Learn Hardcore Swahili: Sasa mwanafunzi huyo haulizi swali; anasikiliza kimya kimya. - Now that student is not asking a question; he/she is listening quietly.

It can mark a time (right now) and also mark a change of situation or topic, very similar to how English speakers start stories with Now, the student isn’t asking a question…

Why is it mwanafunzi huyo and not huyo mwanafunzi? Is one of them wrong?

Both mwanafunzi huyo and huyo mwanafunzi are grammatically correct; the difference is in style and emphasis.

mwanafunzi huyo (noun + demonstrative) is the neutral, most common order for that student.
huyo mwanafunzi (demonstrative + noun) is more emphatic/contrastive, like that particular student (as opposed to some other student).

So:

Sasa mwanafunzi huyo… = Now that student… (plain, neutral).
Sasa huyo mwanafunzi… = Now that student (you know which I mean)… (stronger focus on that one specifically).

Why is the demonstrative huyo used here instead of yule? What’s the difference between huyo and yule?

Swahili has a three-way distance system for many noun classes (here, class 1/2 for people):

huyu = this (near the speaker)
huyo = that (near the listener, or already known/just mentioned)
yule = that (over there) (far from both, or more remote)

In mwanafunzi huyo, huyo usually suggests:

a student already known in the conversation, or
associated with the listener’s side of the situation.

mwanafunzi yule would feel more like:

that student over there / that more distant student (physically or contextually).

How is haulizi formed, and what exactly does it tell us about tense and negation?

The positive form is anauliza = he/she is asking.

To make it negative in the present tense:

Add negative prefix ha-.
Drop the -na- present marker.
Change the final -a vowel of the verb to -i.

So:

anauliza → haulizi = he/she is not asking.

Internally, haulizi corresponds roughly to:

ha- (negative) + -a- (3rd person singular subject he/she) + -uliz- (ask) + -i (present negative final vowel).

The subject he/she is built into the verb, so you don’t need a separate pronoun.

Why is there no separate word for he or she in haulizi or anasikiliza? Where is the subject?

In normal Swahili, the subject is marked inside the verb with a prefix, so a separate pronoun is not needed.

anauliza / anasikiliza
- a- = he/she (3rd person singular subject)
- -na- = present tense
- verb stem (e.g. -sikiliza)
haulizi
- ha- = negative
- underlying -a- = he/she
- verb stem -uliz-
- final -i = present negative

You would add the independent pronoun yeye (he/she) only for emphasis or contrast:

Yeye haulizi swali; anasikiliza kimya kimya.
= He/She (as opposed to others) is not asking a question; (he/she) is listening quietly.

Why is it haulizi swali (singular swali) and not haulizi maswali (plural) like not asking questions in English?

Swahili often uses the singular swali after kuuliza for the idea ask a question in general:

kuuliza swali = to ask a question (not necessarily exactly one carefully counted question; it’s a set phrase).

So:

haulizi swali is naturally understood as (he/she) is not asking a question / isn’t asking any question.
haulizi maswali would emphasize multiple questions, like (he/she) is not asking (those) questions or doesn’t ask questions (in general), depending on context.

Here the singular swali fits the neutral English translation: the student is not asking a question.

What does anasikiliza tell us about tense and aspect? Is it listens or is listening?

anasikiliza is present tense with the -na- marker, and it usually corresponds to English is listening (progressive/ongoing action):

a- = he/she (subject)
-na- = present tense (often progressive-like)
-sikiliza = listen

So anasikiliza ≈ he/she is listening.
Depending on context, it can sometimes also be translated as a general present, he/she listens, but in this specific sentence (contrasted with haulizi swali) the progressive is listening is the most natural.

What is the difference between kusikiliza and kusikia? Could we say anasikia kimya kimya instead?

kusikiliza = to listen (actively, pay attention with your ears)
kusikia = to hear (perceive sound, receive it)

So:

anasikiliza kimya kimya = he/she is listening quietly (making an effort to pay attention).
anasikia would be more like he/she is hearing (sounds are reaching their ears), not necessarily paying attention.

Using anasikia kimya kimya would be unusual here; the idea is that the student is actively, attentively listening, so anasikiliza is the right verb.

What exactly does kimya kimya mean, and why is it repeated? Is it an adverb?

kimya is a noun (class 7) meaning silence or quietness.

When it is reduplicated as kimya kimya, it functions like an adverb:

quietly, in silence, without saying anything.

Reduplication in Swahili is often used:

to form adverb-like expressions, or
to add nuance/intensity.

So:

anasikiliza kimya kimya = he/she is listening quietly / in silence.
Using just anasikiliza kimya is possible in some contexts but kimya kimya is the standard, idiomatic form here.

Why is there a semicolon (;) between haulizi swali and anasikiliza kimya kimya? Could we also join them with na or lakini?

The semicolon works almost exactly as in English: it separates two closely related independent clauses.

Sasa mwanafunzi huyo haulizi swali; anasikiliza kimya kimya.
= Now that student isn’t asking a question; (instead) he/she is listening quietly.

Yes, you could also write, for example:

Sasa mwanafunzi huyo haulizi swali, anasikiliza kimya kimya.
Sasa mwanafunzi huyo haulizi swali, bali anasikiliza kimya kimya.
Sasa mwanafunzi huyo haulizi swali; badala yake anasikiliza kimya kimya.

Using na (and) is possible but changes the nuance slightly to simple addition:

Sasa mwanafunzi huyo haulizi swali na anasikiliza kimya kimya.
= Now that student is not asking a question and is listening quietly.

The original semicolon nicely highlights the contrast between not asking and listening.