kila

The word kila is a very common and essential word in Swahili, used across all levels of speech.

Key Rules for Using Kila:

• Position: It always comes before the noun (e.g., kila mtu, not mtu kila). This is a rare exception to the rule that modifiers follow nouns.
• No Agreement: It never takes a prefix, regardless of the noun class.
• Singular Nouns (Usually): It is generally followed by a singular noun, and verbs take the singular agreement of that specific noun class (e.g., Kila mtu anasoma for Class 1, or Kila kitabu kinasomwa for Class 7).
• Plural Nouns for Intervals: When expressing numbered intervals or groupings, kila is followed by a plural noun and plural agreement (e.g., kila miezi miwili "every two months"). You will also frequently hear this with baada ya, as in kila baada ya miezi miwili.

Common Set Phrases:
You will frequently hear kila in set phrases such as:

• kila mahali - everywhere
• kila wakati / kila mara - every time / always
• kila mmoja - everyone / each one

Each of Us / Them:
To say "each of us" or "each of them," pair kila mmoja with a possessive pronoun, such as kila mmoja wetu (each of us) or kila mmoja wao (each of them). Crucially, the verb that follows must take Class 1 singular agreement (a-), not plural agreement. For example, say Kila mmoja wetu anasoma (Each of us is reading), not tunasoma.

Whenever (Kila + Verb):
When kila is placed directly before a verb containing the relative time marker -po-, it means "whenever" or "every time" (e.g., kila ninapoenda "whenever I go").

Everyone Who / Anyone Who:
You can also place kila directly before a verb with a subject relative marker to mean "everyone who" or "anyone who." For example, kila anayekuja means "everyone who comes" or "anyone who comes." You will also frequently see it used with a noun before the relative verb, such as kila mtu anayekuja (every person who comes) or kila kitabu ninachosoma (every book that I read).

Habitual Meaning with Time:
When you use kila with time words (like kila siku "every day"), it gives the sentence a strong habitual or routine meaning. Because of this, it is frequently paired with the present -na- tense or the habitual hu- tense. For example, both Ninasoma kila siku and Mimi husoma kila siku mean "I read every day."

Kila vs. -ote (Every vs. All/Whole):
Learners often confuse kila with the word -ote (all/whole). Remember that kila means "every" and does not take agreement, while -ote means "all" or "the whole" and must agree with the noun. For example, kila siku means "every day" (routine), whereas siku yote means "all day" or "the whole day" (duration).

A Frequent Chunk:
Kila kitu means “everything” (literally, every thing). For example, Kila kitu kiko tayari means “Everything is ready.” Kitu is singular Class 7, so the predicate uses ki- rather than a plural agreement form.