Tunataka kuishi kulingana na kipato.

Tunataka breaks down as:

• tu- = we
• -na- = present tense marker
• -taka = want

So tu-na-taka literally means we are wanting, but in normal English it is simply we want.

Because the tu- at the start of tunataka already shows the subject is we.

In Swahili, subject markers are usually built into the verb, so an extra subject pronoun is often unnecessary.

• Tunataka = we want
• Sisi tunataka = we want too, but with extra emphasis on we

So the version without sisi is completely normal.

In both cases, ku- marks the infinitive, similar to English to in to live.

• kuishi = to live
• kulingana = to be in accordance / to correspond

In this sentence:

• Tunataka kuishi = We want to live
• kulingana na kipato works as a phrase meaning according to income / in line with income

So ku- here is not the same as a subject marker; it is part of the infinitive form.

Kuishi means to live.

It comes from the verb -ishi. In this sentence it functions as the action that follows want:

• Tunataka kuishi = We want to live

Depending on context, kuishi can mean:

• to be alive
• to live somewhere
• to live in a certain way

Here it means to live in a certain way.

Kulingana na is a very common expression meaning:

• according to
• in accordance with
• in line with
• sometimes depending on, depending on context

So:

• kulingana na kipato = according to income / in line with income

In natural English, this whole sentence is often understood as We want to live within our means.

Because kulingana normally takes na in this expression.

So you usually say:

• kulingana na sheria = according to the law
• kulingana na hali = according to the situation
• kulingana na kipato = according to income

Think of kulingana na as a set phrase.

Kipato means income, earnings, or what someone has coming in financially.

It does not simply mean money in a broad sense. It specifically refers to income or revenue.

So kulingana na kipato suggests living in a way that matches what you earn.

Not literally. The sentence only says kipato = income.

There is no possessive word in the sentence itself. If you wanted to say our income explicitly, you could say:

• kipato chetu = our income

So a more explicit version would be:

• Tunataka kuishi kulingana na kipato chetu.

However, in context, English may naturally translate the original as our income or our means, because that is often what is implied.

Kipato belongs to the ki-/vi- noun class.

• singular: kipato
• plural: vipato

This matters because adjectives, possessives, and other agreeing words must match the noun class.

For example:

• kipato chetu = our income
• vipato vyetu = our incomes

For understanding this sentence, you do not need much more than recognizing kipato as a noun meaning income.

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

So kipato can mean:

• income
• the income
• an income

The exact meaning depends on context.

That is why translation into English often has to add an article or possessive even though Swahili does not.

Yes. Even though the wording is more literally We want to live according to income, the natural English idea is often:

• We want to live within our means
• We want to live according to our income
• We want to live in line with our income

So the sentence expresses the idea of not spending beyond what one earns.

A close word-for-word translation would be:

• Tu-na-taka = we-want
• ku-ishi = to-live
• ku-lingana na = according to / in accordance with
• kipato = income

So: We want to live according to income.

But in smoother English, it is usually better to say something like We want to live within our means.

Yes, depending on tone and context, tunataka can be understood as:

• we want
• we would like

Strictly speaking, its core meaning is we want, but English sometimes softens that meaning when translating naturally.

Yes, this is normal.

The structure is:

• Tunataka = main verb
• kuishi = infinitive complement
• kulingana na kipato = phrase explaining how / according to what standard

So the sentence flows naturally as:

We want + to live + according to income

That is a standard and clear Swahili structure.