Questions & Answers about Je, mama ana kitabu chako?
What does Je mean at the beginning of the sentence?
Je is a question marker in Swahili used to introduce yes/no questions. It alerts the listener that what follows is a question.
Why do we say ana when referring to "mama"?
Ana is the third-person singular present-tense form of the verb kuwa na (to have). Since mama is "she" in this context, we use ana to show that she has something.
What does kitabu chako mean, and why is chako used here?
Kitabu chako means "your book." The word chako is the possessive form used with nouns in the Ki-/Vi- class, which includes words like kitabu ("book").
Can we omit Je and still form a correct question?
Yes. While Je is a helpful marker for yes/no questions, in everyday Swahili, speakers often omit it. The sentence can simply be Mama ana kitabu chako? and it still functions as a question.