Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mama alisema, “Pole kwa uchovu, unaweza kupumzika kidogo kabla ya chakula.” - Mother said, “Sorry for the tiredness, you can rest a bit before the meal.”

pole: an expression of sympathy or compassion. It’s used when someone is:
- tired
- sick
- grieving
- hurt or inconvenienced
  It’s closer to “poor you / I’m sorry (that happened)” than to “I apologize”.
kwa: preposition meaning for / because of / due to.
uchovu: the noun tiredness / fatigue (from the verb kuchoka = to get/be tired).

So pole kwa uchovu is something like “I’m sorry that you’re tired” or “sorry about your tiredness.” It’s not an apology; it’s sympathy.

What is the difference between pole and samahani?

Both can be translated as sorry, but they’re used differently:

pole
- Expresses sympathy or compassion.
- Used when someone is suffering, tired, sick, inconvenienced.
- Examples:
  - Pole kwa kazi nyingi. – Sorry for all the work you have.
  - Pole kwa msiba. – My condolences (sorry for your loss).
samahani
- Used for apologizing or politely getting attention.
- Examples:
  - Samahani kwa kuchelewa. – Sorry for being late.
  - Samahani, naweza kukuuliza swali? – Excuse me, may I ask you a question?

In the sentence, the mother is expressing sympathy for the child’s tiredness, so pole (not samahani) is appropriate.

Why is it kwa uchovu and not something like kwa kuchoka?

Swahili often uses kwa + noun to express cause or reason:

kwa uchovu – because of tiredness
kwa ugonjwa – because of illness
kwa hasira – because of anger

Here:

uchovu is a noun: tiredness, fatigue.
kuchoka is a verb: to get / be tired.

In this kind of sympathy expression (pole kwa X), Swahili prefers the noun form:
pole kwa uchovu – sympathy for your tiredness.

kwa kuchoka would sound odd here; you normally wouldn’t use the verb like that after pole kwa.

How is alisema formed, and what tense is it?

alisema breaks down like this:

a- = subject prefix for he / she (3rd person singular)
-li- = past tense marker
-sema = verb stem say

So alisema means she said / he said in the simple past.

If the subject were they, it would be:

walisema – wa- (they) + -li- (past) + sema (say)

Why isn’t there a separate word for “she” before alisema?

In Swahili, the subject is built into the verb through a prefix, so you don’t usually need a separate pronoun:

alisema – she said / he said
alisema mama – literally “said mother”, but means “Mother said”
unasoma – you are reading
ninalala – I am sleeping

You can add a pronoun for emphasis or contrast (yeye alisoma, si mimi – he read, not me), but normally the verb prefix is enough. That’s why there’s no separate “she” before alisema.

What does unaweza kupumzika literally mean, and why do we need ku- before pumzika?

unaweza kupumzika literally means you-can to-rest:

u- = you (singular) as subject prefix
-na- = present tense marker
-weza = can / be able
kupumzika = to rest
- ku- is the infinitive marker (like to in English)
- pumzika is the verb stem “rest”

After modal-like verbs such as -weza (can), -taka (want), -paswa (should), you usually use the infinitive:

unaweza kupumzika – you can rest
nataka kula – I want to eat
unapaswa kusoma – you should study

So ku- is needed here because kupumzika is functioning as “to rest” after unaweza.

What’s the difference between unaweza kupumzika and just pumzika?

They both involve resting, but the tone is different:

unaweza kupumzika
- Literally “you can rest.”
- Sounds like permission or a gentle suggestion: “You may rest / you’re allowed to rest.”
- Softer, more caring.
pumzika
- This is the imperative: Rest!
- Direct command, can be neutral or even a bit strong depending on tone and context.

In the sentence, the mother is being gentle and sympathetic, so unaweza kupumzika fits well as a kind, permissive suggestion.

What does kidogo do here, and why is it placed after kupumzika?

kidogo means a little / a bit / a small amount.

In this sentence:

kupumzika kidogo = to rest a little / to rest a bit

In Swahili, kidogo is often placed after the verb (or verb phrase) to modify it:

nimechoka kidogo – I’m a bit tired
tulia kidogo – calm down a bit
tusubiri kidogo – let’s wait a little

So kidogo comes after kupumzika to show the amount of resting. Putting it before would not be natural here.

Can we say kabla ya kula instead of kabla ya chakula? What’s the difference?

Yes, both are correct, but they’re slightly different in focus:

kabla ya chakula
- chakula = food / a meal
- Literally: before the meal / before food
- Focuses on the event of having the meal.
kabla ya kula
- kula = to eat; kabla ya + verb = before doing (something)
- Literally: before eating
- Focuses on the action of eating.

In everyday speech, both can mean “before we eat / before the meal.”
In this context, kabla ya chakula is very natural, especially if referring to a particular mealtime (e.g., dinner).

Why is it kabla ya chakula and not kabla cha chakula or something like that?

kabla ya is a fixed expression meaning before. The ya here does not change with noun class; it stays ya.

Some prepositions in Swahili are like this:

baada ya – after
kabla ya – before
karibu na – near

So you say:

kabla ya chakula – before the meal
kabla ya kazi – before work
kabla ya safari – before the trip

You don’t change ya to match the noun class of chakula. It stays kabla ya.

Why doesn’t uchovu have a possessive like wako (your), as in uchovu wako?

It could have a possessive, but it doesn’t need to. Swahili often leaves out possessives when the context makes them obvious.

pole kwa uchovu – sympathy for your tiredness (understood from context)
pole kwa ugonjwa – sorry about the illness (usually yours or someone just mentioned)

If you add the possessive:

pole kwa uchovu wako – sorry for your tiredness
This is still correct, but it can sound a bit more explicit or emphatic—your tiredness, specifically.

In natural speech, especially between close people (like mother and child), leaving out wako is normal and sounds smooth.

What noun classes are uchovu and chakula in, and does that matter here?

uchovu
- Noun class: U-class (often class 11 or 14 depending on the grammar tradition).
- Abstract noun: tiredness, fatigue.
- Singular only in normal usage.
chakula
- Noun class: ki-/vi- (class 7/8).
- Singular: chakula (food, a meal)
- Plural: vyakula (foods, kinds of food)

In this particular sentence, noun class doesn’t affect any visible agreement, because:

uchovu is after kwa, which doesn’t change.
chakula is after kabla ya, and ya is fixed after kabla.

So knowing the noun class is useful generally (for agreements elsewhere), but it doesn’t change the form of this specific sentence.

Why is Mama capitalized? Does it mean “my mom” or just “a mother”?

Mama can function both as a common noun and as a name/title.

Lowercase mama = a mother, mom (in general)
Capitalized Mama = often used like a proper name, meaning Mum / Mom (a specific person)

In many Swahili texts, Mama with a capital M is used when referring to one’s own mother or a particular mother in a story, similar to how English sometimes capitalizes Mum/Mom.

So in this sentence, Mama is best understood as Mum / Mom (not just any mother), even though “my” isn’t explicitly written.

Does this sentence sound polite and natural in Swahili? Is there anything particularly “motherly” about the wording?

Yes, it sounds both natural and caring. The “motherly” feel comes from several elements:

Pole kwa uchovu – expresses sympathy and understanding of your tiredness.
unaweza kupumzika – gives permission rather than a command; gentle.
kidogo – “a little” makes the suggestion soft and reasonable, not demanding.
kabla ya chakula – shows she’s thinking about the upcoming routine (the meal) and how you feel before it.

Altogether, the tone is warm, considerate, and very typical of a parent speaking kindly to a child in Swahili.