Learn Hardcore Swahili: Je, umepokea ujumbe wangu kwenye simu? - Have you received my message on the phone?

Je is an interrogative particle used to introduce yes-no questions in Swahili. It has no direct translation in English but signals that what follows is a question.

In umepokea, what do the prefixes u- and me- indicate?

u- is the subject prefix for “you” (singular).
me- is the perfect (present perfect) tense marker, indicating that the action has been completed with relevance to the present.

What is the root verb of umepokea and what does it mean?

The root is -pokea, which means “to receive.” When combined with prefixes and tense markers you get umepokea – “you have received.”

What is the difference between umepokea and ulipokea?

umepokea uses the me- perfect marker, so it means “you have received” (focus on result).
ulipokea uses the li- past marker, so it means “you received” (simple past, describing a past event without linking to now).

How does ujumbe wangu work grammatically?

ujumbe means “message” (noun).
wangu is the possessive pronoun “my,” agreeing with the noun class of ujumbe (Class 3). Together, ujumbe wangu = “my message.”

Why is kwenye simu used for “on the phone”? Could I use a different preposition?

kwenye is a locative preposition meaning “on,” “in,” or “at.” So kwenye simu literally means “on (the) phone.” You could also say katika simu (“in the phone”) but kwenye simu is more idiomatic for “on the device.”

How would you say “on your phone” instead of just “on the phone”?

Add the possessive adjective yako after simu: kwenye simu yako = “on your phone.”

Can I omit Je and still ask the question?

Yes. In informal or spoken Swahili you can drop Je and rely on intonation: Umepokea ujumbe wangu kwenye simu? still clearly means “Have you received my message on (the) phone?”