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Questions & Answers about Wewe unataka zawadi leo?
What does each word in the sentence mean?
Wewe means you; unataka derives from the verb taka (to want) and is conjugated for you—so it means you want; zawadi means gift; and leo means today. Together, the sentence translates as “Do you want a gift today?”
Why is the subject pronoun wewe explicitly included when the verb already shows the subject?
Although Swahili verbs include subject information in their conjugation (making the subject optional), adding wewe can provide extra emphasis or clarity. In everyday conversation, it’s common to drop the subject if the context is clear.
How is the verb taka (to want) conjugated in this sentence to indicate “you want”?
The verb taka is prefixed with u- to mark the second person singular, resulting in unataka. This form directly expresses “you want” without needing additional context beyond the pronoun if it were included.
Is the word order different for questions compared to statements in Swahili?
No, Swahili typically uses the same word order for both statements and questions. The sentence Wewe unataka zawadi leo? mirrors the structure of its declarative counterpart, with the interrogative nature conveyed by intonation or punctuation.
Could the sentence be rephrased using an interrogative marker, and if so, how?
Yes, many speakers add the interrogative particle je at the beginning of the sentence. For example, one might say Je, unataka zawadi leo? to clearly denote it as a question.
Is it acceptable to omit wewe in everyday conversation?
Absolutely. Since unataka already indicates the subject as “you,” native speakers often simply say Unataka zawadi leo? without any loss of meaning.
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