Learn Hardcore Swahili: Sitakula chochote chenye sukari nyingi leo, kwa sababu ninataka kulinda afya yangu. - I will not eat anything with a lot of sugar today, because I want to protect my health.

In Swahili, using -ta- (future) is the normal way to say “I’m not going to do X (today / later)”, similar to English “I’m not going to eat…”

Sitakula chochote leo = I will not eat anything today / I’m not going to eat anything today.

You could say sili chochote leo, but that sounds more like a general statement “I don’t eat anything today (as a rule)” or like you’re stating a current fact.

For a plan or decision about today (especially with leo), the future form sitakula is more natural.

What exactly does chochote mean, and where does it come from?

Chochote means “anything / whatever (thing)”.

It’s related to kitu chochote = any thing / anything. In conversation, people often just say:

sitakula chochote = I won’t eat anything
huna chochote? = you don’t have anything?

So:

kitu = thing
cho- = pronoun form linked to the “thing” class (ki-/vi-)
-chote = “any / whichever”

Together, chochote is an indefinite pronoun: “anything, whatever (it may be).”

What is chenye doing in chochote chenye sukari nyingi?

Chenye is a relative form meaning “that has / which has / with.”

Chochote chenye sukari nyingi literally is:

chochote = anything / whatever (thing)
chenye = that has (agreeing with “thing” class)
sukari nyingi = a lot of sugar

So it means “anything that has a lot of sugar” or “anything with a lot of sugar.”

The pattern -enye changes according to noun class:

mtu mwenye pesa = a person with money
watu wenye pesa = people with money
kitu chenye sukari = a thing with sugar
vitu vyenye sukari = things with sugar

Here, chenye agrees with the understood “thing” (class 7, like kitu).

Is there a difference between “that has a lot of sugar” and “with a lot of sugar” in chenye sukari nyingi?

In this context, no real difference.

Chenye sukari nyingi can be translated as:

“that has a lot of sugar”
“with a lot of sugar”

Both are natural ways to express the same idea in English. Swahili uses -enye for this “having/with” relationship; English can use either has or with.

Why is it sukari nyingi and not something like sukari nyingi sana?

Sukari nyingi means “a lot of sugar / much sugar.”

sukari = sugar
nyingi = many / much (agreeing with the N-class noun sukari)

You can say sukari nyingi sana to emphasize “very much sugar / a lot of sugar”, but nyingi alone is already enough to convey “a lot/much.”

Because sukari is uncountable in meaning, nyingi here means “much” rather than “many.”

Could I move leo to the beginning and say Leo sitakula chochote chenye sukari nyingi?

Yes. Both are correct:

Sitakula chochote chenye sukari nyingi leo
Leo sitakula chochote chenye sukari nyingi

The meaning is the same: “I won’t eat anything with a lot of sugar today.”

Placing leo at the beginning slightly emphasizes today:

Leo (as for today), I will not eat anything with a lot of sugar.

But in everyday speech, both word orders are natural and common.

What does kwa sababu mean exactly, and are there alternatives?

Kwa sababu means “because” or “for the reason that.”

In the sentence, kwa sababu ninataka kulinda afya yangu = “because I want to protect my health.”

Common alternatives:

kwa sababu – very common, neutral
kwa kuwa – also “because,” often a bit more formal or literary
maana – literally “meaning,” but used like “because / since,” often more conversational

All three can introduce a reason, but kwa sababu is the safest and most standard choice for learners.

Why is it ninataka here and not just nataka?

Both ninataka and nataka mean “I want.”

ninataka = full form: ni- (I) + na- (present) + taka
nataka = shortened, very common in speech; the ni- is merged into the na- sound.

In conversation, you’ll hear nataka a lot:

nataka chai = I want tea

In careful or textbook Swahili, ninataka is often used, especially for learners. Using ninataka here is completely correct and clear.

What does kulinda mean, and why does it start with ku-?

Kulinda means “to protect / to guard.”

The ku- at the beginning is the infinitive marker, like English “to”:

linda = protect (verb root)
kulinda = to protect

When a verb follows another verb like kutaka (to want), it normally appears in the infinitive:

ninataka kulinda afya yangu = I want to protect my health
anajaribu kujifunza = he/she is trying to learn
tunaenda kula = we are going to eat

How does afya yangu work? Why is yangu after afya?

Afya yangu means “my health.”

afya = health
yangu = my (agreeing with the noun class of afya)

In Swahili, possessives (my, your, his, etc.) usually come after the noun:

kitabu changu = my book
rafiki yangu = my friend
afya yangu = my health

The form of “my” changes with the noun class:

kitabu changu (ki-/vi- class)
vitabu vyangu (plural)
afya yangu (N-class; takes y-)

Does kulinda afya yangu mean “protect my health” or “take care of my health”? Is it natural in Swahili?

Kulinda afya yangu can be understood as both:

“protect my health”
“take care of my health”

Literally, kulinda is “to guard/protect,” but in this context it naturally means being careful with your health (diet, habits, etc.).

Other natural ways to say something similar:

kutunza afya yangu – to take care of my health
kujali afya yangu – to care about my health

But kulinda afya yangu is perfectly good and idiomatic Swahili in this sentence.