Leo jioni, tutapika dengu na mchele nyumbani.

Tutapika can be divided like this:

• tu- = we
• -ta- = future tense marker, meaning will
• -pika = cook

So tutapika means we will cook.

In Swahili, tense is usually built into the verb itself. English uses a separate helper word such as will, but Swahili often adds a tense marker between the subject marker and the verb root.

So:

• tu-na-pika = we are cooking
• tu-li-pika = we cooked
• tu-ta-pika = we will cook

This verb structure is very common in Swahili.

Because the idea of we is already included in tu- at the beginning of tutapika.

In Swahili, subject pronouns are often built into the verb:

• ni- = I
• u- = you (singular)
• a- = he/she
• tu- = we
• m- = you (plural)
• wa- = they

So a separate pronoun is not necessary unless you want extra emphasis.

Leo means today, and jioni means evening.

Together, leo jioni means this evening or today in the evening.

Swahili often places time expressions near the beginning of the sentence, just as English often does:

• Leo jioni, tutapika... = This evening, we will cook...

Swahili usually does not require articles like a, an, or the. It also often leaves out words like some unless they are important to the meaning.

So:

• dengu = lentils
• mchele = rice

Depending on context, this could be understood as:

• lentils and rice
• some lentils and rice
• the lentils and rice

Context usually tells you which is meant.

Yes, here na means and.

So:

• dengu na mchele = lentils and rice

But na is a very common and flexible word in Swahili. In other contexts, it can also mean with.

For example:

• chai na sukari = tea with sugar / tea and sugar depending on context

In your sentence, the most natural translation is lentils and rice.

Nyumbani means at home or home.

It comes from nyumba (house/home) plus a locative ending -ni, which often gives the sense of in, at, or to a place.

So:

• nyumba = house
• nyumbani = at home / in the house / home

In this sentence, nyumbani tells you the location where the cooking will happen.

The sentence follows a very normal Swahili order:

• Leo jioni = time
• tutapika = verb
• dengu na mchele = object
• nyumbani = place

A common pattern is:

Time + Verb + Object + Place

English can do something similar:

• This evening, we will cook lentils and rice at home.

So the order is not actually very strange; it is just a little more flexible than English in some cases.

Yes, Swahili word order is somewhat flexible, especially with time and place expressions.

For example, you might also hear:

• Tutapika dengu na mchele nyumbani leo jioni.
• Nyumbani, tutapika dengu na mchele leo jioni.

However, Leo jioni, tutapika dengu na mchele nyumbani sounds natural and clear.

The version you have puts emphasis first on when the action will happen.

In this context, dengu is best understood as a mass or food noun, similar to how English can say lentils or rice without focusing on singular vs. plural as separate countable items.

Food words in Swahili are often used this way. The sentence is talking about the dish or ingredient, not about counting individual lentils.

So it is best to learn dengu here simply as lentils.

A rough guide:

• mchele ≈ m-cheh-leh
• nyumbani ≈ nyoom-BAH-nee or nyum-BAH-ni, depending on accent and speed

A few pronunciation tips:

• ch is like the ch in chair
• ny sounds like the ny in canyon for many English speakers, though it is a single consonant sound in Swahili
• Swahili vowels are usually pure and consistent:
  • a = ah
  • e = eh
  • i = ee
  • o = oh
  • u = oo

Also, Swahili words are generally pronounced as written.

Yes, that is also grammatical and natural.

It would still mean basically:

• We will cook at home this evening

The difference is mainly in focus and rhythm:

• Leo jioni, tutapika dengu na mchele nyumbani.
  Starts with the time: This evening...

• Tutapika nyumbani leo jioni.
  Starts with the action: We will cook...

Swahili allows this kind of flexibility, especially with time and place phrases.