"Ikiwa ukijifunza Kiswahili utaweza kuzungumza na Watanzania"

Translation: If you learn Swahili, you will be able to talk with Tanzanians

[Jb11131999]

When do you use ikiwa vs kama? Also when using either of those two what form does the verb go in after it, in the notes I thought it was not in conditional but here it is...

[AGreatUserName]

I can't answer much of your question, but they may simply be synonyms. I think "ikiwa" is possibly a bit more clear, since "kama" can also mean "like/similar to". Also, "ikiwa" is itself the conditional form of the verb "kuwa", with "i-" (class 9, singular N class) as the subject. It basically means "if it is" on its own.

I think I saw somewhere that there's some variation in the verb tense used in the "if" part of the sentence. I think they should explain it a bit better in the tips and notes section.

[dsimonds]

I am a non-native speaker, so FWIW, I feel more comfortable when a simple tense (future, past or present) follows "ikiwa": ikiwa atakuja, ikiwa anakuja, ikiwa amekuja, ikiwa alikuja. I'm not very comfortable with "ikiwa akija" -- that I would just shorten to "akija". Could be a regional thing, or a "native speakers aren't bothered about it" thing. I am fairly certain I once heard a native speaker say "Iwapo kama watapata bunduki .." (If they get guns ...)

[Catriona28475]

Do you really have to say "Ikiwa" when the next word "ukijifunza" already contains the conditional infix -ki-?
Do native speaker say that or is it a reportable error in this question?

[adilalibra1]

I think that you don't have to say "Ikiwa" if verb with "ki" is following. In the presvious lesson of conditional tense there are sentences without "ikiwa" or "kama" like "Akipika nitakula."

[EugeNia792572]

To talk, to converse mean the same thing to me, if I'm incorrect, will someone explain the difference

[jemef]

--- to talk to NOT --- to talk with

[Catriona28475]

But "talk with" is just right when you mean having a conversation with other people.

[v.ivanov]

Utaweza is so much more logical than "will be able to" in English...