Learn Hardcore Swahili: Wanafunzi wanasoma kwa bidii darasani. - The students study hard in the classroom.

Wanafunzi – students
- mwanafunzi = student (singular)
- wanafunzi = students (plural)
wanasoma – are studying / read
- wa- = they (subject prefix for “they” – people)
- -na- = present tense marker (right now / generally)
- -soma = to read / to study
kwa – with / in a … way (used to form many adverbs)
bidii – effort / diligence
darasani – in class / in the classroom
- darasa = class / classroom
- -ni = “in/at/on” (locative ending)

So literally: “Students they-are-studying with effort in-class.”

Why is there no word for “the” in Wanafunzi wanasoma kwa bidii darasani?

Swahili normally does not use separate words for articles like “the” or “a/an.”

Wanafunzi can mean “students”, “the students,” or “some students,” depending on context.
To make it more specific (e.g. those particular students), you use other tools, such as demonstratives:
- wanafunzi wale – those students
- wanafunzi hawa – these students

So Wanafunzi wanasoma kwa bidii darasani can naturally be translated as “The students are studying hard in class” even though there’s no explicit word for “the.”

How can wanasoma mean both “read” and “study”?

The verb -soma in Swahili covers a range of meanings related to reading and learning:

kusoma kitabu – to read a book
kusoma chuo kikuu – to study at university
wanasoma – they are studying / they are in school / they are reading

Which English verb you choose (“read” or “study”) depends on context.

In this sentence, because it’s students in class, the most natural translation is “are studying.”

What does the -na- in wanasoma tell me about the tense?

In wanasoma, the -na- is the present tense marker.

Structure of the verb:

wa- = “they” (subject prefix)
-na- = present tense / present progressive
-soma = read/study

So wanasoma most often means:

“they are studying” (right now)
or, in some contexts,
“they study” (generally, as a habit)

Context decides whether you translate it as progressive (are studying) or simple present (study).

Why is there no separate word for “are” before studying?

Swahili doesn’t use a separate verb like English “to be” in this kind of present tense.

In English: They are studying.
In Swahili: Wanafunzi wanasoma.
The “are” idea is built into the verb via:
- the subject prefix (wa-) and
- the tense marker (-na-).

You don’t say “wanafunzi ni wanasoma” – that would be incorrect. The verb “to be” (kuwa / ni) is used in other structures, but not for this basic present continuous.

What does kwa bidii literally mean, and why is it used for “hard”?

Literally:

kwa – with / in a … way
bidii – effort, diligence

So kwa bidii is roughly “with effort” or “in a diligent way.”

Idiomatic meaning: “diligently, hard, with a lot of effort.”

You’ll often see this pattern:

kwa pole – gently
kwa haraka – quickly
kwa sauti kubwa – in a loud voice

So wanasoma kwa bidii = “they are studying hard / diligently.”

What is the function of the -ni in darasani?

The -ni ending is a locative suffix. It often means “in / at / on” depending on the noun.

darasa – class / classroom
darasani – in (the) class / in the classroom

Other examples:

nyumba – house
nyumbani – at home
shule – school
shuleni – at school

So darasani already includes the sense of “in.” You don’t say “katika darasani” unless you really want to emphasize “inside the classroom.”

What’s the difference between darasa and shule?

darasa – class / classroom / lesson
- darasani – in class / in the classroom
shule – school (the institution or the place)
- shuleni – at school

So:

Wanafunzi wanasoma darasani.
The students are studying in class / in the classroom.
Wanafunzi wanasoma shuleni.
The students study at school.

They’re related but not identical: one is specifically about the class/room/lesson, the other about the school more generally.

How does subject–verb agreement work between Wanafunzi and wanasoma?

Swahili uses noun classes with agreement prefixes. For people:

mwanafunzi (student, singular) – noun class 1
- Subject prefix: a- (he/she)
- mwanafunzi anasoma – The student is studying.
wanafunzi (students, plural) – noun class 2
- Subject prefix: wa- (they)
- wanafunzi wanasoma – The students are studying.

So:

Because wanafunzi is plural (class 2), the verb takes wa-: wanasoma.
If it were one student, the verb would be anasoma.

Can Wanafunzi wanasoma kwa bidii darasani also mean “students study hard in class (generally)”?

Yes, context can make it:

Right now:
“The students are studying hard in class (at this moment).”
Habitually / generally:
“Students study hard in class.”

The -na- present tense is flexible. English forces a choice between:

are studying (progressive, now)
study (habitual, general)

Swahili doesn’t always distinguish sharply between these two; context decides the best English translation.

How would I say “A student is studying hard in class” instead of “students”?

Change the subject from plural wanafunzi to singular mwanafunzi, and adjust the verb prefix:

Mwanafunzi anasoma kwa bidii darasani.

Breakdown:

mwanafunzi – student (singular)
anasoma – he/she is studying
- a- (he/she) + -na- (present) + -soma (study)

The rest (kwa bidii darasani) stays the same.

Could I say “wanasoma sana” instead of “wanasoma kwa bidii”? What’s the difference?

Both are possible, but they’re not identical:

wanasoma sana – they study a lot / very much
- Focus: quantity/intensity (how much they study)
wanasoma kwa bidii – they study hard / diligently
- Focus: effort and diligence (how seriously they study)

In many contexts, “study hard” overlaps with “study a lot,” but kwa bidii emphasizes effort and seriousness more than simply amount.