Wewe unaandika barua kwa mwalimu?

you

Breakdown of Wewe unaandika barua kwa mwalimu?

• je: do
• mwalimu: the teacher
• kuandika: to write
• barua: the letter
• kwa: to

Questions & Answers about Wewe unaandika barua kwa mwalimu?

Why is Wewe mentioned if u- in unaandika already implies "you"?

In Swahili, the subject prefix (u- in this case) already shows that the subject is "you" (singular). Including the pronoun Wewe adds emphasis or clarity, similar to saying "You, are you writing a letter..." in English. It can be used to address someone more directly or to make sure there is no confusion about whom you are addressing.

How do we know this is a question rather than a statement?

Generally, there is no specific word (like do in English) added in Swahili for simple yes/no questions. Instead, you rely on intonation and punctuation (the question mark). You could also add Je at the beginning (e.g., Je, wewe unaandika barua kwa mwalimu?) to make it clear it's a question. But just intonation and the question mark are usually enough.

What does kwa mean here?

Kwa typically means "to" or "for" when referring to the direction or beneficiary of an action. In this sentence, it shows that the letter is intended for mwalimu (the teacher).

Is it necessary to say barua explicitly, or can it be left out?

If context already makes it clear you are talking about a letter, you could potentially omit barua. However, without context you might lose clarity. In Swahili, as in English, including the noun helps avoid ambiguity.

How do you form a negative version of this sentence?

To negate the present tense, change the subject prefix u- to hu- and drop the -na- marker. So it becomes Wewe huandiki barua kwa mwalimu? (meaning "Aren't you writing a letter to the teacher?").