Learn Hardcore Swahili: Mwalimu anapenda kutetea haki za wanafunzi darasani. - The teacher likes to defend the rights of the students in the classroom.

Swahili usually does not use separate subject pronouns like he or she.
In Mwalimu anapenda kutetea haki za wanafunzi darasani, the subject is shown in two ways:

The noun Mwalimu = teacher (he or she, depending on context)
The subject prefix a- at the start of anapenda also means he/she.

So you don’t say a separate he or she; it is built into the verb and/or clear from the noun.

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

Anapenda means he/she likes or he/she loves.

It is built like this:

a- = subject prefix for he/she (3rd person singular, class 1)
-na- = present tense marker (ongoing/general present)
-penda = verb root like / love

So a-na-penda = he/she (a-) is/does (present -na-) like/love (penda) → he/she likes.

Can anapenda mean both likes and loves?

Yes. Kupenda covers a range of meanings including to like, to love, and even to enjoy.

Mwalimu anapenda chai → The teacher likes/loves tea.
Ninapenda muziki → I like/love music.

In your sentence, anapenda kutetea haki za wanafunzi is best read as likes (or enjoys) defending the students’ rights, but in some contexts it can also suggest strong commitment (almost loves to defend).

Why do we say anapenda kutetea and not just anapenda tetea?

After verbs like kupenda (to like/love), kutaka (to want), kujaribu (to try), etc., Swahili normally uses the infinitive form of the second verb, which starts with ku-.

anapenda kutetea = he/she likes to defend / likes defending
anataka kula = he/she wants to eat

So you need the full infinitive kutetea, not just tetea, after anapenda.

What does the ku- in kutetea mean? Is it like English to?

Yes, ku- here is the infinitive prefix, and it roughly corresponds to English to before a verb:

tetea = defend / advocate (verb root)
kutetea = to defend / defending

In dictionaries, verbs are listed with ku- (e.g. kutetea, kula, kusoma).
When the verb is the main finite verb of the sentence, the ku- disappears and you add subject and tense markers instead (e.g. anatetetea, nilitetea).

What is the nuance of kutetea here? Is it just to protect?

Kutetea is not just to protect; it is more specifically:

to defend, to stand up for, to advocate for, to speak in support of

So kutetea haki za wanafunzi suggests the teacher argues for, campaigns for, or defends the rights of the students (for example, against unfair treatment), not just physically protecting them.

For to protect, Swahili often uses kulinda:

kulinda wanafunzi = to protect the students
kutetea haki za wanafunzi = to defend/advocate for the students’ rights

Why is it haki za wanafunzi and not haki ya wanafunzi?

The za/ya part is a possessive agreement and must agree with the noun being possessed (haki, rights), not with wanafunzi.

haki belongs to noun class N.
In the singular, N-class takes ya.
In the plural, N-class takes za.

In this sentence we are talking about rights (plural), so:

haki za wanafunzi = the rights of the students (rights = plural → za)

If you said:

haki ya mwanafunzi = the right of the student (one right of one student)
haki za mwanafunzi = the rights of the student (several rights of one student)

Is haki singular or plural here, and how can I tell?

The form haki itself does not change between singular and plural, so you must look at agreement:

haki ya … → usually one right (singular)
haki za … → rights (plural)

In haki za wanafunzi:

za tells you haki is plural
wanafunzi (students) also suggests more than one person

So here haki = rights (plural).

How is wanafunzi formed, and what is the singular?

Wanafunzi is the plural form meaning students. It breaks down like this:

mwanafunzi = student, learner (singular)
- mwana- = person/child/one who
- -funzi (from the root related to learning/being taught)
wanafunzi = students (plural)
- wa- is the plural prefix for people (class 1/2)

So:

mwanafunzi → one student
wanafunzi → students

Why is it darasani and not just darasa?

The noun darasa means class / classroom.
When you add -ni to many nouns, it turns them into a locative form meaning in/at/on that place.

darasa = class / classroom
darasani = in the class / in the classroom / in class

So darasani here means the action is taking place in the classroom / during class.

Does darasani mean the physical room or the class session?

Darasani can mean both, depending on context:

physically in the room:
Wanafunzi wako darasani. = The students are in the classroom.
during class time / in class as an activity:
In your sentence, haki za wanafunzi darasani is naturally understood as in class / during lessons, i.e., the teacher defends their rights in the classroom context.

Often you do not need to distinguish; darasani covers both ideas.

How would the sentence change if we were talking about more than one teacher?

If the subject becomes plural (teachers), you change both the noun and the subject prefix:

Mwalimu (singular) → Walimu (plural)
Subject prefix a- (he/she) → wa- (they)

So:

Mwalimu anapenda kutetea haki za wanafunzi darasani.
= The teacher likes to defend the students’ rights in class.
Walimu wanapenda kutetea haki za wanafunzi darasani.
= The teachers like to defend the students’ rights in class.

How do you make this sentence negative: The teacher does not like to defend the students’ rights in class?

To negate anapenda, you:

Change the subject prefix a- to its negative ha-.
Remove the present marker -na-.
Change the final -a of the verb root to -i.

anapenda → hapendi (he/she does not like)

The full negative sentence is:

Mwalimu hapendi kutetea haki za wanafunzi darasani.
= The teacher does not like to defend the students’ rights in class.

Can I move darasani to another position in the sentence?

Yes, Swahili word order is fairly flexible for adverbials like darasani, as long as the meaning stays clear. All of these are acceptable:

Mwalimu anapenda kutetea haki za wanafunzi darasani.
Mwalimu darasani anapenda kutetea haki za wanafunzi.
Darasani, mwalimu anapenda kutetea haki za wanafunzi.

The most neutral and common order is the original one, but fronting darasani can emphasize in class / in the classroom.