Mama aliniletea maji ya chumvi ya uvuguvugu kusafisha koo na mdomo.

aliniletea can be split like this:

• a- = he/she
• -li- = past tense
• -ni- = me
• -let- = the verb root from leta (bring)
• -e-...-a = the applicative ending, which adds a sense like bring to/for

So aliniletea means something like:

• she brought me
• or more literally, she brought to/for me

In this sentence, the subject is Mama, so the meaning is Mother brought me...

In Swahili, human singular subjects usually take the subject marker a-.

So even though the noun is Mama, the verb agrees with it as a singular animate subject:

• Mama aliniletea... = Mother brought me...

This same a- is used for many singular people:

• mtoto alikuja = the child came
• mama alisema = mother said
• daktari alifika = the doctor arrived

Because of the object marker -ni-, which means me.

Compare:

• alileta maji = she brought water
• aliniletea maji = she brought me water / she brought water to me

So the -ni- tells you who received the action.

Also, the applicative part of the verb helps give the sense of bringing something to/for someone.

This is a very common Swahili pattern.

• maji ya chumvi = salt water
  Literally: water of salt
• maji ya uvuguvugu = lukewarm water
  Literally: water of lukewarmness

So:

• maji ya chumvi ya uvuguvugu = lukewarm salt water

The word ya is a connector often translated as of, and it agrees with maji.

Because maji belongs to the noun class that uses ya, you keep using ya when adding descriptions of that noun phrase.

Because maji belongs to noun class 6, and the linking word for that class is ya.

So you get patterns like:

• maji ya kunywa = drinking water
• maji ya moto = hot water
• maji ya chumvi = salt water

This ya is not random; it is the agreement form that matches maji.

uvuguvugu means lukewarmness or a lukewarm state.

In natural English, maji ya uvuguvugu is best translated as:

• lukewarm water

So in this sentence, ya uvuguvugu describes the water’s temperature.

It is very common in Swahili to use a noun-like expression where English would often prefer an adjective.

kusafisha is the infinitive form of the verb, meaning to clean.

• ku- = infinitive marker, like English to
• -safisha = clean / cleanse

In this sentence, it shows purpose:

• Mama aliniletea ... kusafisha koo na mdomo
• Mother brought me ... to clean the throat and mouth

So kusafisha tells us why the water was brought.

Literally, kusafisha means to clean.

But in this context, because the object is the throat and mouth and the thing being used is lukewarm salt water, the natural idea is something like:

• to clean out
• to rinse
• to gargle with it to clean

So the exact English wording may vary depending on context, even though the Swahili verb itself is clean.

Swahili often leaves possession unstated when it is obvious from context, especially with body parts.

So:

• kusafisha koo na mdomo = to clean the throat and mouth

In English, we often say my throat and mouth because it sounds more natural. In Swahili, that possession can be understood automatically from the situation.

If you wanted to state it explicitly, you could say:

• kusafisha koo langu na mdomo wangu = to clean my throat and my mouth

But that is not always necessary.

Not all Swahili nouns show a clear prefix on the surface. Some nouns have the same form in singular and plural, or simply do not look like the textbook examples with obvious prefixes.

koo is the normal word for throat.

So learners should not expect every noun to show a clearly visible class prefix all the time. Swahili noun classes are real and important, but the form is not always transparent just from looking at the word.

Because the sentence is talking about the mouth in a general, literal sense: a person normally has one mouth.

Likewise, koo refers to the throat.

So:

• koo na mdomo = the throat and mouth

Swahili often uses singular body-part nouns in exactly the way English does here.

Yes. The applicative form often covers ideas like:

• to
• for
• on behalf of

So aliniletea maji can mean:

• she brought me water
• she brought water to me
• she brought water for me

The exact nuance depends on context, but in many cases English just says brought me water.

Swahili does not have articles equivalent to English a/an and the.

So a sentence like:

• Mama aliniletea maji...

does not need a separate word for the mother, the water, or some water.

Whether English uses a, some, or the depends on the context and the translator’s choice.

Yes, Mama can function like:

• mother
• mum
• mom

It can also be used more broadly as a respectful way to address or refer to a woman, depending on context.

In this sentence, it most naturally means Mother/Mum.