Maandalizi yanaendelea vizuri ukumbini.

Preparations are going well in the hall.

Breakdown of Maandalizi yanaendelea vizuri ukumbini.

• vizuri: well
• kuendelea: to continue
• ukumbini: in the hall
• maandalizi: the preparations

Questions & Answers about Maandalizi yanaendelea vizuri ukumbini.

What does each part of the sentence do?

• Maandalizi: a class 6 noun meaning “preparations/arrangements.” It’s typically used as a plural-only abstract noun.
• yanaendelea: verb complex = ya- (class 6 subject marker “they”) + -na- (present/progressive) + endelea (“continue/progress”) → “are continuing/are progressing.”
• vizuri: adverb meaning “well, nicely.”
• ukumbini: ukumbi (“hall”) + locative suffix -ni → “in/at the hall.”

Why is it yanaendelea and not inaendelea or wanaendelea?

Because maandalizi is a class 6 (ma-) noun. Class 6 takes the subject marker ya-.

• inaendelea would agree with a class 9 noun (subject marker i-).
• wanaendelea would agree with class 2 (people, plural, subject marker wa-).
  Here, class 6 → ya-, hence yanaendelea.

Is maandalizi treated as singular or plural in Swahili?

Grammatically plural. Even though in English you might say “the preparation is…,” in Swahili maandalizi takes plural agreement (class 6), so the verb uses ya- (“they”) rather than a singular marker.

What tense/aspect does -na- express in yanaendelea?

-na- is the present/imperfective. With endelea, it gives a progressive sense: “are continuing/are in the process of progressing.”

• Present perfect: yameendelea (“have progressed”).
• Past: yaliendelea (“were continuing/did continue”).
• Future: yataendelea (“will continue”).

Why use vizuri and not nzuri or mzuri?

Vizuri here is an adverb meaning “well.”

• Nzuri/mzuri are adjective forms that modify nouns (e.g., maandalizi mazuri = “good preparations”).
  After a verb to describe manner, use the adverb vizuri.

What does the -ni on ukumbini do?

The suffix -ni makes a locative form: ukumbi (“hall”) → ukumbini (“in/at the hall”). Many place nouns use -ni to mean “in/at/on [place]” (e.g., nyumbani, shuleni, kanisani).

Can I say katika ukumbi or kwenye ukumbi instead of ukumbini?

Yes. All are acceptable:

• ukumbini: compact, idiomatic “in the hall.”
• katika ukumbi: formal “in the hall.”
• kwenye ukumbi: very common in everyday speech. Don’t combine a preposition with the locative suffix (avoid “katika ukumbini”); choose one strategy.

Can ukumbini move to the front for emphasis?

Yes: Ukumbini, maandalizi yanaendelea vizuri. This puts emphasis on the location. Word order is fairly flexible for topicalization/focus in Swahili.

Is the order “vizuri ukumbini” normal? Could I say “ukumbini vizuri”?

Placing manner before place is common: verb + manner (vizuri) + place (ukumbini).
“Ukumbini vizuri” is possible but less natural in a neutral statement; moving elements usually serves emphasis or style.

How do I make the sentence negative?

Use the negative prefix and final -i:

• Maandalizi hayaendelei vizuri ukumbini. = “The preparations are not progressing well in the hall.”
  Pattern: ha-
  • class-6 subject (ya → haya-) + verb stem + final -i (no -na- in negative present).

How would I say “are still continuing”?

Add bado: Maandalizi bado yanaendelea vizuri ukumbini.
“Bado” = “still/yet.”

How is maandalizi formed from andaa?

From the verb -andaa (“to prepare”), a nominal form -andalizi is derived; with the class 6 prefix ma-, we get maandalizi (“preparations/arrangements”). Spelling with double “a” (maa-) comes from prefix ma- + a root starting with “a.”

Any pronunciation tips for maandalizi and yanaendelea?

• maandalizi: pronounce both “a” vowels in maa smoothly (not as a glottal stop), roughly “mah–ahn–dah–LEE–zee.”
• yanaendelea: “ya–na–en–de–LE–a.” Keep each vowel distinct; Swahili vowels are short and clear.

What’s the plural of ukumbi, and how would I say “in the halls”?

Plural of ukumbi is kumbi (class 10).
“In the halls” → kumbini (plural noun + locative -ni):

• Maandalizi yanaendelea vizuri kumbini.

Could I use another word for “preparations”?

Yes, matayarisho is a common synonym (also class 6). It behaves the same grammatically:

• Matayarisho yanaendelea vizuri ukumbini.