Wanafunzi wanasoma kimya kimya wakiwa darasani.

Because wanafunzi is a plural noun meaning students.

Its singular form is mwanafunzi = student.
The change is:

• mwanafunzi = one student
• wanafunzi = students

The wa- here is part of the noun class system in Swahili. Human nouns often use:

• m-/mw- in the singular
• wa- in the plural

So this word already tells you the subject is plural.

That wa- is the subject marker on the verb, and it must agree with wanafunzi.

So:

• wa- = they
• -na- = present tense
• soma = read / study

Putting it together:

• wanasoma = they are reading / they are studying

Swahili verbs usually show the subject inside the verb itself, so the wa- in wanasoma matches the plural people in wanafunzi.

-na- is the usual present tense marker in Swahili.

So:

• wa-na-soma
• they-PRESENT-read/study

This often corresponds to English forms like:

• they are studying
• they study
• they are reading

The exact English translation depends on context, but the core idea is that the action is happening in the present.

It can mean either one, depending on context.

• kusoma = to read
• kusoma = to study

In this sentence, either may work depending on the situation:

• if the students are working quietly in class, studying may fit well
• if they are looking at books or texts, reading may fit well

This is very common in Swahili: one verb can cover meanings that English separates.

This repetition gives an adverb-like meaning: quietly, silently, or in silence.

• kimya by itself means silence or quiet
• kimya kimya means quietly / silently

Reduplication like this is common in Swahili and often adds a natural adverbial sense or emphasis.

So wanasoma kimya kimya means they are reading or studying quietly, not necessarily just that there is abstract silence.

Sometimes kimya alone can appear in context, but kimya kimya is a very natural way to say quietly / silently.

Using the repeated form makes the adverbial meaning clearer and more idiomatic here.

So for a learner, it is good to recognize:

• kimya = silence / quiet
• kimya kimya = quietly / silently

Wakiwa means while they are or when they are.

It is built from:

• wa- = they
• -ki- = while / when
• -wa = be

So:

• wakiwa darasani = while they are in the classroom / when they are in class

This is a very useful Swahili pattern. The -ki- form often shows an action or state happening at the same time as the main verb.

In Swahili, grammatical information is often packed into the verb itself instead of being written as separate words like in English.

So rather than saying something like they while are, Swahili combines it into one form:

• wakiwa = while they are

This is normal Swahili structure. English uses more separate helper words, while Swahili often uses prefixes and verb forms.

Darasani means in the classroom or in class.

It comes from:

• darasa = classroom / class
• -ni = a locative ending, often meaning in, at, or to

So:

• darasa = classroom / class
• darasani = in the classroom / in class

This -ni ending is very common in Swahili for places.

Either can be correct.

• in the classroom is more literal
• in class is often more natural English

Which one sounds best depends on the context and the style of translation. The Swahili form itself can cover both ideas.

A helpful breakdown is:

• Wanafunzi = students
• wanasoma = they are studying / reading
• kimya kimya = quietly / silently
• wakiwa darasani = while they are in the classroom / while in class

So the structure is roughly:

subject + main verb + adverbial expression + simultaneous clause

In smoother English, that becomes something like:

• The students are studying quietly in class.
• The students are reading silently while in the classroom.

The sentence as given is natural, but Swahili word order can be somewhat flexible, especially with adverbial parts.

This order is very straightforward:

• Wanafunzi — subject
• wanasoma — main action
• kimya kimya — manner
• wakiwa darasani — location/circumstance

A learner should first get comfortable with this basic order before worrying about variations.

Yes, but they add different kinds of information:

• kimya kimya tells how they are studying
• wakiwa darasani tells where / under what circumstance they are studying

So one describes the manner, and the other describes the location or situation.

That is why both can appear together naturally in the same sentence.