Learn Hardcore Swahili: Hata kama tumechoka, tutamaliza zoezi hili pamoja, kisha tutapumzika kwa utulivu. - Even if we are tired, we will finish this exercise together, then we will rest peacefully.

tunachoka = we are getting tired / we get tired (ongoing or habitual)
tulichoka = we got tired / we became tired (past event, not focusing on present state)

In this sentence, tumechoka is right because it talks about our current state of being tired, as a result of what has already happened.

Where is the word “we” in this sentence? Why don’t I see sisi?

Swahili usually puts the subject inside the verb as a subject marker, rather than using a separate word like “we”.

In the verbs:

tumechoka → tu- = we
tutamaliza → tu- = we
tutapumzika → tu- = we

So “we” is expressed three times via tu-.

You can add sisi for emphasis:

Hata kama sisi tumechoka… = Even if *we are tired (as opposed to others)…*

But normally, sisi is optional and only used when you want to stress we (and not someone else).

What tense is tutamaliza, and how is it formed?

Tutamaliza is future tense:

tu- = we (subject marker)
-ta- = future tense marker
maliza = to finish

So tutamaliza = “we will finish” / “we are going to finish”.

The future tense pattern is:

[subject marker] + ta + verb root
e.g. nitaenda (I will go), utaona (you will see), watakula (they will eat).

Here it expresses a firm intention / promise: we will finish this exercise.

Why is it zoezi hili and not hili zoezi? What’s the rule for demonstratives like hili?

Zoezi hili is:

zoezi = exercise (class 5 noun)
hili = this (class 5 demonstrative, near the speaker)

In modern standard Swahili, the usual order is:

noun + demonstrative
e.g. mtoto huyu (this child), kitabu hiki (this book), zoezi hili (this exercise)

You can see hili zoezi in some contexts, usually:

for emphasis, or
in certain fixed expressions / older or more formal styles.

But for everyday, natural Swahili, zoezi hili is the standard, neutral choice.

What exactly does pamoja mean here, and where can it go in the sentence?

Pamoja literally means “together / as one / in unity”.

In tutamaliza zoezi hili pamoja it means:

“we will finish this exercise together.”

Typical placements:

tutamaliza zoezi hili pamoja (most natural)
tutamaliza pamoja zoezi hili (possible, but less common-sounding)
tutamaliza zoezi hili kwa pamoja (a bit more explicit/emphatic: as a group / collectively)

Also:

pamoja na = “together with / along with” (preposition):
- Tutamaliza zoezi hili pamoja na rafiki zetu.
  = We will finish this exercise together with our friends.

In your sentence, pamoja at the end of the clause is the most idiomatic.

What does kisha mean, and how is it different from halafu?

Kisha means “then / afterwards / and then”.

… tutamaliza zoezi hili pamoja, kisha tutapumzika …
= “… we will finish this exercise together, then we will rest …”

Compared with:

halafu (often pronounced alafu in speech) = “then / after that / and then”

Differences:

kisha – a bit more neutral or slightly formal; common in both writing and speech.
halafu / alafu – very common in casual spoken Swahili; also fine in informal writing.

In this sentence, you could say halafu instead of kisha without changing the meaning much.

Why do we say tutapumzika (future) and not something like tupumzike (subjunctive)?

Tutapumzika is:

tu- = we
-ta- = future
pumzika = rest

So it states a future action as a fact or plan:

kisha tutapumzika kwa utulivu
“then we will rest peacefully.”

If you said kisha tupumzike kwa utulivu, tupumzike is a subjunctive form:

It would sound more like a suggestion / wish:
“then let’s rest peacefully / so that we may rest peacefully.”

Both are grammatically correct, but:

tutapumzika = firm plan/statement.
tupumzike = softer, more like a proposal or desired outcome.

The original sentence is stating what will happen, so the future is appropriate.

What is the function of kwa in kwa utulivu? Is this how Swahili makes adverbs?

Yes. Kwa here is a preposition that helps turn a noun into an adverbial phrase of manner.

utulivu = calmness, tranquility
kwa utulivu = “with calmness / in a calm way / peacefully”

This kwa + noun pattern is very common for manner:

kwa haraka = quickly (with speed)
kwa uzuri = nicely / beautifully
kwa nguvu = forcefully, with strength

So tutapumzika kwa utulivu literally = “we will rest with calmness”, i.e. “we will rest calmly / peacefully.”

What does utulivu mean exactly, and how is it different from words like amani or kimya?

utulivu = calmness, tranquility, peacefulness (as a state or manner)
amani = peace (often in a broader sense: absence of conflict, harmony, “peace” as a condition)
kimya = silence, quietness (lack of noise)

In kwa utulivu, the focus is:

on how you rest: in a calm, relaxed, untroubled way.

If you said:

tutapumzika kwa amani – “we will rest in peace / in a state of peace” (can sound deeper or more abstract).
tutapumzika kimya kimya – “we will rest very quietly / silently.”

For this context—finishing an exercise, then relaxing—kwa utulivu (calmly, peacefully) is the most natural.

Can I move Hata kama tumechoka to the end of the sentence? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, you can, and the basic meaning stays the same. For example:

Tutamaliza zoezi hili pamoja, kisha tutapumzika kwa utulivu, hata kama tumechoka.

Both orders mean roughly:
“Even if / although we are tired, we will finish this exercise together, then rest peacefully.”

Difference is in emphasis:

Hata kama tumechoka, … at the beginning:
- Emphasizes the contrast right away: Despite being tired, still…
…, hata kama tumechoka. at the end:
- Feels like an afterthought / extra condition, added to the statement.

Both are acceptable and natural; the original is slightly more dramatic in highlighting the concession first.

Is there any object marker in tutamaliza zoezi hili, and how would I say “we will finish it” referring to zoezi hili?

In tutamaliza zoezi hili, there is no object marker inside the verb; zoezi hili is just a normal, explicit object following the verb.

If you want to say “we will finish it” referring to zoezi hili, you can:

Drop the noun and use an object marker:
- Tuta+li+maliza = tutalimaliza
  (class 5 object marker li- for zoezi)
- Tutalimaliza. = We will finish it.

Or:

Keep both (common for emphasis or clarity):
- Tutalimaliza zoezi hili. = We will finish this exercise (we will finish it, this exercise).

So:

tutamaliza zoezi hili – no object marker, just verb + object.
tutalimaliza (zoezi hili) – verb with object marker referring to zoezi hili.