Wageni waliingia ukumbini mmoja mmoja.

The guests entered the hall one by one.

Breakdown of Wageni waliingia ukumbini mmoja mmoja.

• mgeni: the guest
• kuingia: to enter
• ukumbini: in the hall
• mmoja mmoja: one by one

Questions & Answers about Wageni waliingia ukumbini mmoja mmoja.

What does the verb form waliingia encode?

It’s built from three parts: wa- (subject marker for class 2, i.e., plural humans), -li- (past tense), and the verb root ingia (enter). So: wa-li-ingia = “they entered.” The double i in -li-ingia is normal in Swahili spelling.

Why does ukumbini end with -ni?

The suffix -ni is a locative marker meaning “in/at/into.” With a motion verb like ingia, ukumbini typically means “into the hall” or “into the auditorium.” You could also say:

• katika/kwenye ukumbi (in/into the hall)
• ndani ya ukumbi (inside the hall) The compact -ni form is very common and idiomatic.

What exactly does mmoja mmoja mean, and why is it repeated?

It’s the numeral moja (one) with the class-1 singular prefix m- (hence mmoja), reduplicated to express a distributive meaning: “one by one.” The same pattern makes “two by two,” “three by three,” etc., for people:

• wawili wawili (two by two)
• watatu watatu (three at a time)

Why is there an extra m in mmoja?

Because moja must agree with an implied class-1 singular noun (a person). The class-1 agreement prefix is m-, so you get m-moja, which is written as mmoja. Reduplicating it gives the adverbial phrase mmoja mmoja.

Can I say moja moja instead of mmoja mmoja?

In casual speech you’ll hear moja moja, but for people the class-agreeing mmoja mmoja is the standard choice. For non-human nouns, the numeral normally agrees with their class (e.g., class 7: kimoja kimoja). Also note: moja kwa moja means “direct/straight” or “live (broadcast),” not “one by one.”

Can mmoja mmoja go somewhere else in the sentence?

Yes. The most natural spot is after the place phrase: Wageni waliingia ukumbini mmoja mmoja. You can also say:

• Wageni waliingia mmoja mmoja ukumbini.
• With commas for emphasis: Wageni, mmoja mmoja, waliingia ukumbini. Position affects rhythm/emphasis more than meaning.

Do I need to keep the noun wageni, or can I drop it?

You can drop it if the context is clear, because the verb already has the plural human subject marker: Waliingia ukumbini mmoja mmoja. Keeping wageni just makes the subject explicit.

Why is there no word for “the” or “a”?

Swahili has no articles. Definiteness (the guests vs. some guests) is inferred from context or added with other devices if needed.

What noun class is mgeni/wageni, and how does agreement work?

mgeni (guest/visitor) is class 1 (singular), and wageni is class 2 (plural). Verb agreement:

• Singular person: a-li-ingia (he/she entered)
• Plural people: wa-li-ingia (they entered) Adjectives and numerals also agree with these classes (hence mmoja for one person).

What class is ukumbi, and what is its plural?

ukumbi (hall/auditorium) is in the u- noun class (often labeled class 11). Its plural is kumbi (class 10): kumbi (halls). As a subject, ukumbi takes u- agreement: Ukumbi umejaa (The hall is full).

Could I use wakaingia instead of waliingia?

Use waka- (the narrative/sequence marker) after a preceding past-tense clause to link actions: Walifika, wakaingia ukumbini. If you’re stating a single past event without that sequence context, waliingia is the default.

How do I negate this in the past?

Use the negative subject plus the negative past marker -ku-: Wageni hawakuingia ukumbini mmoja mmoja. Breakdown: ha-wa-ku-ingia (not-they-past.enter).

How would I say it in the present or future?

• Present/progressive: Wageni wanaingia ukumbini mmoja mmoja.
• Future: Wageni wataingia ukumbini mmoja mmoja. Markers: -na- (present/progressive), -ta- (future).

Is ingia transitive? Why is there no object marker?

ingia is intransitive (“enter”), so it doesn’t take a direct object and therefore no object marker. The place is expressed as a locative (ukumbini) or a prepositional phrase. If someone causes the entry, use the causative -ingiza (“to put/bring in”): e.g., waliingiza wageni ukumbini (they brought the guests into the hall).

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• wageni: the g is always hard, like in “go.”
• mmoja: pronounce a long “m” at the start (it’s essentially m + moja). Many speakers slightly lengthen the m: mm-ója.
• Vowels are pure and not reduced; read everything as written.

Is a comma required before mmoja mmoja?

No. A comma is optional and used only for emphasis or a pause: Wageni, mmoja mmoja, waliingia ukumbini. The version without commas is standard.