Learn Hardcore Swahili: Tutakuona baadaye nyumbani.

“We” is expressed by the subject prefix tu- inside Tutakuona.
“You” (singular) is expressed by the object prefix -ku- in Tutakuona.

You only add explicit pronouns like sisi (we) or wewe (you) when you want to emphasize or contrast, for example:

Sisi tutakuona baadaye nyumbani. – We (as opposed to others) will see you later at home.
Tutakuona wewe, sio wao. – We’ll see you, not them.

Does Tutakuona mean “we’ll see each other,” or just “we’ll see you”?

Tutakuona primarily means “we will see you” (one-directional: we → you).

For the idea of “we’ll see each other” (mutual action), Swahili normally uses the reciprocal form:

Tutaonana baadaye nyumbani. – We will see each other later at home.

So:

Tutakuona… – We will see you.
Tutaonana… – We’ll see each other.

Both can be used in friendly goodbyes, but grammatically they are different.

Is you here singular or plural? How would I say “we’ll see you all”?

In Tutakuona, the -ku- object marker refers to you (singular).

For you all (plural), the usual object marker is -wa-:

Tutawaona baadaye nyumbani. – We’ll see you all later at home.

So:

Tutakuona… → we’ll see you (one person)
Tutawaona… → we’ll see you all / you guys / you (plural)

What is the difference between baadaye and baada ya?

baadaye is an adverb meaning “later” or “afterwards.”
- Tutakuona baadaye nyumbani. – We’ll see you later at home.
baada ya is a prepositional phrase meaning “after (something)”.
It is followed by a noun or verb in -ku form:
- Baada ya kazi, tutakuona nyumbani. – After work, we’ll see you at home.
- Baada ya kula, tutakuona nyumbani. – After eating, we’ll see you at home.

So baadaye stands alone (“later”), while baada ya needs something after it (“after X”).

Why is there no word for “at” before nyumbani? How does “at home” work in Swahili?

Swahili often doesn’t use a separate word like “at” for location. Instead, it uses a locative suffix -ni:

nyumba = house
nyumba + -ni = nyumbani = “at home / in the house”

So nyumbani already includes the idea of “at” or “in”, so you don’t say “kwa nyumbani” or “katika nyumbani” in this sentence. Just nyumbani is enough:

Tutakuona nyumbani. – We will see you at home.

Does nyumbani mean “my home,” “your home,” or just “home” in general?

Nyumbani on its own usually means “(at) home” in a general sense, often understood from context:

It can mean the speaker’s home, the listener’s home, or a shared home, depending on the situation.

If you want to be more specific, you can say:

nyumbani kwangu – at my home
nyumbani kwako – at your home (singular)
nyumbani kwao – at their home
nyumbani kwetu – at our home

For everyday conversation, nyumbani alone is very common and usually clear from context.

Can I change the word order and say “Tutakuona nyumbani baadaye”?

Yes. Both are grammatically correct:

Tutakuona baadaye nyumbani.
Tutakuona nyumbani baadaye.

Swahili word order is fairly flexible with adverbs like baadaye and location words like nyumbani. The meaning is the same; you might choose one or the other just for rhythm or emphasis.

How would I say “We won’t see you later at home” (the negative form)?

To negate the future, you change the verb structure. One common spoken pattern is:

Hatutakuona baadaye nyumbani. – We will not see you later at home.

Breakdown:

ha- = negative marker
-tu- = we
-ta- = future
-ku- = you (object)
-ona = see

(Some teachers may give slightly different negative-future patterns, but Hatutakuona… is widely used and understood.)

Is Tutakuona formal, informal, or neutral? How would I say it politely?

Tutakuona baadaye nyumbani is generally neutral and fine in most situations.

If you want to sound a bit more polite or warm, you might:

Add a term of address:
- Tutakuona baadaye nyumbani, bibi. – We’ll see you later at home, ma’am.
Use the reciprocal, which can feel more mutual and friendly:
- Tutaonana baadaye nyumbani. – We’ll see each other later at home.

Politeness in Swahili is more about tone and titles of respect (bwana, bibi, dada, kaka, mzee…) than changing the verb itself.

Can Tutakuona baadaye be used as a casual “See you later” on its own?

You can say Tutakuona baadaye and people will understand “We’ll see you later,” but in everyday speech, these are more common as casual goodbyes:

Tutaonana baadaye. – We’ll see each other later.
Baadaye! – Later! / See ya!

Tutakuona baadaye is grammatically fine but sounds a bit more like an informative statement (“we will see you later”) than a set farewell formula.