Tukifika soko la mjini, tutanunua zabibu na papai.

In tukifika, the tu- means we, and -kifika comes from the verb kufika (to arrive).

The important part is -ki-, which often gives the sense of when, if, or upon doing something, depending on context. So:

• tu-ki-fika
• we-when/if-arrive

In this sentence, it is most naturally understood as when we arrive at the town market.

They use different tense markers and mean different things:

• tukifika = when/if we arrive
• tutafika = we will arrive

So:

• Tukifika soko la mjini, tutanunua... = When we arrive at the town market, we will buy...
• Tutafika soko la mjini = We will arrive at the town market

The first form sets up a time or condition for the main action.

Tutanunua is the future tense of kununua (to buy).

It breaks down like this:

• tu- = we
• -ta- = future marker
• -nunua = buy

So tutanunua means we will buy.

This fits well after tukifika, because the sentence describes something that will happen after arrival.

Swahili often does not need a separate word like at in places where English does.

So:

• Tukifika soko la mjini literally looks like when we arrive town market
• but it naturally means when we arrive at the town market

This is normal with verbs of motion or arrival. Swahili often lets the location follow directly without adding a separate preposition like English does.

Literally, it means something like market of the town or town market.

Breakdown:

• soko = market
• la = a linking word meaning of for this noun class
• mjini = in town / town area / urban area

So soko la mjini is the market associated with the town, usually best translated as the town market.

The connector changes according to the noun class of the first noun.

Here, the main noun is soko (market), which belongs to the ji/ma noun class. In this class, the associative connector is la in the singular.

So:

• soko la mjini = market of the town

If the noun belonged to another class, the connector would change. For example:

• kitabu cha mwanafunzi = student’s book
• nyumba ya mwalimu = teacher’s house

So la is used because it agrees with soko.

Mjini comes from mji (town, city) plus the locative ending -ni.

So mjini can mean:

• in town
• in the town
• urban/in town

In soko la mjini, it helps describe which market is meant: the one in town, or the town market.

Because the sentence is talking about the fruits as items to buy, not necessarily matching English singular/plural word-for-word.

• zabibu = grapes
• papai = papaya

In Swahili, fruit names do not always behave exactly like English count nouns. Context usually tells you whether you mean one item, several items, or the fruit in a general sense.

So zabibu na papai is simply grapes and papaya.

Papai is a common standard word for papaya. In some places, you may also hear other regional or local variants, but papai is widely understood.

As a learner, papai is a good and useful word to know.

Because nouns do not change form after the verb in the way English sometimes changes pronouns or articles.

Zabibu is simply the object noun: grapes. Swahili word order here is straightforward:

• tutanunua = we will buy
• zabibu na papai = grapes and papaya

So the sentence structure is:

• When we arrive at the town market, we will buy grapes and papaya.

Yes. The -ki- form can sometimes mean if as well as when. The exact meaning depends on context.

For example:

• Tukifika mapema, tutapata nafasi nzuri. = If/When we arrive early, we will get a good spot.

In your sentence, when we arrive is the most natural interpretation, because the speaker seems to expect that the arrival will happen.

Yes, Swahili allows some flexibility.

For example, you could also say:

• Tutanunua zabibu na papai tukifika soko la mjini.

This still means We will buy grapes and papaya when we arrive at the town market.

The original version puts the time condition first, which is very natural and clear.