Learn Hardcore Swahili: Usiweke matunda yote kwenye friza, baadhi ya matunda yanaharibika haraka yakiganda. - Do not put all the fruits in the freezer; some fruits spoil quickly when frozen.

The verb root is -weka = to put / to place.
The positive command to one person is just Weka! = Put!
The negative command uses usi-
- the subjunctive verb form:
  - subjunctive of weka → weke
  - negative command: usi
    - weke → Usiweke = Don’t put (you, singular).

So Usiweke matunda yote… = Don’t put all the fruit… (to one person).

How would I say “Don’t put all the fruit in the freezer” to more than one person?

To address several people, use msi- instead of usi-:

Msiweke matunda yote kwenye friza…
= You (all) don’t put all the fruit in the freezer…

Structure:

msi- = negative “you (plural)”
-weke = subjunctive of weka

So:

Usiweke → one person
Msiweke → several people.

Why is it matunda yote and not something like yote ya matunda?

In Swahili, adjectives and quantifiers usually follow the noun and agree with its noun class.

matunda = fruits (class 6)
yote = all (agreeing with class 6)

The normal order is:

matunda yote = all the fruit(s)

You would not say yote ya matunda in this context; that would sound unnatural here. The pattern you want is:

vitabu vyote = all the books
nguo zote = all the clothes
matunda yote = all the fruit

What does baadhi ya matunda literally mean, and why is ya used?

baadhi ya matunda literally means “a part of the fruits” → “some of the fruit(s)”.

baadhi = a part, a portion, some
ya = of (agreeing with the noun class of matunda)
matunda = fruits

In Swahili, ya is the “of” connector used with certain noun classes, including class 6 (ma- nouns like matunda). Other examples:

baadhi ya watu = some of the people
baadhi ya magari = some of the cars

So baadhi ya matunda = some of the fruit.

Why is matunda repeated in baadhi ya matunda instead of saying something like “some of them”?

Repeating matunda is perfectly normal and very clear:

Usiweke matunda yote kwenye friza, baadhi ya matunda…

You could say:

Usiweke matunda yote kwenye friza, baadhi yake yanaharibika haraka yakiganda.
= Don’t put all the fruit in the freezer; some of them go bad quickly when frozen.

Here:

yake = of them/its (agreeing with matunda, class 6)

Both are correct.

Repeating matunda is a bit more explicit and learner‑friendly.
Using baadhi yake is a bit more compact and slightly more advanced.

How is yanaharibika built, and what does it imply?

yanaharibika means “(they) go bad / get spoiled”, describing something that becomes ruined or no longer good to eat.

Breakdown:

ya- = subject prefix for class 6 (for matunda)
-na- = present tense marker (are / do / usually)
-haribika = to get spoiled / be ruined

So yanaharibika ≈ “they get spoiled / they go bad”.

It often has a habitual / general truth feel here:

some fruits (generally) go bad quickly when frozen, not just a one‑time event.

What is haraka, and why isn’t there a special ending to make it “quickly”?

haraka means “speed, quickness”, but it is also used as an adverb meaning “quickly / fast”.

Swahili often uses the same form for both noun and adverb:

anakimbia haraka = he/she runs fast
yanaharibika haraka = they go bad quickly

You don’t need to change haraka with extra endings to make it “quickly”; the bare form works as an adverb.

What does yakiganda mean exactly, and how is it formed?

yakiganda means “when they freeze / when they get frozen”.

Breakdown:

ya- = subject prefix for matunda (class 6: they)
-ki- = “when / while / if” tense marker
-ganda = to freeze / to become solid

So:

yakiganda = when they freeze (literally “they-when-freeze”).

This -ki- form is used especially when:

the subject of the main verb and the subject of the “when” clause are the same.

Example pattern:

Chakula kikipo mezani, watoto wanakula.
When the food is on the table, the children eat.
yanaharibika haraka yakiganda.
They go bad quickly when they freeze.

Could I say wakiganda instead of yakiganda?

No, wakiganda would be wrong here.

wa- is the subject prefix for class 2 (people, “they” for humans).
ya- is the subject prefix for class 6 (ma- nouns like matunda).

Since matunda is class 6, you must use:

yakiganda (ya‑ki‑ganda), not wakiganda.

wakiganda would suggest “when they (people) freeze,” which doesn’t match the noun matunda.

Could I say yanapoganda instead of yakiganda? What’s the difference?

Yes, you can say:

…baadhi ya matunda yanaharibika haraka yanapoganda.

Both:

yakiganda
yanapoganda

can be translated as “when they freeze”.

Difference in feel:

yakiganda (with -ki-) is very common and often slightly more informal / conversational in many regions.
yanapoganda (with -po-) is often a bit more explicit about “when/at the time that” and may feel slightly more formal or neutral.

In everyday speech, yakiganda is perfectly natural and very common.

Why is it kwenye friza and not just friza or katika friza?

kwenye is a very common preposition meaning “in / on / at / inside”.

kwenye friza = in the freezer
katika friza also means in the freezer, but katika can sound a bit more formal or “bookish” in casual speech.

You could also sometimes hear:

ndani ya friza = inside the freezer (emphasizing “inside”)

Using kwenye friza is very natural, conversational Swahili for “in the freezer.”
Just saying friza without any preposition would usually feel incomplete in this context.