Learn Hardcore Swahili: Feni hizi zikifanya kazi, ofisi itapata hewa safi. - If these fans are working, the office will get fresh air.

The bold -ki- marks a dependent clause meaning “when/whenever/as long as,” and often corresponds to a real, likely, or habitual condition. It can also be read as “if” when the condition is plausible. It’s less hypothetical than using kama or ikiwa.

More certain/typical: Feni hizi zikifanya kazi, ... (“When/whenever these fans work, ...”)
More hypothetical: Kama/ikiwa feni hizi zitafanya kazi, ... (“If these fans will work, ...”)

Why is the subject prefix in zikifanya “zi-” and not “wa-”?

Because feni is a class 9/10 noun (borrowed noun), not a class 1/2 human noun. Class 10 (plural) takes the subject marker zi-. The wa- subject prefix is for class 2 (people).

Class 10 SM: zi- → zi-ki-fanya
Class 2 SM: wa- (would be for “they (people)”)

How is zikifanya built morphologically?

zi- = subject marker for class 10 (plural, non-human: “they”)
-ki- = dependent “when/if/while” marker
fany- = verb root “do” (in the expression fanya kazi = “work”)
-a = final vowel
Altogether: zi-ki-fany-a → “when/if they work”

Could I use kama or ikiwa instead of the -ki- form?

Yes, with a nuance shift toward a more explicit “if.” You’d normally use future in the subordinate clause:

Kama/ikiwa feni hizi zitafanya kazi, ofisi itapata hewa safi.
This sounds more hypothetical/conditional than Feni hizi zikifanya kazi, ... which often feels like “whenever/when (in the normal case).”

Why is the demonstrative after the noun (feni hizi) instead of before?

In standard Swahili, demonstratives typically follow the noun: feni hizi (“these fans”). Preposing for emphasis is also possible in speech: hizi feni, but the neutral, most common order is noun + demonstrative.

How do I know feni is plural here if the word doesn’t change?

Class 9/10 nouns often have the same form in singular and plural. The plural is shown by agreement:

Demonstrative: hizi (plural, class 10) vs. hii (singular, class 9)
Verb subject marker: zi- (plural) vs. i- (singular) So feni hizi
- zi- signals plural.

Could I say hawa instead of hizi?

No. hawa is the class 2 plural demonstrative (“these [people]”). For class 10 (non-human plural) you use hizi.
Class 9 singular: hii (e.g., ofisi hii)
Class 10 plural: hizi (e.g., feni hizi)

Why is it itapata and not atapta/atapokea?

The subject marker is i- because ofisi is class 9 (singular), whose SM is i-. So: i-ta-pata.
kupata (“to get/obtain”) is the natural, broad verb here. kupokea is “to receive (from someone)” and sounds odd for air.

Could I say Ofisi itakuwa na hewa safi instead of itapata hewa safi?

Yes.

itapata emphasizes the result of the condition being met (“will get/obtain”).
itakuwa na simply states a future state (“will have”). Both are acceptable; choose based on the nuance you want.

Why future tense (itapata) in the main clause?

With a -ki- clause expressing a condition/time, the main clause can be present or future depending on meaning:

Specific/future outcome: ... ofisi itapata hewa safi.
Habitual/generic: ... ofisi hupata hewa safi. (using the habitual marker hu-)

Could I use the present in the main clause, like inapata?

Yes, for present-time or ongoing context:

Feni hizi zikifanya kazi, ofisi inap‑ata hewa safi. (when they’re working, the office gets/is getting fresh air)
For general truths, use hu-: ... ofisi hupata hewa safi.

What exactly is fanya kazi doing here?

Fanya kazi is an idiomatic verb phrase meaning “to work” (to function/operate). Literally it’s “do work,” but as a unit it means “to work.” So zikifanya kazi = “when they are working/operating.”

Can I add “well,” as in “when these fans work well”?

Yes: Feni hizi zikifanya kazi vizuri, ofisi itapata hewa safi.
You can also use other adverbs like sawasawa, vizuri sana, etc., after the verb phrase.

Does hewa safi mean “clean air” or “fresh air”?

Both are possible depending on context, but the set phrase hewa safi commonly corresponds to “fresh air.” safi literally means “clean/pure,” and with hewa it naturally reads as “fresh air.”

Why is the adjective after the noun (hewa safi)?

Adjectives normally follow the noun in Swahili. So hewa safi is standard. Fronting an adjective is not used the way it is in English.

Does the adjective safi change form to agree with the noun class?

No. safi is one of the adjectives that typically do not take class agreement prefixes; it stays safi across classes: hewa safi, mji safi, nyumba safi.

Can I put the -ki- clause second?

Yes. Word order is flexible:

Feni hizi zikifanya kazi, ofisi itapata hewa safi.
Ofisi itapata hewa safi, feni hizi zikifanya kazi.
Initial position often foregrounds the condition.

Is the comma necessary after the -ki- clause?

It’s good style to use it when the -ki- clause comes first, but it’s not strictly required. Native writing varies; the comma helps readability.

Is feni the only word for an electric fan?

In East Africa, feni is common for an electric fan (borrowed from English). shabiki primarily means “fan (supporter),” though some people may use shabiki (wa umeme) for an electric fan in certain contexts. feni is safer and widely understood.

How would I negate the sentence: “If these fans aren’t working, the office won’t get fresh air”?

Two natural options:

Using the negative counterpart of -ki-: Feni hizi zisipofanya kazi, ofisi haitapata hewa safi.
(zi-si-po-fanya = “if they don’t work”)
Using zikiwa
- negative: Feni hizi zikiwa hazifanyi kazi, ofisi haitapata hewa safi.

Can I use zikiwa instead of the -ki- form to stress “when they are in a state of working”?

Yes: Feni hizi zikiwa zinafanya kazi, ofisi itapata hewa safi.
Here zikiwa (“when/if they are …”) + a progressive (zinafanya) highlights the state/ongoing action. The original zikifanya is more compact and very common.

What are the related demonstratives for distance with class 10?

Near speaker: hizi = “these” (e.g., feni hizi)
Near/listener or previously mentioned: hizo = “those”
Far from both: zile = “those (over there)