Learn Hardcore Swahili: Usiku ulipokuwa baridi sana, nilijifunika blanketi mbili ili nipate joto. - When the night was very cold, I covered myself with two blankets so that I got warm.

u- = subject prefix for class 11 noun usiku (night)
-lipo- = past relative marker meaning “when/at the time that” (from -li- past + -po locative/relative)
-kuwa = the verb “to be”

So ulipokuwa literally means “when it was” (referring to the night).

The whole phrase Usiku ulipokuwa baridi sana = “(The) night when it was very cold … / When the night was very cold …”

Why is it ulipokuwa and not ilipokuwa? I thought many singular nouns use i- as a subject prefix.

Swahili subject prefixes depend on noun class, not just singular vs plural.

Usiku belongs to class 11 (and can also behave like class 14).
Class 11 uses u- as its subject prefix.

Some examples:

usiku → u- (ulikuwa, ulipokuwa)
mlango (door, class 3) → u- (ulikuwa)
meza (table, class 9) → i- (ilikuwa)
siku (day, class 9/10) → i- (ilikuwa)

So since usiku is class 11, we use u-, giving ulipokuwa, not ilipokuwa.

What is the function of -po inside ulipokuwa?

The -po part is a relative/locative marker that often corresponds to “when” or “where” in English, depending on the context.

alipokuja = “when he came” / “at the time he came”
walipofika = “when they arrived”

In ulipokuwa, we have:

u- (subject for usiku)
-li- (past tense)
-po- (relative/locative, “when/where”)
-kuwa (to be)

So ulipokuwa baridi sana = “when it was very cold”.
The -po ties the verb to the time/condition of the night, forming a “when …” clause.

What is the role of sana in baridi sana? Can I use something else instead?

Sana means “very / a lot” when used after adjectives or verbs.

baridi sana = “very cold”
nimechoka sana = “I’m very tired”

Other options with slightly different feels:

baridi mno – very cold (quite strong, sometimes more emphatic)
baridi kabisa – completely / extremely cold, “really cold”
baridi kupita kiasi – cold beyond measure, “too cold”

In everyday speech, sana is the most common and neutral way to say “very”.

What does nilijifunika literally mean, and how is it different from nilifunika?

Nilijifunika is:

ni- = I (subject prefix, 1st person singular)
-li- = past tense marker
-ji- = reflexive marker (oneself)
-funika = to cover

So nilijifunika = “I covered myself.”

Without -ji-:

nilifunika = “I covered (something/someone else)”
- e.g. Nilifunika chakula. – I covered the food.

With -ji-, it is clear that you are doing the action to yourself, which fits the idea of “I wrapped myself / I covered myself (with blankets).”

Why doesn’t the sentence say nilijifunika kwa blanketi mbili? Don’t we usually use kwa for “with”?

Using kwa is possible, and you might hear:

Nilijifunika kwa blanketi mbili.

However, with verbs like kujifunika (to cover oneself), the thing you cover yourself with can often come directly after the verb without kwa, especially in natural, spoken Swahili:

Nilijifunika blanketi mbili. – I covered myself (using) two blankets.
Alijifunga kamba. – He/she tied himself/herself with a rope.

Both forms are generally acceptable; leaving out kwa here sounds natural and idiomatic.

Why is it blanketi mbili and not something like mablanketi mawili?

Blanketi is a loanword (from blanket) and behaves somewhat differently from regular Swahili noun classes:

Many loanwords don’t take the usual plural prefix like ma-.
They often use the same form for singular and plural, with the plural indicated by context or a number.

Thus:

blanketi = blanket / blankets (form doesn’t change)
blanketi mbili = two blankets

You will also hear mablanketi in some varieties, but blanketi mbili is standard and widely accepted.

Why is the number mbili placed after blanketi? Can I say mbili blanketi?

In Swahili, numbers normally come after the noun:

mtoto mmoja – one child
vitabu vitatu – three books
blanketi mbili – two blankets

Mbili blanketi is incorrect. The natural order is:

blanketi mbili = two blankets

So the pattern is [noun] + [number].

What does ili mean here, and how does it work with nipate?

Ili is a conjunction that introduces a purpose clause. It usually means:

“so that”, “in order that”, or simply “to” (in the sense of purpose).

In ili nipate joto:

ili = so that / in order that
ni- = I (subject)
-pate = subjunctive of -pata (to get/obtain)

So ili nipate joto literally = “so that I may get warmth” → “so I could get warm.”

After ili, the next verb often appears in the subjunctive form (for intentions, purposes, wishes):

Ninafanya kazi ili nipate pesa. – I work so that I may get money.
Alikimbia ili afike mapema. – He ran so that he may arrive early.

Why is it nipate and not ninapata or nilipata after ili?

After ili, Swahili usually uses the subjunctive to express:

purpose
intention
something desired or expected, not yet realized

Forms:

ninapata = I am getting / I get (present, indicative)
nilipata = I got (completed, past)
nipate = (subjunctive) “that I may get” / “so (that) I get”

In a purpose clause:

… ili nipate joto = “… so that I may get warm”

Using ninapata or nilipata here would sound wrong because the action (getting warm) is the goal, not a simple statement of fact. The subjunctive form nipate fits the meaning of intended result.

What exactly does joto mean here? Is it “heat” or “warmth,” and how is it different from moto?

Joto is a noun meaning:

heat / warmth / temperature

In this sentence, joto means “warmth” (the state of being warm), so:

nipate joto = “that I may get warmth / so I can be warm.”

Contrast with moto:

moto = fire
moto (as an adjective) = hot

Examples:

Kuna joto leo. – It’s hot / warm today.
Moto unawaka. – The fire is burning.
Chakula hiki ni moto. – This food is hot.

So in the context of blankets and getting warm, joto (warmth) is the appropriate word.

Why is there a comma after baridi sana? Is that typical in Swahili?

Yes, the comma reflects the fact that we have two clauses:

Usiku ulipokuwa baridi sana – When the night was very cold
nilijifunika blanketi mbili ili nipate joto – I covered myself with two blankets so that I could get warm

Written Swahili often uses punctuation similarly to English:

A comma to separate a dependent clause (like a “when” clause) from the main clause, especially when it comes first.

You could also write it without a comma in some informal contexts, but the comma makes the structure clearer, especially for learners.

Is the word order Usiku ulipokuwa baridi sana, nilijifunika… fixed? Could I say the main clause first?

You can change the order of clauses without changing the meaning, just like in English:

Usiku ulipokuwa baridi sana, nilijifunika blanketi mbili ili nipate joto.
– When the night was very cold, I covered myself with two blankets so that I could get warm.

Nilijifunika blanketi mbili ili nipate joto usiku ulipokuwa baridi sana.
– I covered myself with two blankets so that I could get warm when the night was very cold.

Both are grammatically correct. Putting Usiku ulipokuwa baridi sana first emphasizes the situation/time, while starting with Nilijifunika… emphasizes what you did.

Could usiku here also mean “at night” in general, or is it one specific night?

Usiku can mean both:

“the night” (a specific night)
“at night / nighttime” (more general)

In this sentence, context suggests a particular night:

Usiku ulipokuwa baridi sana… – The night when it was very cold…

If you wanted to be very clearly specific, you could say:

Usiku ule ulipokuwa baridi sana… – That night when it was very cold…

But as it stands, Usiku ulipokuwa baridi sana is naturally understood as referring to a particular night that was very cold.