Postikodi imeandikwa hapa.

to write

Breakdown of Postikodi imeandikwa hapa.

• hapa: here
• postikodi: the postcode

Questions & Answers about Postikodi imeandikwa hapa.

Why does the verb start with i- in imeandikwa?

Because postikodi belongs to noun class 9 in the singular, and the verb has to agree with that noun class.

So imeandikwa breaks down like this:

• i- = subject agreement for class 9 singular
• -me- = perfect marker
• andik- = write
• -w- = passive
• -a = final vowel

So the i- is there because the subject is postikodi.

If it were plural, the agreement would usually change to zi-:

• Postikodi zimeandikwa hapa. = The postcodes have been written here.

What does -me- mean here?

-me- is a very common Swahili tense/aspect marker. It usually shows a completed action with a present result.

So imeandikwa can mean things like:

• has been written
• is written (in the sense that it is now in a written state)

That is why this form can sound a bit like both English has been written and is written, depending on context.

Why is it imeandikwa and not imeandika?