Learn Hardcore Swahili: Wazazi walikaa upande mmoja wa meza, na watoto walikaa upande mwingine. - The parents sat on one side of the table, and the children sat on the other side.

Because Swahili shows the subject in the verb, you could say just walikaa upande mmoja wa meza and it would still mean “they sat on one side of the table,” though you’d usually mention who at least once in context (here: wazazi, watoto).

Why is it wazazi and not something like azazi? What is the singular form?

Wazazi means “parents” (plural). It comes from:

mzazi = a parent (one parent)
wazazi = parents (more than one)

This is a common noun class pattern in Swahili:

m- (singular) → wa- (plural)
- mtoto → watoto
- mwalimu → walimu
- mzazi → wazazi

So wazazi walikaa… = “the parents sat…”.

What does upande literally mean, and why is it used here?

Upande literally means “side” (as in the side of something: a side of a table, side of a road, side of an argument).

In this sentence:

upande mmoja wa meza = one side of the table
upande mwingine = the other side

So upande functions much like English “side” in spatial expressions:

upande wa kulia = the right side
upande wa kushoto = the left side
upande wa barabara = the side of the road

Why is it upande mmoja wa meza and not something like kwenye upande mmoja wa meza to mean “on one side of the table”?

Swahili doesn’t always need a separate preposition like “on” where English does.

Upande mmoja wa meza already implies the sense of location: “one side of the table.” When you say walikaa upande mmoja wa meza, it is naturally understood as “they sat on one side of the table.”

You can say:

walikaa kwenye upande mmoja wa meza

but it’s longer and usually unnecessary. Swahili often uses:

a place noun (like upande, nyumba, shuleni)
plus the verb

to express “at / on / in” without adding an extra preposition like English does.

Why is it upande mmoja wa meza but upande mwingine (without repeating wa meza) the second time?

It’s mainly to avoid repetition, just like in English:

“The parents sat on one side of the table, and the children sat on the other (side).”

Once meza (“table”) is clear from upande mmoja wa meza, you don’t need to repeat it. Upande mwingine is understood as “the other side (of the table)” from context.

Grammatically, it would also be correct (just more repetitive) to say:

…na watoto walikaa upande mwingine wa meza.

What is the difference between mmoja and mwingine in this sentence?

Both are adjectives describing upande (“side”), and they come after the noun:

upande mmoja
- mmoja = one, agreeing with upande
- So: “one side”
upande mwingine
- mwingine = other / another, agreeing with upande
- So: “the other side”

In general:

mmoja = “one (single)”
mwingine = “other / another”

They change form to match different noun classes, but with upande (class 11), you get mmoja / mwingine.

Why is the connector wa used in upande mmoja wa meza instead of ya meza?

The linking word (wa / ya / la / cha, etc.) agrees with the first noun, not the second.

Here the structure is:

upande mmoja wa meza
- upande = noun class 11 (u-)
- possessive/“of” concord for class 11 is wa
- so: upande … wa …

So we get upande mmoja wa meza = “one side of the table.”

You do not choose wa or ya based on meza; you choose it based on upande. That’s why it’s not upande mmoja ya meza.

What exactly does na do in the middle of the sentence? Is it just “and”?

Yes, na here simply means “and”, linking two clauses:

Wazazi walikaa upande mmoja wa meza, na watoto walikaa upande mwingine.
= “The parents sat on one side of the table, and the children sat on the other side.”

Na can mean several things depending on context:

and:
- chai na kahawa = tea and coffee
with:
- ninaenda na rafiki yangu = I am going with my friend
sometimes “plus / together with”, “having”, etc.

But here it is simply coordinating two actions, just like English “and.”

Why is the verb walikaa repeated in the second clause? Could you leave it out?

The sentence has:

…wazazi walikaa upande mmoja wa meza, na watoto walikaa upande mwingine.

Repeating walikaa is fully normal and very clear: both subjects (parents and children) are doing the same action (sitting).

You can omit the second walikaa in conversation and still be understood:

Wazazi walikaa upande mmoja wa meza na watoto upande mwingine.

This works much like English:

“The parents sat on one side of the table and the children on the other.”

Including the second walikaa just makes the structure very explicit, which is slightly more formal/clear. Both ways are grammatical.

Why don’t we need a separate word for “they” before walikaa?

Swahili usually does not use separate subject pronouns the way English does. The subject is baked into the verb through the subject prefix.

wa- in walikaa already means “they”.

So:

walikaa = “they sat”
alikaa = “he/she sat”
nilikaa = “I sat”
tulikaa = “we sat”

You can sometimes add pronouns (like wao) for emphasis or contrast, but it’s not needed:

Wazazi walikaa… is enough; you don’t say Wao wazazi walikaa… unless you’re stressing “they (as opposed to others), the parents, sat…”.

Why do mmoja and mwingine come after upande, instead of before like in English (“one side”, “other side”)?

In Swahili, most adjectives and numerals come after the noun they describe:

mtoto mdogo = small child
meza kubwa = big table
vitabu vitatu = three books

So in this sentence:

upande mmoja = “side one” → “one side”
upande mwingine = “side other” → “the other side”

This noun–adjective order is normal and very consistent in Swahili.

What tense/aspect does -li- in walikaa express exactly? Is it like English simple past?

The -li- marker is the simple past in Swahili. It usually refers to a completed action in the past, similar to English “sat / did sit.”

walikaa = they sat (at some time in the past)
wamekaa (with -me-) would lean more towards “they have sat / they have been sitting” or “they are now in a sat/staying state,” depending on context.

So walikaa here is a straightforward, completed past action: at that time, they sat down and were seated.

Is watoto always “children,” or can it mean “kids / sons / daughters” like wazazi means “parents”?

Watoto is the plural of mtoto, and it generally means:

children, kids, young ones (not specifying gender)

It is similar to “children / kids” in English, not specifically “sons” or “daughters.”

Parallel with wazazi:

mzazi = a parent (mother or father)
wazazi = parents (both or all parents)

So in the sentence:

wazazi = the parents
watoto = the children (their kids)

The family relationship is understood from context, not from the word watoto itself.