Learn Hardcore Swahili: Katika darasa, tumechora grafu rahisi kuonyesha matokeo ya mtihani. - In class, we have drawn a simple graph to show the exam results.

You normally do not need a separate pronoun like sisi (we), because the subject is already built into the verb. You only add sisi for emphasis or contrast, e.g. Sisi tumechora grafu = We (as opposed to others) have drawn a graph.

What tense is tumechora, and how is it different from tulichora?

Tumechora uses the -me- tense, often called the perfect. It usually means:

a completed action whose result is relevant now, or
something that has just been done.

So tumechora grafu is close to we have drawn a graph or we’ve drawn a graph (and it is now there).

Tulichora uses -li-, the simple past:

tulichora grafu = we drew a graph (past event, more detached from the present).

In many contexts, both can be translated as we drew, but:

tumechora feels more present/recent or result-focused;
tulichora is more like a straightforward past narrative.

Why is it Katika darasa and not Darasani? Are both correct?

Both are possible, but there is a nuance:

Katika darasa = in the classroom, a bit more explicit/formal, literally inside the classroom.
Darasani = in class / in the classroom, formed by adding -ni to darasa and often used for locations in a more compact way.

You could say:

Katika darasa, tumechora grafu rahisi…
Darasani, tumechora grafu rahisi…

Both sound natural. Darasani is very common in everyday speech; katika darasa sounds slightly more formal or written, or may emphasize the physical location inside the room.

Is the comma after Katika darasa necessary in Swahili?

It is not strictly necessary, but it is acceptable and common.

Swahili punctuation generally follows English rules. A comma after an introductory phrase like Katika darasa:

marks a slight pause, and
helps separate the setting (in class) from the main action (tumechora grafu…).

You could also write it without a comma:

Katika darasa tumechora grafu rahisi…

Both are fine; the comma just reflects a natural pause in speech.

What kind of word is grafu, and how do you make it plural?

Grafu is a borrowed noun (from graph) and usually belongs to the N-class of nouns.

Key points:

Singular: grafu
Plural: grafu (the form usually does not change for this class of borrowed words).

Context tells you if it is one or many:

tumechora grafu rahisi = we have drawn a simple graph.
tumechora grafu rahisi kadhaa = we have drawn several simple graphs.

Adjectives that agree with N-class nouns often do not change form here, which is why you see grafu rahisi (not something like magrafu rahisi in standard usage).

Why is the adjective rahisi placed after grafu instead of before, like in English?

In Swahili, adjectives normally come after the noun they describe.

grafu rahisi = a simple graph
mtihani mgumu = a difficult exam
mtoto mdogo = a small child

So the order noun + adjective is standard:

English: simple graph
Swahili: grafu rahisi

Can rahisi mean both simple and cheap? How do I know which meaning is intended?

Yes, rahisi can mean:

easy / simple
- swali rahisi = an easy/simple question
- grafu rahisi = a simple graph
cheap / inexpensive
- kitabu rahisi = a cheap book (low price)

You get the correct meaning from context. In your sentence, we are talking about classroom work and the complexity of a graph, so rahisi clearly means simple, not cheap.

What is kuonyesha grammatically? Is it like the English infinitive to show?

Yes. Kuonyesha is the infinitive (or verbal noun) of the verb -onyesha (to show).

Structure:

ku- = infinitive marker (to / -ing)
-onyesha = show

So kuonyesha can correspond to:

to show (purpose: …to show the results)
showing (as an activity: showing the results)

In this sentence, grafu rahisi kuonyesha matokeo ya mtihani = a simple graph to show the test results.

Could I say ili kuonyesha instead of just kuonyesha? Would the meaning change?

You can say:

…tumechora grafu rahisi kuonyesha matokeo ya mtihani.
…tumechora grafu rahisi ili kuonyesha matokeo ya mtihani.

Both are correct. Ili makes the purpose more explicit:

kuonyesha alone already implies to show / for showing.
ili kuonyesha = in order to show, slightly more formal/explicit about purpose.

Meaning is essentially the same; ili just adds a clearer sense of in order to.

How does matokeo ya mtihani work? Why is it ya and not some other connector?

Matokeo ya mtihani literally means results of the exam.

matokeo = results (plural, class ji-/ma-)
ya = of for ji-/ma- nouns in the plural
mtihani = exam/test

The ya here is the associative/possessive connector agreeing with matokeo. In Swahili, the form of “of” changes with noun class:

kitabu cha mwalimu = the teacher’s book (ki/vi → cha)
mtoto wa mwalimu = the teacher’s child (m/wa → wa)
matokeo ya mtihani = results of the exam (ma- plural → ya)

So it is ya because the head noun matokeo is a ma- class plural.

Is matokeo singular or plural? What is the singular form?

Matokeo is grammatically plural (class ji-/ma-).

Singular: tokeo = result / outcome
Plural: matokeo = results

In practice, people very often use matokeo when talking about exam results, and the singular tokeo is less common in this context (but it exists).

So:

tokeo la mtihani = a result of the exam
matokeo ya mtihani = the exam results

Which noun class does mtihani belong to, and how do you make it plural?

Mtihani belongs to the M/MI (m-/mi-) noun class.

Singular: mtihani = exam/test
Plural: mitihani = exams/tests

Examples:

mtihani mgumu = a difficult exam
mitihani migumu = difficult exams

Why does the sentence not have words like a or the? How are articles handled in Swahili?

Swahili does not use articles like a, an, or the.

Nouns appear without articles, and you get the idea of a or the from context:

grafu rahisi can mean:
- a simple graph, or
- the simple graph, depending on what the speaker has in mind.

Definiteness and specificity are usually expressed by:

context and previous mention,
demonstratives like hii (this), ile (that):
- grafu hii rahisi = this simple graph
- mtihani ule mgumu = that difficult exam

Can the word order be changed, for example to Tumechora grafu rahisi katika darasa?

Yes, you can change the word order without changing the basic meaning.

All of these are grammatical:

Katika darasa, tumechora grafu rahisi kuonyesha matokeo ya mtihani.
Tumechora grafu rahisi katika darasa kuonyesha matokeo ya mtihani.
Tumechora grafu rahisi kuonyesha matokeo ya mtihani katika darasa.

Putting Katika darasa at the beginning highlights the setting first (like In class, we have drawn…). Placing it later is more neutral. Swahili has relatively flexible word order for adverbial phrases like katika darasa, as long as the verb and its core arguments stay clear.