Ningependa kwenda sokoni, isipokuwa sina pesa leo.

Ningependa means I would like.

It is built from:

• ni- = I
• -nge- = a conditional marker, often giving the sense of would
• -penda = like / love / want

So ningependa is literally something like I would like.

It is a very common polite way to express a wish or desire in Swahili.

Kwenda means to go.

After a verb like ningependa (I would like), Swahili often uses the infinitive form of the next verb:

• ningependa kwenda = I would like to go

The ku- at the beginning of kwenda is the infinitive marker, like to in English.

So:

• kwenda = to go
• ningependa kwenda = I would like to go

Soko means market.

Sokoni means at the market / to the market / in the market area, depending on context.

The ending -ni is a locative ending. It often gives the idea of in, at, to, on a place.

So:

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

In this sentence, because the verb is kwenda (to go), sokoni is understood as to the market.

Not exactly, though they can overlap in meaning.

Lakini is the most common everyday word for but.

Isipokuwa can mean except, unless, or sometimes however / except that, depending on context. In this sentence, it works like except that / but.

So the sentence is understandable, but in very everyday speech many speakers might more naturally say:

• Ningependa kwenda sokoni, lakini sina pesa leo.

That means the same thing and may sound more straightforward to a learner.

Swahili often expresses to have using na.

• nina pesa = I have money
• sina pesa = I do not have money

Here is the breakdown:

• si- = negative subject form for I
• -na = have / with
• pesa = money

So:

• nina = I have
• sina = I do not have

This is a very important pattern in Swahili.

Because Swahili has its own built-in negative verb forms.

For possession, the positive and negative are:

• nina = I have
• huna = you have
• ana = he/she has

Negative:

• sina = I do not have
• huna = you do not have
• hana = he/she does not have

So sina pesa is the normal and correct way to say I don’t have money.

You do not add a separate word like not in English. The negation is already inside the verb form.

Leo means today.

In this sentence:

• sina pesa leo = I don’t have money today

Putting leo at the end is very natural in Swahili. Time words can sometimes move around, but the final position is common and sounds normal here.

For example:

• Leo sina pesa = Today I don’t have money
• Sina pesa leo = I don’t have money today

Both are possible, but the second one fits the sentence naturally.

Yes, you can, but the tone is a little different.

• ningependa = I would like
• ningetaka = I would want / I would like

Both are possible, but ningependa often sounds a bit more polite or softer.

For example:

• Ningependa kwenda sokoni = I would like to go to the market
• Ningetaka kwenda sokoni = also possible, but can sound a little more direct depending on context

For many learners, ningependa is a very useful polite phrase to remember.

Yes, it is normal.

The sentence follows a very common pattern:

• Ningependa kwenda sokoni = main idea
• isipokuwa sina pesa leo = contrasting idea

Swahili often uses a word order similar to English in sentences like this:

• subject/verb idea first
• then the reason, contrast, or problem

So the structure is quite natural and easy to follow.

Yes. The locative ending -ni does not always map neatly onto a single English preposition.

Depending on the verb and context, sokoni can mean:

• at the market
• in the market
• to the market

In this sentence, because the verb is kwenda (to go), the natural translation is to the market.

So context tells you which English preposition fits best.

A very everyday version would likely be:

• Ningependa kwenda sokoni, lakini sina pesa leo.

This keeps the same meaning but uses lakini, which is a very common word for but.

So:

• isipokuwa = understandable, somewhat more like except / except that / however
• lakini = very common everyday but

As a learner, it is good to understand both, but lakini is usually the easier one to start using actively.