Watoto wakigombana, baba huwasikiliza kwanza.

Swahili verbs usually pack several pieces into one word.

wakigombana can be broken down like this:

• wa- = they, for a plural human subject
• -ki- = if/when
• gomb = quarrel/fight
• -an- = with each other
• -a = the final vowel

So wakigombana means something like when/if they quarrel with each other.

It can mean either, depending on context.

In this sentence, because the main verb has hu- and describes a usual or repeated action, -ki- is best understood as when or whenever.

So the sense is:

• Whenever the children quarrel, father listens to them first.

If the context were different, -ki- could also sound more like if.

The -an- is a very common Swahili verb extension that often gives a reciprocal meaning: each other.

So:

• gomba would not be the normal form used here
• gombana means quarrel/fight with each other

That fits watoto well, because more than one child is involved.

It has three main parts:

• hu- = habitual, used for actions that happen regularly or typically
• wa- = them
• sikiliza = listen to

So huwasikiliza means he usually listens to them or he listens to them habitually.

Because hu- gives a habitual or general meaning.

Compare:

• anawasikiliza = he is listening to them / he listens to them, depending on context
• huwasikiliza = he usually listens to them / he habitually listens to them

In this sentence, the idea is not one single event but a regular pattern, so hu- is a very good choice.

It is the object marker meaning them.

It refers back to watoto.

So instead of repeating watoto, Swahili puts wa- inside the verb:

• baba huwasikiliza = father listens to them

This is very common in Swahili, especially with human objects.

Because watoto is a plural human noun, and plural human nouns normally trigger wa- agreement.

For example:

• singular: mtoto = child
• plural: watoto = children

With plural human subjects or objects, you often see wa- in the verb.

In this sentence:

• wa- in wakigombana matches watoto as the subject of the subordinate clause
• wa- in huwasikiliza matches watoto as the object of the main clause

It can cover both ideas, depending on context.

Very often gombana means:

• quarrel
• argue
• fight with each other

So it does not have to mean physical violence. In a sentence like this, it can easily mean the children are arguing or quarreling.

Swahili does not use articles like English a and the.

So:

• watoto can mean children or the children
• baba can mean father or the father

You understand which one is meant from context.

Kwanza means first or first of all.

Putting it at the end is very natural in Swahili. It tells you that the father’s first action is to listen.

So baba huwasikiliza kwanza means:

• father listens to them first

The placement is normal and does not sound unusual.

Yes. That would also be correct.

There is a small difference in feel:

• wakigombana = when/if they quarrel; compact and very common
• wanapogombana = when they quarrel; often feels a bit more explicitly temporal

In this sentence, both work well. With huwasikiliza, both can give the idea of whenever the children quarrel.