…
Breakdown of Je, mama yako anafundisha shule?
kufundisha
to teach
je
does
mama yako
your mother
shule
the school
Questions & Answers about Je, mama yako anafundisha shule?
Why is Je at the beginning of the sentence? Is it mandatory?
Je is a common way to start a yes/no question in Swahili. You can either include Je or omit it, and the sentence will still be understood as a question because of context and intonation. However, including Je at the beginning is a neat way to clearly mark a yes/no question.
What does mama yako literally mean, and is it always “your mother”?
Mama means “mother,” and yako is a possessive form meaning “your” (singular). So mama yako literally translates to “your mother.” If you wanted to say “my mother,” you would use mama yangu.
How does anafundisha work here? Is that the present tense?
Yes, anafundisha is in the present tense. It’s made up of the subject prefix a- (for “she” or “he”), the tense marker na-, and the verb stem fundisha (“to teach”). Together, they mean “she/he is teaching” or “she/he teaches” depending on context.
Why do we say shule after anafundisha? Does it mean “at a school”?
In Swahili, you can sometimes omit prepositions like “at” when it is clear in context. Anafundisha shule can translate to “She teaches at a school” or “She is teaching at school” (depending on context). If you want to specify “in a school,” you might say anafundisha katika shule, but most Swahili speakers won’t find it necessary if the context is clear.
Is there a special word for “yes” or “no” in Swahili to answer this sort of question?
Yes, Ndiyo is commonly used for “yes,” and Hapana for “no.” To answer Je, mama yako anafundisha shule?, you could say Ndiyo, anafundisha or Hapana, hafundishi (“No, she doesn’t teach”).
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Swahili grammar?”
Swahili grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning SwahiliMaster Swahili — from Je, mama yako anafundisha shule to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions