Mwisho wa kupokea maombi ni kesho.

A natural word-for-word breakdown is:

• mwisho = end
• wa = of / for
• kupokea = receiving / to receive
• maombi = applications / requests
• ni = is
• kesho = tomorrow

So literally, it is something like:

The end of receiving applications is tomorrow.

In smoother English, this usually means:

The deadline for receiving applications is tomorrow or Applications close tomorrow.

Mwisho is a noun meaning end. In this sentence, it is being used in the sense of the end point or deadline.

So although mwisho literally means end, in context it works like:

• deadline
• closing date
• final day

That is why the sentence sounds natural as a deadline statement.

Wa is a linking word that often means of and connects one noun to another idea.

Here:

• mwisho wa kupokea maombi = the end of receiving applications

So wa links mwisho to the action kupokea maombi.

This pattern is very common in Swahili:

• sababu ya kuchelewa = the reason for being late
• wakati wa kula = time for eating
• mwisho wa mwezi = the end of the month

In this sentence, wa is the correct connector after mwisho.

In Swahili, the connector meaning of changes according to the noun class of the noun before it.

Mwisho belongs to the m-/mi- noun class, and that class uses wa as its associative marker here.

So:

• mwisho wa ... = end of ...

You cannot just use one universal word for of in Swahili. It changes with noun class.

For example:

• kitabu cha mwanafunzi = the student's book
• nyumba ya mwalimu = the teacher's house
• mwisho wa wiki = the end of the week

So wa is there because it agrees with mwisho.

Kupokea is the infinitive form of the verb, meaning to receive.

In Swahili, the infinitive often works like an English -ing form or verbal noun. So here:

• kupokea maombi = receiving applications

After a noun like mwisho or wakati, Swahili often uses the infinitive to describe an activity:

• wakati wa kusoma = time for studying
• njia ya kufanya kazi = way of doing work
• mwisho wa kupokea maombi = end of receiving applications

So even though kupokea literally means to receive, in this structure it is best understood as receiving.

Maombi can mean applications, requests, or prayers/supplications, depending on context.

In this sentence, because it is about a deadline, maombi most naturally means:

• applications or
• requests

If this sentence appeared in a job, school, or official announcement, applications would be the most likely meaning.

So context is what tells you which English word fits best.

Maombi is grammatically a plural noun in the ma- noun class.

Its singular form is ombi, though in actual usage maombi is very common and often preferred in formal language.

So:

• ombi = one request/application
• maombi = requests/applications

In this sentence, maombi refers to applications in a general or collective sense, which is why the plural form is natural.

Ni is the copula, meaning is/are in equational sentences.

So:

• Mwisho wa kupokea maombi ni kesho = The deadline for receiving applications is tomorrow

It connects the subject mwisho wa kupokea maombi with kesho.

This use of ni is very common when one thing is being identified as another thing, time, place, or description:

• Huyu ni mwalimu = This is a teacher
• Leo ni Jumatatu = Today is Monday
• Mkutano ni kesho = The meeting is tomorrow

Swahili does not have articles like English the, a, or an.

Whether something is definite or indefinite is usually understood from context.

So:

• mwisho can mean the end, an end, or just end, depending on context
• maombi can mean the applications or simply applications

In this sentence, English naturally uses the:

The deadline for receiving applications is tomorrow.

But Swahili does not need a separate word for that.

In Swahili, time words such as leo (today), kesho (tomorrow), and jana (yesterday) often appear without any preposition.

So:

• ni kesho = is tomorrow

You do not need an extra word corresponding to English on.

Compare:

• Mkutano ni kesho = The meeting is tomorrow
• Mtihani ni leo = The exam is today

This is normal and natural Swahili.

Yes, Swahili word order can sometimes be adjusted for emphasis, but Mwisho wa kupokea maombi ni kesho is a very natural standard order.

It follows this pattern:

• subject
  • ni
    • time expression

So:

• Mwisho wa kupokea maombi = subject
• ni kesho = is tomorrow

You might hear other structures in different contexts, but for a formal announcement, this version is clear and idiomatic.

Literally, kupokea means to receive, so kupokea maombi means:

receiving applications

That means the organization or office is receiving them.

If you wanted to say submitting applications, you would normally use a different verb, depending on the exact wording, such as one meaning send, submit, or hand in.

So the sentence focuses on the receiving side:

The last day for the office to receive applications is tomorrow.

Yes, it sounds fairly formal and administrative.

Words like:

• mwisho
• kupokea
• maombi

are very common in notices, announcements, job ads, school communications, and government or office contexts.

In more everyday English, you might translate the whole idea more simply as:

• Applications close tomorrow
• The application deadline is tomorrow

But the Swahili sentence itself is normal and appropriate for formal written communication.