce the tricky bits and where is the stress?

Swahili stress is normally on the second-to-last syllable:

kwa sasa: kwa SA-sa
tusogee: tu-so-GEE (the g is hard, as in “get”)
polepole: po-le-PO-le
mwishowe: mwi-SHO-we
tutaelewa: tu-ta-e-LE-wa (smooth the vowels together)
vizuri: vi-ZU-ri

Why is there a semicolon here? Could I use a different connector?

The semicolon links two closely related independent clauses. You could also write:

Kwa sasa tusogee polepole, halafu/kisha tutaelewa vizuri.
Kwa sasa tusogee polepole. Mwishowe, tutaelewa vizuri. All are acceptable stylistically.

What’s the nuance of mwishowe? How does it differ from mwishoni or hatimaye?

mwishowe = in the end/eventually (adverbial; outcome after a process).
mwishoni = at the end (locative, often of something specific: mwishoni mwa wiki “at the end of the week”).
hatimaye = finally/at last (a bit more formal/elevated than mwishowe).
Spelling note: mwishowe is one word.

How is tutaelewa built?

It’s subject + tense + verb:

tu- (we) + -ta- (future) + -elewa (understand) → tutaelewa (“we will understand”).
A common variant with a sense of “come to understand” is Tutakuja kuelewa (we will come to understand).

Should I use tutaelewa or tutaelewana?

elewa = understand (a thing/concept).
elewana = understand each other, come to an agreement (reciprocal).
Use tutaelewa vizuri for grasping a topic better; use tutaelewana vizuri for reaching mutual understanding between people.

Is vizuri the only option? How does it relate to adjectives like -zuri and to vyema?

Vizuri functions adverbially here: “well.” It comes from the adjective -zuri (“good/beautiful”), whose class-8 form is vizuri. As an adjective it agrees with noun class (e.g., kitu kizuri, vitu vizuri), but as an adverb it’s invariable.
Vyema also means “well/properly,” but it’s more formal/bookish. In everyday speech, vizuri is more common.