Wala chai wala kahawa sipendi usiku; napendelea maji ya uvuguvugu.

It means neither tea nor coffee.

The pattern wala X wala Y is used for neither X nor Y. So:

• wala chai wala kahawa = neither tea nor coffee

In this sentence, that whole phrase is placed at the beginning for emphasis. It gives a sense like:

• As for tea and coffee, I like neither at night.

You may also see a simpler structure such as Sipendi chai wala kahawa, which also expresses I don’t like tea or coffee / neither tea nor coffee.

Sipendi is built from several pieces:

• si- = I do not
• -pend- = the root meaning like / love
• -i = the final vowel used in this negative form

So sipendi means I do not like.

This is very normal in Swahili: a lot of information that English puts into separate words gets packed into the verb.

In Swahili, the subject is usually built into the verb, so you often do not need a separate word for I.

For example:

• sipendi already includes I
• napendelea also means I prefer

About napendelea specifically: the fuller textbook form is often ninapendelea. In everyday usage, especially in speech and informal writing, ninapendelea is often shortened to napendelea.

So both can mean:

• ninapendelea = I prefer
• napendelea = I prefer (common shortened form)

Because Swahili often uses time words directly, without a preposition.

So:

• usiku = at night / during the night

This is similar to other time expressions in Swahili, where you often do not need a separate word for at, in, or during.

They are related, but not identical.

• napenda = I like / I love
• napendelea = I prefer

So kupendelea usually implies choosing one thing over another.

In this sentence, that makes sense because the speaker rejects tea and coffee and then says what they prefer instead:

• napendelea maji ya uvuguvugu = I prefer lukewarm water

Good question. The sentence is talking about preference, not just the physical act of drinking.

• sipendi = I don’t like
• sinywi = I don’t drink

So this sentence means the speaker does not like tea or coffee at night and prefers lukewarm water instead.

If you wanted to say I don’t drink tea or coffee at night, you could say:

• Sinywi chai wala kahawa usiku.

That is a slightly different idea.

Maji means water, and ya is the connector that links it to the following noun phrase.

So:

• maji = water
• uvuguvugu = lukewarmness / mild warmth
• maji ya uvuguvugu = literally water of lukewarmness, meaning lukewarm water

The word ya appears because it agrees with the noun class of maji. This kind of agreement is very common in Swahili.

It is understandable and natural enough, but it is a bit more emphatic because the neither tea nor coffee part comes first.

A more neutral order would be:

• Sipendi chai wala kahawa usiku; napendelea maji ya uvuguvugu.

That version may feel more straightforward to a learner.

So the original sentence is not wrong; it just highlights chai and kahawa more strongly.

A helpful guide:

• kahawa = ka-HA-wa
• uvuguvugu = u-vu-gu-VU-gu

A few pronunciation tips:

• Swahili vowels are usually pronounced clearly and fully.
• Each vowel is heard.
• Stress is usually on the second-to-last syllable.

So in uvuguvugu, the stress falls on the second vu.

Also:

• chai is pronounced much like English chai.