Mwalimu amesema ati kila mwanafunzi afanye fotokopi ya cheti kabla ya kutumia skana.

Because kila means each / every, so it is followed by a singular noun in Swahili.

• kila mwanafunzi = each student / every student
• not kila wanafunzi

This is different from English, where every student is also singular, so the idea is actually quite similar.

Amesema comes from the verb kusema = to say.

It breaks down like this:

• a- = he/she
• -me- = perfect marker, often meaning has
• -sema = say

So amesema means:

• he/she has said
• or in natural English, often just said

In this sentence, Mwalimu amesema... means The teacher has said...

Yes, kwamba is a very common word for that in reported speech, but ati is also used in many varieties of Swahili.

Here:

• amesema kwamba... = has said that...
• amesema ati... = also has said that...

A useful difference for learners:

• kwamba is often felt to be more neutral or standard
• ati is common in speech and can sound more conversational
• in some contexts, ati can also carry a nuance of reported speech, like saying that... or claiming that...

In this sentence, it simply introduces what the teacher said.

Afanye is the subjunctive form of kufanya.

The subjunctive is often used in Swahili for:

• commands
• instructions
• wishes
• things that should happen

So:

• anafanya = he/she is doing
• atafanya = he/she will do
• afanye = he/she should do / let him/her do

In this sentence, the teacher is giving an instruction about what each student is supposed to do, so the subjunctive is the natural choice:

• kila mwanafunzi afanye... = each student should make/do...

The base verb is kufanya = to do / to make.

The subjunctive form is built with:

• subject marker a- = he/she
• verb stem adjusted to -fanye

So:

• afanye = that he/she do / should do

This is an irregular-looking form if you compare it directly to kufanya, so it is worth memorizing:

• kufanya → afanye

You will see similar subjunctive forms with other verbs too.

Because kila mwanafunzi means each student, and that is grammatically singular.

So the verb agrees with mwanafunzi:

• kila mwanafunzi afanye... = each student should make...

Even though the meaning includes many people, the grammar is singular because it treats them one by one.

Fotokopi is a loanword from photocopy.

In everyday Swahili, especially modern spoken and practical contexts, loanwords are very common. So fotokopi is perfectly normal.

Depending on context, it can mean:

• a photocopy as a noun
• sometimes the act of photocopying in casual usage

Here it is a noun:

• afanye fotokopi ya cheti = should make a photocopy of the certificate

Because the possessive connector agrees with the first noun, not the second one.

Here the main noun is fotokopi, and cheti is the thing being copied.

• fotokopi belongs to the N-class in this use
• the possessive connector for that class is often ya

So:

• fotokopi ya cheti = photocopy of the certificate

Even though cheti is a ki/vi noun, the agreement is controlled by fotokopi, not cheti.

Cheti means certificate.

It is a noun in the ki-/vi- class:

• singular: cheti
• plural: vyeti

So:

• cheti = certificate
• vyeti = certificates

In the sentence, ya cheti means of the certificate.

Kabla ya means before.

It is a fixed expression used before a noun or verbal noun/infinitive phrase:

• kabla ya mtihani = before the exam
• kabla ya kwenda = before going
• kabla ya kutumia skana = before using the scanner

So the ya is part of the normal structure. You usually learn it as a unit:

• kabla ya = before

Kutumia is the infinitive form of tumia = use.

After kabla ya, Swahili commonly uses an infinitive to express an action:

• kabla ya kutumia skana = before using the scanner

Literally, this is something like:

• before to-use the scanner

But in natural English, it is best translated as:

• before using the scanner

The subject is not stated explicitly in that phrase.

In Swahili, after kabla ya + infinitive, the subject can be understood from context. Here, the most natural interpretation is that it refers to the students mentioned earlier:

• each student should make a photocopy of the certificate before using the scanner

So the implied meaning is:

• before he or she uses the scanner
• or more naturally, before using the scanner

Swahili does not have articles like a/an and the.

So:

• mwalimu can mean teacher or the teacher
• cheti can mean a certificate or the certificate
• skana can mean a scanner or the scanner

The exact meaning depends on context.

That is why English translations sometimes have to add the or a even though Swahili does not.

Here, mwalimu is singular and means teacher.

Its plural is:

• walimu = teachers

So:

• mwalimu amesema = the teacher has said
• walimu wamesema = the teachers have said

Yes. Mwalimu does not show gender.

So it can mean:

• male teacher
• female teacher

That is why amesema also means he/she has said.

Swahili usually does not mark gender in nouns and verb agreement the way English does.

Sometimes yes, but the meaning may shift slightly depending on context.

• fotokopi specifically suggests a photocopy
• nakala more generally means copy

So if you want to be very specific about making a physical photocopy, fotokopi is a very natural choice.

It is mostly neutral everyday Swahili, but ati makes it sound a bit more conversational than kwamba would.

So:

• Mwalimu amesema kwamba... may sound a bit more formal or standard
• Mwalimu amesema ati... sounds natural in many spoken contexts

The loanwords fotokopi and skana are also very normal in practical modern usage.

A useful breakdown is:

• Mwalimu amesema = The teacher has said
• ati = that
• kila mwanafunzi afanye fotokopi ya cheti = each student should make a photocopy of the certificate
• kabla ya kutumia skana = before using the scanner

So the sentence structure is essentially:

• [Speaker] + has said + that + [instruction] + before + [action]

This is a very common Swahili pattern for reporting instructions.