Learn Hardcore Swahili: Tutakutana baada ya mapumziko ya mchana.

In Swahili, subject pronouns (I, you, we, they etc.) and tense markers (will, am, was) are usually built into the verb instead of being separate words as in English.

What is the basic dictionary form of tutakutana, and how do I get from that to the sentence form?

The dictionary (infinitive) form is kutana = to meet (each other).

From kutana you do this:

Remove the initial ku- (the infinitive marker).
Add a subject prefix at the front (here tu- = we).
Add a tense marker after the subject prefix (here -ta- = future).
Keep the stem -tana.

So:

kutana (to meet)
tu- + -ta- + -utana → tutakutana (we will meet)

Why is it tutakutana and not tukutana or tukutane?

These three forms have different meanings:

tutakutana – future indicative
- We will meet (each other).
- tu- (we) + -ta- (future) + -kutana (meet).
tukutana – not a standard, complete form by itself in normal speech; without a tense marker, it’s usually either wrong or part of a longer structure.
tukutane – subjunctive / hortative
- Let’s meet / May we meet / We should meet.
- tu- (we) + -kutane (subjunctive ending -e).

So:

Use tutakutana when you are stating a future fact: We will meet…
Use tukutane when you are suggesting or proposing: Let’s meet…

What does baada ya mean, and why do we need ya after baada?

baada literally means “after” or “later”, but when it introduces a time phrase, it normally appears as baada ya + [noun]:

baada ya = after (the) / afterwards to
baada ya mapumziko ya mchana = after the midday/lunch break

The ya here works like a connector “of”:

baada ya = “after (the time) of …”

You almost always say baada ya + noun:

baada ya kazi – after work
baada ya shule – after school
baada ya chakula – after the meal

So ya is required to link baada to the following noun.

Why does the sentence have ya twice: baada ya mapumziko ya mchana? Is that repetition necessary?

Yes, both ya are doing a job, but they connect different parts:

baada ya mapumziko
- baada ya = after
- → after the break
mapumziko ya mchana
- ya links mapumziko (break) to mchana (daytime/midday)
- → the midday break / the daytime break

Putting it all together:

baada ya mapumziko ya mchana
= after the break of midday
≈ after the lunch/midday break

So the first ya links baada → mapumziko, and the second ya links mapumziko → mchana. Both are grammatically needed.

Is mapumziko singular or plural? In English we say “after the break”, not “after the breaks”.

Grammatically, mapumziko is a plural form (class 6), with a corresponding singular pumziko (class 5):

pumziko – a rest, a break (singular)
mapumziko – rests, breaks; but also commonly used for “break” in a general sense

However, in everyday Swahili, mapumziko is often used even when English would use a singular:

mapumziko ya mchana – the midday/lunch break
mapumziko ya wiki – weekend break
mapumziko ya shule – school holidays

So although it looks plural, you should often translate it as a singular “break” or sometimes “holiday(s)”, depending on context.

Why is it mapumziko ya mchana and not mapumziko wa mchana?

The little linking word “of” (sometimes called a possessive or genitive connector) changes form depending on the noun class of the first noun.

mapumziko belongs to noun class 6 (ma- class).
For class 6, the connector “of” is ya.

That’s why we say:

mapumziko ya mchana – the break of midday
not mapumziko wa mchana

Some examples with different classes:

kazi ya mchana – daytime work (kazi is class 9 → ya)
mti wa mwembe – a mango tree (mti is class 3 → wa)
kitabu cha Kiswahili – Swahili book (kitabu is class 7 → cha)

So ya here agrees with mapumziko, not with mchana.

Can I move the time phrase to the beginning, like Baada ya mapumziko ya mchana tutakutana?

Yes. Both word orders are correct:

Tutakutana baada ya mapumziko ya mchana.
Baada ya mapumziko ya mchana, tutakutana.

Swahili is flexible with adverbial phrases (time, place, manner). Placing the time phrase first can add a little emphasis to the time:

Baada ya mapumziko ya mchana, tutakutana.
→ Emphasis: After the lunch break (and not before), we’ll meet.

How would I say “Let’s meet after the lunch break” instead of “We will meet after the lunch break”?

Change the verb from the future indicative to the subjunctive/hortative:

Tutakutana baada ya mapumziko ya mchana.
= We will meet after the lunch break.
Tukutane baada ya mapumziko ya mchana.
= Let’s meet after the lunch break.

Explanation:

tutakutana – tu- (we) + -ta- (future) + -kutana
tukutane – tu- (we) + -kutane (subjunctive ending -e)

So tukutane expresses suggestion/invitation rather than a simple future fact.

How would the sentence change if the subject were different, for example “They will meet after the lunch break”?

You only need to change the subject prefix in the verb. The rest of the sentence stays the same.

Subject prefixes (future tense):

ni-ta-kutana – I will meet
u-ta-kutana – you (sg) will meet
a-ta-kutana – he/she will meet
tu-ta-kutana – we will meet
m-ta-kutana – you (pl) will meet
wa-ta-kutana – they will meet

So:

Watakutana baada ya mapumziko ya mchana.
= They will meet after the lunch break.

Only tu- → wa- changed.

Does mchana here mean “lunch”, or “afternoon”, or just “daytime”?

mchana covers the middle part of the day, roughly:

late morning → midday → afternoon before evening

It does not literally mean “lunch” (that’s:

chakula cha mchana – lunch, midday meal).

However, mapumziko ya mchana in many real contexts does refer to the midday break when people usually eat lunch, so in natural English we often translate it as:

after the lunch break or
after the midday break.

So:

mchana = daytime / midday / afternoon
chakula cha mchana = lunch
mapumziko ya mchana = midday break / lunch break (depending on context)