Ninasikitika kwa kuchelewa kufika leo asubuhi.

Ninasikitika means I am sorry or I regret.

It breaks down like this:

• ni- = I
• -na- = present tense
• sikitika = be sorry / feel regret

So literally, ninasikitika is something like I am feeling sorry/regret.

In this sentence, kwa means something like for, because of, or due to.

So:

• Ninasikitika kwa... = I am sorry for...

Here it introduces the reason for the apology:

• kwa kuchelewa kufika = for arriving late

This is a very common pattern in Swahili:

• Nashukuru kwa msaada wako = Thank you for your help
• Pole kwa usumbufu = Sorry for the inconvenience

Kuchelewa means to be late or being late.

The ku- at the beginning is the infinitive marker, like to in English:

• chelewa = be late
• kuchelewa = to be late / being late

After kwa, Swahili often uses this infinitive form where English might use an -ing form:

• kwa kuchelewa = for being late

This is normal in Swahili.

• kuchelewa = to be late
• kufika = to arrive

Together, kuchelewa kufika literally means to be late to arrive, which in natural English is just to arrive late.

So the sentence is expressing:

• I am sorry for arriving late this morning

Swahili often stacks infinitives like this when one verb describes another action.

Kufika means to arrive, to reach, or to get to a place.

Examples:

• Nimefika = I have arrived
• Tutafika saa mbili = We will arrive at eight o’clock
• Alifika nyumbani = He/She arrived home

In your sentence, kufika is the action that happened late.

You actually can say Ninasikitika kuchelewa, and it would mean I’m sorry for being late.

Adding kufika makes the idea more specific:

• Ninasikitika kuchelewa = I’m sorry for being late
• Ninasikitika kwa kuchelewa kufika = I’m sorry for arriving late

So the full sentence is a bit more explicit, but both are understandable.

Leo asubuhi means this morning.

Word by word:

• leo = today
• asubuhi = morning

So literally it is today morning, but in natural English we say this morning.

It comes at the end because time expressions often come after the main part of the sentence in Swahili:

• Nimekuona leo = I saw you today
• Tutakutana kesho asubuhi = We will meet tomorrow morning

Yes, it can.

For example:

• Leo asubuhi ninasikitika kwa kuchelewa kufika.

This puts a little more focus on this morning.

But the original order,

• Ninasikitika kwa kuchelewa kufika leo asubuhi
  is very natural and straightforward.

It is a correct and polite way, but in everyday speech people may often use other expressions too.

Common alternatives include:

• Samahani kwa kuchelewa = Sorry for being late
• Pole kwa kuchelewa = Sorry about being late
• Naomba msamaha kwa kuchelewa = I ask forgiveness for being late

A rough difference:

• samahani = common, practical sorry/excuse me
• pole = sympathy or soft apology, depending on context
• ninasikitika = more formal or more clearly I regret / I am sorry

It sounds polite and somewhat formal or careful.

Because of ninasikitika, it can sound more thoughtful than a quick samahani.

So it would fit well in situations like:

• apologizing to a teacher
• apologizing in a message
• speaking politely at work
• addressing someone respectfully

For close friends, many speakers might choose a shorter version like:

• Samahani kwa kuchelewa
• Pole kwa kuchelewa

Yes. Kusikitika can carry both senses depending on context.

In apology contexts, ninasikitika usually means:

• I’m sorry

In other contexts, it can mean:

• I regret
• I am saddened

For example:

• Ninasikitika kusema kwamba... = I regret to say that...
• Ninasikitika kusikia hivyo = I’m sorry to hear that

So context tells you which English translation sounds best.

Swahili often uses the infinitive where English uses an -ing form.

So English says:

• for arriving late

Swahili says:

• kwa kuchelewa kufika

This is very common and natural in Swahili grammar. Learners often expect a separate -ing form, but Swahili usually handles that idea with ku- forms.

You can, but it will sound unnatural in English.

A very literal translation would be:

• I am sorry for being late to arrive today morning.

A natural English translation is:

• I’m sorry for arriving late this morning.

So it is useful to understand both:

• the literal structure for grammar
• the natural meaning for fluent translation