Learn Hardcore Swahili: Wewe lazima uandike barua.

Lazima is a modal word that indicates necessity or obligation. In the sentence Wewe lazima uandike barua, it means must or need to, showing that the subject is required to perform the action.

Why is the subject pronoun Wewe included even though uandike already contains a subject prefix?

In Swahili, the verb form uandike already contains the second person singular marker u-. However, using the explicit pronoun Wewe can add emphasis or clarity. While it is often optional, including the pronoun helps ensure the intended subject is unmistakably identified.

How is the verb form uandike constructed, and why is it not simply andike or kuandika?

The base verb is kuandika (to write). After the modal expression lazima, Swahili requires the use of the subjunctive form. For the second person singular, the subjunctive becomes uandike (with the subject marker u- and the verb root andika). If you were giving a direct command, you might use andika instead.

How does the sentence structure of Wewe lazima uandike barua compare to an equivalent English sentence?

The structure follows a clear pattern: Subject + Obligation Modal + Verb (in subjunctive) + Object. This is similar to the English sentence “You must write a letter.” While English uses the modal verb must without changing the form of the main verb, Swahili requires the subjunctive form after lazima.

What does barua refer to in this sentence? Can it mean something else?

In this context, barua means letter (as in a piece of correspondence). Although in different contexts barua might be used more broadly to refer to mail, here it specifically denotes a letter that someone is expected to write.