Tukifika sokoni, tutanunua mkate na maziwa.

Because tukifika is built from:

• tu- = we
• -ki- = a marker often used for when / if / upon
• -fika = arrive

So tukifika literally breaks down as we-when/if-arrive.

In sentences like this, -ki- often gives the sense of:

• when we arrive
• if we arrive
• upon arriving

The exact English translation depends on context, but when we arrive at the market is a very natural understanding here.

They use different tense or clause markers.

• tukifika = when/if we arrive
• tutafika = we will arrive

So:

• tukifika sokoni, tutanunua... = When we arrive at the market, we will buy...
• tutafika sokoni = We will arrive at the market

In other words:

• -ki- links the action to another action
• -ta- is the normal future tense

In Swahili, ideas like when, if, or once are often built directly into the verb instead of being separate words.

That is exactly what happens in tukifika. The -ki- inside the verb carries that meaning.

So English uses:

• when we arrive

But Swahili can express the same idea inside one word:

• tu-ki-fika

This is very common in Swahili and is one reason Swahili verbs can carry a lot of information.

The ending -ni is a locative ending. It often means:

• in
• at
• to

depending on context.

So:

• soko = market
• sokoni = at the market / in the market / to the market

In this sentence, sokoni is best understood as at the market.

You will see this pattern with many place words:

• nyumba = house

• nyumbani = at home

• shule = school
• shuleni = at school

Swahili verbs usually combine several pieces into one word. tutanunua can be broken down as:

• tu- = we
• -ta- = future
• -nunua = buy

So tutanunua means we will buy.

This is normal in Swahili. Subject, tense, and verb root are often all packed into a single verb form.

Because Swahili usually marks tense inside the verb itself.

In English:

• we will buy

In Swahili:

• tu-ta-nunua

The -ta- inside the verb means will or future time.

So instead of adding a separate helping verb like English does, Swahili changes the verb form.

Maziwa is a noun that usually refers to milk as a mass noun. In English, milk is also usually uncountable, so we do not normally say a milk unless we mean a serving.

In Swahili, maziwa looks plural because it begins with ma-, but for this word it functions as the normal word for milk.

So learners should not try to interpret it too literally as a regular plural meaning milks. It is simply the standard noun for milk.

Swahili does not use articles like a, an, or the the way English does.

So:

• mkate can mean bread, a loaf of bread, or the bread
• maziwa can mean milk, some milk, or the milk

The exact sense comes from context.

That means Swahili often leaves article meanings unstated unless the situation makes them clear.

Yes, but Swahili word order is also fairly natural here.

The sentence follows a common pattern:

• Tukifika sokoni = time/condition clause
• tutanunua = main verb
• mkate na maziwa = objects

So the structure is basically:

When we arrive at the market, we will buy bread and milk.

This order is very normal and clear in Swahili. The first part sets the situation, and the second part gives the main action.

Yes, it could, depending on context.

The -ki- form can sometimes cover meanings that English separates into:

• when
• if
• once
• upon

In everyday context, when we arrive at the market is probably the best translation here. But grammatically, the form itself can be flexible enough to overlap with if in some situations.

The comma separates the introductory clause from the main clause:

• Tukifika sokoni, = When we arrive at the market,
• tutanunua mkate na maziwa. = we will buy bread and milk.

This is similar to English punctuation. It helps show that the first part sets the time or condition for the second part.

In Swahili writing, punctuation often follows conventions similar to English, especially in clear modern written style.