Kabla ya mtihani, tunapaswa kupumzika kidogo.

Kabla ya means before when it is followed by a noun or an infinitive phrase.

In this sentence:

• kabla ya mtihani = before the exam

It is best to learn kabla ya as a set expression. The ya is part of the normal pattern here, so you usually do not translate it separately word-for-word.

You will also see:

• kabla ya darasa = before class
• kabla ya kwenda = before going

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

So mtihani can mean:

• exam
• an exam
• the exam

The exact meaning comes from context. In this sentence, English naturally uses the exam.

Tunapaswa is one verb form made of several parts:

• tu- = we
• -na- = present tense marker
• -paswa = should / ought to / be supposed to

So tunapaswa means we should, we ought to, or we are supposed to.

This is very common in Swahili: information that English often puts into separate words gets packed into one verb.

Because Swahili usually puts the subject inside the verb.

Here, tu- already means we, so a separate pronoun like sisi is not necessary.

• tunapaswa = we should
• sisi tunapaswa = we should too, but with extra emphasis on we

So the sentence sounds normal without sisi.

Kupumzika is the infinitive form, meaning to rest.

After a verb like -paswa (should / ought to), the next verb usually stays in the infinitive:

• tunapaswa kupumzika = we should rest
• literally: we should to rest

That is just how the structure works in Swahili. The subject is already shown in tunapaswa, so kupumzika does not need its own subject marking here.

Here kidogo means a little or a bit.

So:

• kupumzika kidogo = rest a little

It is modifying the action, so in English it feels adverb-like: rest a bit.

You will also see kidogo in other contexts, for example:

• maji kidogo = a little water
• subiri kidogo = wait a little

Usually no. Tunapaswa is often softer than must.

It usually means:

• should
• ought to
• are supposed to

So this sentence suggests good advice or expectation, not the strongest possible obligation.

If you wanted something stronger, Swahili often uses lazima:

• Lazima tupumzike kidogo. = We must rest a little.

Yes. Swahili is fairly flexible here.

The given sentence:

• Kabla ya mtihani, tunapaswa kupumzika kidogo.

puts the time phrase first for emphasis: Before the exam, ...

You could also say:

• Tunapaswa kupumzika kidogo kabla ya mtihani.

This means essentially the same thing and is also natural.

The comma is mainly a writing choice because the sentence begins with an introductory time phrase.

Yes. Very often kabla ya is followed by an infinitive verb.

Examples:

• kabla ya kwenda = before going
• kabla ya kuanza = before starting
• kabla ya kusoma = before studying

In your sentence, it is followed by a noun:

• mtihani = exam

So kabla ya mtihani = before the exam.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• KAH-bla ya mti-HA-ni, tu-na-PAS-wa ku-pum-ZI-ka ki-DO-go

A few useful points:

• Swahili vowels are usually pure and consistent:
  • a as in father
  • e as in bed but tenser
  • i as in machine
  • o as in go but shorter/purer
  • u as in rule
• Stress usually falls on the second-to-last syllable of each word:
  • KAbla
  • mtiHAni
  • tunaPASwa
  • kupumZIka
  • kiDOgo

Also, in mtihani, pronounce the m clearly before the t.