Kabla ya kukimbia, ni vizuri kunyoosha miguu na magoti ili usiumie.

Before running, it is good to stretch your legs and knees so that you do not get hurt.

Breakdown of Kabla ya kukimbia, ni vizuri kunyoosha miguu na magoti ili usiumie.

• ni: to be
• na: and
• kabla ya: before
• ili: so that
• kukimbia: to run
• vizuri: good
• mguu: the leg
• goti: the knee
• kunyoosha: to stretch
• kuumia: to get hurt

Questions & Answers about Kabla ya kukimbia, ni vizuri kunyoosha miguu na magoti ili usiumie.

What does Kabla ya kukimbia literally mean, and why do we need ya there?

Kabla ya kukimbia literally means “before (the) running”.

• kabla = before
• ya = of
• kukimbia = to run / running (infinitive used as a noun)

In Swahili, kabla is usually followed by ya plus a noun or a verb in the ku- infinitive form (which behaves like a noun). So:

• kabla ya chakula = before food
• kabla ya kazi = before work
• kabla ya kukimbia = before running

Using ya here is the normal pattern; saying kabla kukimbia without ya is not standard in neutral Swahili.

Why is kukimbia in the ku- form? Why not just say kimbia?

ku- in kukimbia marks the infinitive / verbal noun form, similar to “to run” or “running” in English.

• kimbia! = run! (imperative/command)
• anakimbia = he/she is running
• kukimbia = to run / running (as a thing/activity)

After kabla ya, we need a noun-like form. Swahili often uses the infinitive as a noun:

• Ninapenda kukimbia. = I like running.
• Kabla ya kula, … = Before eating, …

So kukimbia acts like the name of the activity: “the running”.

In ni vizuri, what does ni mean, and where is “it” in Swahili?

ni vizuri literally is “(it) is good” or “(it) is advisable”.

• ni = is (copula “to be” in present tense)
• vizuri = good / well (from the adjective -zuri)

Swahili does not need an explicit “it” like English does. English says:

• It is good to stretch…

Swahili just uses ni vizuri without a separate pronoun:

• Ni vizuri kunyoosha miguu…
  = It is good to stretch the legs…

The “it” is understood from context, not stated.

Why is kunyoosha also in the ku- form instead of something like unanyoosha (“you stretch”)?

kunyoosha is another infinitive / verbal noun, and here it works just like English “to stretch” or “stretching” after an impersonal phrase:

• ni vizuri kunyoosha…
  = it is good to stretch…

Compare:

• English: It is good *to rest before an exam.*
• Swahili: Ni vizuri kupumzika kabla ya mtihani.

If you said unan yoosha miguu…, that would mean “you are stretching your legs…”, as a description of what is happening now, not a general recommendation. Here the sentence gives general advice, so Swahili prefers the infinitive: ni vizuri kunyoosha….

What exactly does miguu mean? Does it mean “legs” or “feet”?

miguu is the plural of mguu, and it can mean legs or feet, depending on context. Swahili doesn’t strictly separate “leg” and “foot” the way English does.

• mguu = leg / foot
• miguu = legs / feet

So:

• miguu imechoka could be “my legs are tired” or “my feet are tired,” depending on what makes sense in context.
  In this sentence, kunyoosha miguu would usually be understood as “stretch your legs” (general lower limbs).

Why doesn’t the sentence say miguu yako and magoti yako (“your legs” and “your knees”)?

In Swahili, possessive words like “my/your/his” are often omitted when the owner is obvious from the situation.

Here, we are clearly talking about your own legs and knees:

• kunyoosha miguu na magoti
  = stretch legs and knees (understood: your legs and your knees)

If you want to be explicit, you can say:

• kunyoosha miguu yako na magoti yako
  = stretch your legs and your knees

Both are correct, but the shorter version is more natural unless there is ambiguity about whose legs are being stretched.

What does the word ili do in the sentence?

ili introduces a purpose clause, meaning “so that / in order that / in order to”.

In the sentence:

• …kunyoosha miguu na magoti ili usiumie.
  = …stretch your legs and knees so that you don’t get hurt.

Structure:

• [Action]
  • ili
    • [result/purpose]

Examples:

• Soma sana ili ufaulu mtihani.
  Study hard so that you pass the exam.
• Ninakula mapema ili nisiwe na njaa.
  I eat early so that I’m not hungry.

So here, ili links the stretching to its purpose: preventing injury.

How is usiumie formed, and why does it end in -e instead of -a?

usiumie is a negative subjunctive form meaning “(that) you not get hurt” / “you don’t get hurt” in a purpose clause.

Breakdown of usiumie:

• u- = you (singular) subject marker
• -si- = negative marker
• -um- = verb root from -umia (to be hurt, feel pain, be injured)
• -e = subjunctive final vowel

So the pattern is:

• u + si + umia → usiumie

The -e at the end marks the subjunctive mood, which is normally used after ili:

• ili uende = so that you go
• ili uone = so that you see
• ili usiumie = so that you don’t get hurt

If it were simple present indicative, you’d get huumii (you are not hurt), which would not match the “so that…” purpose meaning.

Why is usiumie negative? In English we say “so that you don’t get hurt”; is that the same idea?

Yes, it’s the same idea. English also uses a negative after “so that” when you want to prevent something:

• Stretch so that you don’t get hurt.

Swahili does exactly the same:

• …ili usiumie.
  = …so that you don’t get hurt.

So:

• ili uende = so that you go (to cause something to happen)
• ili usiende = so that you don’t go (to prevent it)
• ili upate usingizi = so that you get sleep
• ili usiumie = so that you don’t get hurt

The negative subjunctive after ili is the standard way to express a prevented outcome.

What tense or time does this sentence express? Is it present, future, or something else?

The sentence expresses a general, timeless recommendation rather than a specific time:

• Ni vizuri kunyoosha miguu na magoti…
  = It is (generally) good to stretch your legs and knees…

There is:

• No explicit tense on ni (it’s just present copula)
• Infinitives kukimbia, kunyoosha (not tied to time)
• Subjunctive usiumie (purpose, not straightforward tense)

So the idea is: “As a rule, before running, it’s good to stretch your legs and knees so you won’t get hurt.” It’s more about advice than about a particular moment.

Can I change the word order, for example: Ni vizuri kunyoosha miguu na magoti kabla ya kukimbia ili usiumie? Does the meaning change?

Yes, you can reorder the clauses, and the meaning stays essentially the same. For example:

• Kabla ya kukimbia, ni vizuri kunyoosha miguu na magoti ili usiumie.
• Ni vizuri kunyoosha miguu na magoti kabla ya kukimbia ili usiumie.

Both are natural and mean the same thing.

Swahili word order is fairly flexible with adverbial phrases like kabla ya kukimbia (“before running”). You can put that phrase at the beginning or later in the sentence for style or emphasis, without changing the core meaning.

How would I say this to more than one person, “so that you (all) don’t get hurt”?

You only need to change the subject marker from u- (you singular) to m- (you plural):

• usiumie (you sg don’t get hurt) → msiumie (you pl don’t get hurt)

So a plural version of the sentence could be:

• Kabla ya kukimbia, ni vizuri kunyoosha miguu na magoti ili msiumie.
  = Before running, it’s good to stretch your legs and knees so that you (all) don’t get hurt.