Yeye hana kiu baada ya kunywa maji ya moto.

he/she

Breakdown of Yeye hana kiu baada ya kunywa maji ya moto.

• kunywa: to drink
• kuwa na: to have
• ya: of

Questions & Answers about Yeye hana kiu baada ya kunywa maji ya moto.

Is the pronoun yeye necessary, or can I just say Hana kiu baada ya kunywa maji ya moto?

You can drop yeye. Swahili verbs already mark the subject, so Hana kiu… is a complete sentence. Using yeye adds emphasis or clarity (e.g., contrasting with someone else).

How do I know if yeye means “he” or “she”? How can I specify gender if needed?

Swahili doesn’t mark gender in third person. Yeye can be “he” or “she.” To specify, rely on context or add a clarifier:

• Use a name: Asha hana kiu…
• Add a noun: Yeye mwanamke hana kiu… / Yeye mwanaume hana kiu…
• Use demonstratives with a noun: Msichana huyu hana kiu…

What exactly is hana and how is it formed?

It’s the negative present of “to have”: ha- (3rd-person negative subject) + -na (“have/with”) → hana = “doesn’t have.” Compare with the affirmative ana = “has.” Common present forms of “to have”:

• I: nina / sina
• You (sg): una / huna
• He/She: ana / hana
• We: tuna / hatuna
• You (pl): mna / hamna
• They: wana / hawana

Why does Swahili say hana kiu (“doesn’t have thirst”) instead of “isn’t thirsty”? Are there similar patterns?