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How to Use Punctuation Marks in Swahili (Jinsi ya Kutumia Alama za Uakifishaji Katika Kiswahili)
Uakifishaji is the correct use of punctuation marks in writing Swahili so as to bring out intended meaning and ease communication. (Uakifishaji ni kutumia ipasavyo alama tofauti za uandishi wa Kiswahili ili kuleta maana inayokusudiwa na pia kurahisisha mawasiliano). English and Swahili punctuation is the basically applied the same way in both languages.
How to use fullstop (Jinsi ya kutumia kitone) (.)
When writing Swahili:
Use a fullstop to mark the end of a sentence (Tumia kitone, also known as nukta, kuonyesha mwisho wa sentensi).
Use a fullstop in abbreviations (Tumia kitone kuandikia ufupisho wa maneno)
For example (kwa mfano): In Swahili, et cetra (e.t.c.) is written as ‘na kadhalika’, which, when abbreviated, becomes: n.k.
You could use a fullstop when writing calendar dates (Unaweza kutumia kitone kuandikia tarehe za kalenda). For instance, 15.03.2014.
How to use comma (Jinsi ya kutumia kituo/koma) (,)
When writing Swahili:
Use comma to mark a slight pause in a long sentence (Tumia koma, also known as kituo, kuonyesha pumziko fupi katika sentensi iliyo ndefu).
You could use comma when writing calendar dates (Unaweza kutumia koma kuandikia tarehe za kalenda). For example, 5th May, 2005 would be written, Mei 5, 2005.
Use comma to list items (Tumia koma kuorodhesha vitu).
Use in writing big amounts from a thousand and above separating at every third digit from the right. (Tumia koma kuandika idadi kubwa kutoka elfu moja na kuendelea). For example, kwa mfano; 1,000,000. By Boniface Ndirangu