Learn Hardcore Swahili: Baada ya kula, tulilipa bili kwenye kaunta iliyo karibu na mlango. - After eating, we paid the bill at the counter near the door.

In Swahili, baada is a noun meaning “the time after.” To link it to what comes after, you use the genitive ya (“of”), so baada ya X literally means “after (the time of) X.” After baada ya, you can put:

a noun: baada ya chakula (after the meal)
a verbal noun (the infinitive): baada ya kula (after eating)
even a pronoun+noun phrase for emphasis: baada ya sisi kula (after we ate), though the plain baada ya kula is more natural unless you need emphasis or clarity.

Why is it kula and not just la for “eat”?

The dictionary root is -la (“eat”), but Swahili infinitives are formed with ku- + verb, often causing phonological adjustments. For “eat,” the infinitive is kula.

Present: tunakula (we eat/are eating)
Past: tulikula (we ate)
After a preposition-like noun such as baada ya, the infinitive (verbal noun) is used: baada ya kula (after eating).

Can I move the time phrase to the end? For example, Tulilipa bili … baada ya kula?

Yes. Both word orders are fine:

Baada ya kula, tulilipa bili … (fronted time phrase; comma is normal)
Tulilipa bili … baada ya kula. (time phrase at the end) Swahili is flexible with adverbials like time and place.

How is tulilipa built morphologically?

tulilipa = tu- (we) + -li- (past tense) + lip (verb root “pay”) + -a (final vowel) So it straightforwardly means “we paid.”

Do I need an object marker with bili? Should it be tuliilipa bili?

No. When the object is explicitly stated (bili), you normally do not use an object marker. You could use an object marker if you omit the object:

Tuliilipa. (We paid it.) But with the noun present, stick to Tulilipa bili (We paid the bill).

What’s the difference between kulipa and kulipia?

kulipa = to pay (someone/something). Example: Tulilipa bili (We paid the bill).
kulipia = to pay for (cover the cost of) something, often highlighting the beneficiary or the item being paid for. Example: Tulilipia chakula (We paid for the food), Nilimlipia rafiki yangu (I paid for my friend).

What does kwenye mean here, and can I use something else?

kwenye is a common preposition meaning “at/in/on” (location). Alternatives:

katika (more formal, often “in/within”): katika kaunta sounds odd for “at the counter,” so prefer kwenye kaunta.
kwa typically means “at/to someone’s place,” “with,” or “by means of,” so it’s not ideal for a physical surface/location like a counter. You can also use pale for “there (at that place),” e.g., pale kaunta.

What is iliyo doing in kaunta iliyo karibu na mlango?

iliyo is a relative marker agreeing with a class-9 noun (kaunta) and means “that/which (is).” The phrase kaunta iliyo karibu na mlango means “the counter that is near the door.” A more explicit (but longer) equivalent is:

kaunta ambayo iko karibu na mlango (using the “ambao/ambayo…” relative and the verb -ko “to be located”). You’ll also see iliyoko karibu na mlango (“that which is located near the door”). All are acceptable; iliyo karibu is concise and natural.

Could I say just kaunta karibu na mlango without the relative iliyo?

Yes, that’s also natural: kaunta karibu na mlango = “the counter near the door.” Using the relative (iliyo) is a bit more explicit/formal, while the bare post-nominal phrase is common in everyday speech.

Is iliyo past tense? What if I mean “the counter that was near the door”?

In relative constructions like iliyo karibu, speakers commonly use iliyo to mean “that is” (not necessarily past). If you specifically want past, you can make it explicit:

kaunta iliyokuwa karibu na mlango = “the counter that was near the door.”

What’s the role of karibu na? Can I drop na?

karibu na means “near/close to.” The na links the complement:

karibu na mlango = “near the door.” Without na, karibu often functions as an adverb (“nearby”) or as the common greeting “welcome.” For spatial “near to [something],” keep na.

Does karibu here have anything to do with the greeting “Welcome!”?

It’s the same word, but a different use:

As a location word: karibu na mlango (near the door)
As a greeting/invitation: Karibu! (Welcome!/Come in!/Have some!) Context makes the meaning clear.

Why is it mlango and not mlangoni?

Both are possible, with a nuance:

mlango = “the door” (the door as an object)
mlangoni (locative form) = “at/by the door/doorway” So you could say karibu na mlango (near the door) or karibu na mlangoni (near the doorway). The original sentence uses the simpler noun form.

What’s the difference between bili and risiti?

bili = the bill (the amount to pay)
risiti = the receipt (the proof of payment) You lipa bili (pay the bill) and then you pewa/pata risiti (are given/get a receipt).

How would I say “We didn’t pay the bill …”?

Use the negative past:

Hatukulipa bili … (We didn’t pay the bill …) Example with the rest of the sentence: Hatukulipa bili kwenye kaunta iliyo karibu na mlango.

How would I say “We had already paid the bill …”?

Use the past perfect:

Tulikuwa tumelipa bili … (We had paid the bill … / We had already paid the bill …) Full version: Tulikuwa tumelipa bili kwenye kaunta iliyo karibu na mlango.

Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky words?

baada: the double “aa” is a long vowel; think “baa-ada.”
kula: “koo-lah” (short vowels).
tulilipa: evenly syllabified “tu-li-li-pa.”
kwenye: “kwen-yeh” (the “ny” is like the “ny” in “canyon”).
kaunta: “ka-oon-ta” (diphthong “au” like “cow” without w).
karibu: “ka-ree-boo.”
mlango: “m-lan-go,” with the “ng” as in “singer,” not “finger.”