Learn Hardcore Swahili: Hapo ndipo tulipoweka kapeti jipya chini ya meza. - That is where we put the new carpet under the table.

hapo = “there” (a specific, identifiable spot, often just pointed out or previously mentioned)
ndipo = “it is there” (the copula ni
- locative element po) Together, Hapo ndipo… means “It is there that…”, adding emphasis to the place.

Why does the verb look like tulipoweka instead of just tuliweka?

Because the cleft with ndipo is normally paired with a locative relative marker -po- inside the verb. Breakdown: tu-li-po-weka

tu- = we (subject)
-li- = past tense
-po- = locative relative “where”
weka = put So it literally reads “we-past-where-put,” matching the focused “there” in Hapo ndipo.

Can I say Hapo tuliweka kapeti jipya chini ya meza instead?

Yes, but the nuance changes.

Hapo tuliweka… = “There we put…” (neutral statement with an adverb of place)
Hapo ndipo tulipoweka… = “That’s exactly where we put…” (focused/emphatic) If you keep ndipo, it’s best to keep -po- in the verb: Hapo ndipo tulipoweka…. Many teachers consider Hapo ndipo tuliweka… ungrammatical or at least odd.

What’s the difference between po, ko, and mo and how do they affect the sentence?

They are the three locative series:

po (specific point/spot): Hapo ndipo tulipoweka… “Right there (specific spot) is where we put…”
ko (general area/direction, often more distant): Huko ndiko tulikoweka…
mo (inside/interior): Humo ndimo tulimoweka… Use the one that matches your meaning, and keep the verb’s relative marker consistent: -po-, -ko-, or -mo-.

Why say both hapo and also chini ya meza? Isn’t that redundant?

Not really. Hapo anchors the cleft (“that exact place”), and chini ya meza specifies which place (“under the table”). You can be pointing and then clarify: “There—that’s where we put the new carpet, under the table.” This is common and natural in Swahili.

How does chini ya meza work grammatically?

chini = under/below (a locative noun)
ya = “of” (possessive linker agreeing with the head noun chini, which behaves like class 9, so the linker is ya)
meza = table So chini ya meza = “under the table.” You need the ya; you can’t say “chini meza.”

Why is it kapeti jipya and not kapeti mpya or kipya?

Adjectives agree with the noun class. Kapeti is commonly treated as class 5 (ji-/Ø), so “new” takes the class-5 agreement: jipya.

Class 5 singular: kapeti jipya
Class 6 plural: makapeti mapya You’ll also hear the synonym zulia (class 5/6): zulia jipya / mazulia mapya. Some speakers do say kapeti mpya (treating it as class 9), but with jipya you’re matching the class-5 analysis used in your sentence.

Where do adjectives go in Swahili? Could I say jipya kapeti?

Adjectives usually follow the noun they modify. So it’s kapeti jipya, not jipya kapeti.

How would I say “That’s where we put it” if “the carpet” is already known from context?

Use a class-5 object marker -li- and keep the locative relative:

Hapo ndipo tulipoliweka chini ya meza. Breakdown: tu-li-po-li-weka (we–past–where–it(class 5)–put). In this case you would typically omit the explicit noun (kapeti) to avoid redundancy.

Can I use pale instead of hapo?

Yes, if you mean a more distal “over there” (farther from both speaker and addressee):

Pale ndipo tulipoweka kapeti jipya chini ya meza. It’s still in the po series, so keep ndipo and -po-.

Could I say this without the cleft focus?

Yes: Tuliweka kapeti jipya chini ya meza. That’s a neutral statement: “We put a new carpet under the table.” The cleft (Hapo ndipo… tulipoweka) adds emphasis to the location.

Does ndipo ever mean something like “that’s when/then”?

Yes. In narratives ndipo can signal “that’s when/then”: e.g., Ndipo akakimbia “That’s when he ran.” In your sentence, paired with hapo, it’s the locative “it is (exactly) there.”

If I want to say “under that table,” where do I put the demonstrative?

After the noun: chini ya meza ile (far) or chini ya meza hiyo (that near/known to you). Example: Hapo ndipo tulipoweka kapeti jipya chini ya meza ile.