Learn Hardcore Swahili: Kila mara ninapoandika shajara, ninajisikia tulivu nyumbani. - Every time I write in my diary, I feel calm at home.

kila wakati = every time / all the time (more like every moment / at all times)
mara kwa mara = repeatedly / from time to time / often (not strictly every time)

In your sentence, kila mara is very natural because you want to say this happens each time you write in your journal, not just often in general.

How is the verb ninapoandika built, and what does the -po- part do?

Ninapoandika is one long verb made of several parts stuck together:

ni- = I (subject prefix, 1st person singular)
-na- = present tense (am / do / usually)
-po- = relative marker meaning roughly when / at the time that
andika = write (verb root)

So:

ninapoandika = when(ever) I write / at the time when I am writing

The -po- part shows that this verb is in a time-related (relative) clause, not the main clause. It links the action of writing to another action (here: feeling calm).

Is the ni in ninapoandika the same as ni meaning “is / are”?

No, they are different ni’s:

In ninapoandika:
- ni- is the subject prefix meaning I.
- It attaches to the verb and never stands alone.
- Example: ninapenda = I like, ninakula = I eat.
As a separate word ni:
- ni works like is / are (a kind of to be).
- It appears between two nouns or a noun and an adjective:
  - Juma ni mwalimu. = Juma is a teacher.
  - Hii ni nyumba nzuri. = This is a nice house.

So:

ni (attached to a verb) = I
ni (as its own word) = is / are (copula)

In ninapoandika, it is only the subject prefix I, not is.

Could I say ninaandika instead of ninapoandika? What about nikiandika?

They are related but not the same:

ninaandika shajara
- Means: I am writing a journal / I write a journal (simple present).
- Describes the action itself, without linking it in time to another action.
ninapoandika shajara
- Means: when(ever) I write in my journal.
- The -po- makes it a time clause. It links to another action, e.g. I feel calm.
nikiandika shajara
- Built from: ni- (I) + -ki- (when/if/while) + andika (write).
- Often translated as when(ever) I write / if I write / while I’m writing.
- It has a more conditional / “if” / “whenever” flavor than -po-, though in everyday speech they can overlap.

In your sentence:

Kila mara ninapoandika shajara, ninajisikia tulivu nyumbani.
= Every time I write in my journal, I feel calm at home.

You could also hear Kila mara nikiandika shajara…, which would be understood, but ninapoandika fits very naturally with kila mara and sounds slightly more neutral and straightforward.

What exactly does shajara mean, and is it the same as daftari?

Shajara means journal / diary – a personal book where you regularly write about your thoughts or daily events.

It is usually a class 9/10 noun, so singular and plural often look the same:
- shajara moja = one journal
- shajara mbili = two journals
Possession:
- shajara yangu = my journal
- shajara yake = his/her journal

Daftari, on the other hand, is more general:

daftari = notebook / exercise book (for school notes, lists, etc.)

So:

Writing about your thoughts and life: shajara
Writing class notes, exercises, lists: daftari

What does ninajisikia mean exactly, and what is the role of -ji- here?

Ninajisikia comes from the verb jisikia, which itself is built from:

ji- = reflexive marker (oneself)
sikia = to hear / to feel (physically or emotionally)

Then we add the normal subject and tense:

ni- = I
-na- = present tense
ji- = myself
sikia = feel

So:

ninajisikia = I feel (something in myself)

The reflexive -ji- shows the feeling is happening inside the speaker (emotion or physical sensation), similar to English “I feel…”:

ninajisikia vizuri = I feel good / well
ninajisikia vibaya = I feel bad
ninajisikia mgonjwa = I feel sick
ninajisikia tulivu = I feel calm

Without -ji-, kusikia is more like to hear / to sense externally (e.g. ninasikia sauti = I hear a voice), though in practice there is some overlap.

What is the difference between ninajisikia and ninahisi?

Both can translate as I feel, but there is a nuance:

ninajisikia
- Literally: I feel myself.
- Very common for both physical and emotional feelings.
- Examples:
  - Leo ninajisikia vizuri. = Today I feel well.
  - Ninajisikia mwenye huzuni. = I feel sad.
ninahisi (from kuhisi = to sense / to feel / to suspect)
- Often used for more abstract, mental or intuitive feelings:
  - Ninahisi ana shida. = I sense / I feel (that) he has a problem.
  - Ninahisi baridi. = I feel cold (also possible with ninajisikia baridi).

In your sentence:

ninajisikia tulivu is very natural and common.
ninahisi utulivu would sound more like I sense a calmness, a bit more abstract or formal.

For everyday emotional self-description, ninajisikia is the best choice.

Why is there no extra verb like kuwa before tulivu in ninajisikia tulivu?

In English we say I feel calm, where feel already links directly to the adjective calm.

Swahili works similarly: after verbs of feeling/perception like jisikia, you can put an adjective or noun directly, with no extra kuwa:

ninajisikia vizuri = I feel good
ninajisikia mgonjwa = I feel ill
ninajisikia mwenye furaha = I feel happy
ninajisikia tulivu = I feel calm

If you added kuwa (ninajisikia kuwa tulivu), it would sound heavier or bookish, and is usually unnecessary in this kind of simple emotional statement.

What exactly does tulivu mean here, and why doesn’t it have a class prefix (like mtulivu or utulivu)?

Tulivu is an adjective-like word meaning calm / peaceful / serene.

In ninajisikia tulivu, it functions as a predicative adjective, describing the speaker’s state:

ninajisikia tulivu = I feel calm / peaceful.

About related forms:

tulivu
- Can directly describe a state or atmosphere:
  - Bahari ni tulivu. = The sea is calm.
  - Usiku huu ni tulivu. = This night is calm/quiet.
mtulivu (class 1, person)
- Describes a person who is calm by character:
  - Yeye ni mtu mtulivu. = He/she is a calm person.
utulivu (abstract noun)
- Means calmness / tranquility:
  - Napenda utulivu nyumbani. = I like calmness at home.

In your sentence, the focus is on how you feel right now, so the simple form tulivu as a state is perfect.

What does nyumbani mean exactly, and how is it different from nyumba or nyumbani kwangu?

Nyumba is the noun house / home (as a thing).

Nyumbani is a locative form meaning at home / to home / home.

nyumba (house as an object):
- Naona nyumba. = I see a house.
nyumbani (place: at or to home):
- Niko nyumbani. = I am at home.
- Ninarudi nyumbani. = I am going back home.

With possession:

nyumba yangu = my house (the building)
nyumbani kwangu = at my home / in my home

In your sentence:

ninajisikia tulivu nyumbani = I feel calm at home.

If you wanted to emphasise your own home:

ninajisikia tulivu nyumbani kwangu = I feel calm at my home.

In ninapoandika shajara, ninajisikia tulivu nyumbani, does nyumbani go more with writing or with feeling calm?

As written, the most natural reading is that nyumbani goes with ninajisikia tulivu:

ninajisikia tulivu nyumbani
I feel calm at home.

So the meaning is understood as:

Every time I write in my journal, I feel calm when I am at home.

If you want to make it very clear that the writing happens at home, you could move nyumbani into the first clause:

Kila mara ninapoandika shajara nyumbani, ninajisikia tulivu.
= Every time I write in my journal at home, I feel calm.

Both versions are grammatical; the position of nyumbani suggests which verb it is most closely connected to. In your original sentence, speakers will usually take nyumbani with ninajisikia tulivu.