Cheche zikionekana tena, zima swichi mara moja.

Cheche belongs to a noun class where the singular and plural can look the same in form. So cheche can mean spark or sparks, and you often tell from context or from agreement elsewhere in the sentence.

Here, the verb begins with zi-, which is the agreement marker for the plural class used with cheche in this sentence. That is what tells you the sentence is talking about sparks, not just one spark.

Zi- is the subject marker that agrees with cheche.

So in zikionekana:

• zi- = they, referring to cheche
• -ki- = if/when
• onekana = appear / be visible / be seen

So zikionekana means something like if they appear or if they are seen.

There is no separate word for if here, because Swahili often builds that meaning into the verb itself.

The marker -ki- inside zikionekana gives the sense of if or when.

So:

• zi-ki-onekana
• they-if/when-appear

That is why Cheche zikionekana tena means If sparks appear again.

Zikionekana means if they appear, if they are visible, or if they are seen.

It comes from kuonekana, which can mean:

• to appear
• to be visible
• to be seen

In this warning-style sentence, English usually translates it naturally as if sparks appear again.

Zima is the imperative, meaning turn off! or switch off!

Swahili often uses the bare verb stem for a singular command:

• zima = turn off!

By contrast:

• unazima = you turn off / you are turning off
• uzima can also be a normal verb form depending on context, not a command

So zima swichi is a direct instruction: turn off the switch.

It can mean both, depending on context.

Common uses include:

• zima moto = put out the fire
• zima taa = turn off the light
• zima swichi = turn off the switch

So in this sentence, zima is best understood as turn off.

Yes. Swichi is a borrowing from English switch.

In everyday Swahili, borrowed technical words are very common, especially for things like electricity, machinery, and technology. So zima swichi is a very natural way to say turn off the switch.

Literally, mara moja means one time. But as an expression, it usually means:

• immediately
• right away
• at once

So zima swichi mara moja means turn off the switch immediately.

Tena means again.

It tells you that the sparks are appearing one more time, or returning after already happening before.

So:

• zikionekana tena = if they appear again

This is a very common Swahili structure, especially in instructions and warnings:

• condition first
• command second

So the pattern is:

• If X happens, do Y

Here:

• Cheche zikionekana tena = If sparks appear again
• zima swichi mara moja = turn off the switch immediately

It is similar to English warning language and sounds natural in Swahili.

Yes, you could say something like Ukiona cheche tena, zima swichi mara moja.

That would mean If you see sparks again, turn off the switch immediately.

The difference is:

• Ukiona cheche tena focuses on you seeing the sparks
• Cheche zikionekana tena focuses on the sparks appearing / being visible

The version in your sentence sounds a bit more impersonal and more like the style used in warnings or technical instructions.

As written, it is directed at one person, because zima is the singular imperative.

If you were telling several people, you would normally say:

• zimeni swichi mara moja = turn off the switch immediately

So the sentence uses the singular command form.