Learn Hardcore Swahili: Leo nimevaa koti la kijivu, na Asha amevaa sketi ndefu. - Today I am wearing a gray jacket, and Asha is wearing a long skirt.

ni- = I (1st person singular subject marker)
a- = he/she (3rd person singular subject marker; used with human nouns like Asha)
-me- = perfect/resultative aspect (action completed with present relevance)
vaa = wear/put on (verb root)

So nimevaa = I have put it on → I am wearing (now). Amevaa = she has put it on → she is wearing (now).

When should I use nimevaa versus ninavaa?

nimevaa: state/result → you already have the clothes on. Example: Leo nimevaa koti = Today I’m wearing a coat.
ninavaa: ongoing action or habit → you’re in the act of putting it on, or you do it generally. Examples: Sasa ninavaa sketi = I’m putting on a skirt right now; Kila siku ninavaa sketi = I wear a skirt every day.

In everyday speech, people often prefer nimevaa for what English expresses with I’m wearing.

What does na mean here? Could it mean with?

Here na means and: it connects two clauses. Depending on context, na can also mean with, by, or having, but in this sentence it’s simply the coordinator and.

Why is it koti la kijivu (not koti ya kijivu)?

The connector -a (of) agrees with the noun class of the head noun:

koti is class 5 (singular), so you use la → koti la kijivu.
In the plural, makoti (class 6) takes ya → makoti ya kijivu.

Using ya with singular koti is a class mismatch.

Can I say koti kijivu or koti la rangi ya kijivu?

koti la kijivu is textbook-standard.
koti kijivu is common and acceptable in everyday speech.
koti la rangi ya kijivu is perfectly correct but wordier; you’ll often hear rangi ya kijivu when specifically talking about color names.

Colors that come from nouns often use the -a link: koti la kijivu, shati la bluu. Pure color adjectives work directly: koti jeusi (a black coat).

Where does the word kijivu come from?

jivu = ash (singular/mass)
majivu = ashes (plural)
kijivu (class 7) = the gray color (literally ash-colored). So koti la kijivu = a coat of gray.

Why is it sketi ndefu and not sketi refu?

The adjective stem is -refu (long/tall). With class 9/10 nouns (like sketi), the adjective takes an n- agreement that assimilates:

-refu → ndefu with class 9/10. Examples: nyumba ndefu (a tall house), barua ndefu (a long letter). So: sketi ndefu.

What noun classes are koti and sketi, and what are their plurals?

koti: class 5 (singular); plural makoti (class 6).
sketi: class 9 (singular); plural is also sketi (class 10) — the form doesn’t change; context or numbers indicate plurality.

How does agreement change in the plural?

koti la kijivu → makoti ya kijivu (la → ya because 5 → 6).
sketi ndefu stays sketi ndefu in the plural; the class 10 adjective agreement is also ndefu. You’d usually add a number or quantifier to show plural, e.g., sketi ndefu mbili (two long skirts), sketi ndefu nyingi (many long skirts).

Do I need to say mimi or yeye?

No. Subject markers on the verb (ni-, a-) already encode the subject. Use pronouns for emphasis or contrast:

Mimi nimevaa… = I, for my part, am wearing…
Yeye amevaa… = She, in particular, is wearing…

Why are there no words for a or the?

Swahili has no articles. Indefiniteness/definiteness comes from context. You can add:

moja (one) for a specific single item: sketi ndefu moja.
Demonstratives for definiteness: koti hili (this coat), sketi ile (that skirt).

Is the comma before na required?

No. It’s stylistic. You can write:

Leo nimevaa koti la kijivu na Asha amevaa sketi ndefu. or
Leo nimevaa koti la kijivu, na Asha amevaa sketi ndefu.

How can I say Asha is also wearing…?

Asha pia amevaa sketi ndefu. (also)
Asha naye amevaa sketi ndefu. (and she too; -naye emphasizes parallelism)
Naye Asha amevaa sketi ndefu. (fronted for emphasis)

How do I negate these verbs?

The negative of the -me- form uses -ja-:

Sijavaa koti la kijivu = I’m not wearing a gray coat / I haven’t put on a gray coat.
Asha hajavaa sketi ndefu = Asha isn’t wearing a long skirt / hasn’t put on a long skirt.

What’s the difference between leo and sasa here?

leo = today (the whole day as a time frame).
sasa = now (this moment). Both can pair with -me-:
Leo nimevaa… = Today I’m wearing…
Sasa nimevaa… = Right now I’m wearing…

Where do adjectives go in Swahili? How would I say long coat?

Adjectives usually follow the noun and agree with its class.

koti refu (long coat; class 5 uses the bare stem refu)
sketi ndefu (long skirt; class 9/10 uses ndefu)

Any pronunciation tips for tricky bits like kijivu, sketi, ndefu?

kijivu: kee-JEE-voo (j as in jeep).
sketi: SKE-tee (initial sk cluster is fine).
ndefu: NDE-foo (nd is a prenasalized d; say an n then a d together). Swahili vowels are pure and usually one sound per letter.

Does koti mean coat or jacket? What about jaketi?

koti often refers to a suit coat/blazer or a coat in general (usage varies by region).
jaketi is specifically a jacket. Context usually makes it clear. You can specify: koti la suti (suit coat), koti refu (long coat), jaketi la ngozi (leather jacket).