Learn Hardcore Swahili: Asha bado hajanywa soda; anasema anataka maji kwanza. - Asha has not drunk soda yet; she says she wants water first.

With a negative perfect, bolded bado means yet (not yet): bolded Asha bado hajanywa soda = Asha hasn’t drunk soda yet. With an affirmative verb, bado means still: bolded Asha bado yuko hapa = Asha is still here.

Why is it bolded hajanywa and not bolded hajakunywa?

Both are heard, but the standard negative perfect of bolded kunywa is bolded hajanywa (ha- + -ja- + nyw- + -a). In the positive perfect you see bolded amekunywa (the ku- shows up), but in the negative perfect the ku- drops for this verb. Many speakers do say bolded hajakunywa in everyday speech; bolded hajanywa is the textbook/standard form.

Can you break down bolded hajanywa morphologically?

bolded ha- = 3rd person singular negative subject marker (he/she not)
bolded -ja- = negative perfect (has/have not)
bolded nyw = verb root for drink
bolded -a = final vowel

So bolded ha + ja + nyw + a → hajanywa = has not drunk.

Other persons:

I: bolded sijanywa
You (sg): bolded hujanywa
We: bolded hatujanywa
You (pl): bolded hamjanywa
They: bolded hawajanywa

Where can bolded bado go in the sentence?

Most natural is before the verb phrase: bolded Asha bado hajanywa soda. You can also front it: bolded Bado Asha hajanywa soda (more emphasis), or place it after the verb for emphasis: bolded Asha hajanywa soda bado (colloquial). Before the verb is the safest default.

Is bolded hajanywa passive (like the soda hasn’t been drunk) or active (she hasn’t drunk)?

Here it is active with Asha as the subject: bolded Asha bado hajanywa soda = Asha has not drunk soda yet. The passive of drink would be formed differently in context (e.g., bolded soda haijanywa = the soda hasn’t been drunk), where the noun class agreement shows what is subject.

What tense/aspect is bolded hajanywa?

Negative perfect (has/have not). When paired with bolded bado, it naturally expresses not yet. Examples:

bolded Bado sijala = I haven’t eaten yet.
bolded Bado hawajafika = They haven’t arrived yet.

Why is there no article like a or any before bolded soda or bolded maji?

Swahili has no articles. Definiteness/indefiniteness is inferred from context or added with words:

any: bolded soda yoyote
that/the: bolded soda ile / soda hiyo
some (a bit of): bolded maji kidogo

What noun classes are bolded soda and bolded maji, and how does that affect the sentence?

bolded soda is class 9/10; singular and plural are both bolded soda. You can count them: bolded soda moja, soda mbili.
bolded maji is class 6 and is a mass noun (no common singular). To specify an amount, add a measure: bolded kikombe cha maji (a cup of water), glasi ya maji, lita moja ya maji. The sentence uses them as bare nouns, which is normal.

Why isn’t there an object marker in bolded hajanywa (like bolded hajainywa)?

Object markers are used when the object is definite/topical or pronominal (it). With a bare noun after the verb (bolded hajanywa soda), you normally don’t add an object marker. If you were referring to a specific soda already known, you could pronominalize it: bolded Asha hajaiinywa? No—the correct 9/10 object marker is bolded i-, and the form is bolded Asha hajai nywa → hajaínywa (orthographically bolded Asha hajai nywa is often fused as bolded Asha hajainywa), meaning She hasn’t drunk it. You wouldn’t keep the full noun after using the object marker (avoid bolded hajainywa soda).

What does bolded kwanza add, and where can it go?

bolded kwanza means first/firstly. Here it’s an adverb meaning before doing the other thing:

Default: bolded anataka maji kwanza.
Also fine: bolded Kwanza, anataka maji (more discourse-like).
Avoid: bolded anataka kwanza maji (unnatural order).

Could I say bolded kabla instead of bolded kwanza?

Use bolded kabla ya to introduce what comes earlier: bolded Anataka kunywa maji kabla ya (kunywa) soda = She wants to drink water before (drinking) soda. bolded kwanza is shorter and adverbial; bolded kabla ya is a preposition requiring a following noun/verb.

Do I need bolded kwamba after bolded anasema?

No, it’s optional. Both are fine:

bolded anasema anataka maji kwanza.
bolded anasema kwamba anataka maji kwanza. bolded kwamba is slightly more formal/explicit (that).

Is bolded anasema present progressive (is saying) or simple present (says)?

The bolded -na- tense covers present-time meaning broadly. Context decides: here it’s understood as says. If you wanted ongoing action right now, it can also mean is saying.

How would I say She still hasn’t drunk soda (emphasizing still)?

Swahili uses bolded bado for both still and yet; context and verb polarity decide:

Not yet: bolded Asha bado hajanywa soda. To emphasize ongoing non-occurrence, you can add time adverbs: bolded Hadi sasa, Asha bado hajanywa soda = Up to now, she still hasn’t drunk soda.

How would I say She has already drunk soda?

Use bolded tayari or bolded -sha-:

bolded Asha tayari amekunywa soda.
bolded Asha ameshakunywa soda. Both mean She has already drunk soda.

How do you pronounce bolded hajanywa?

Approximate it as ha-JAN-ywa:

bolded ny is like the ñ in Spanish niño.
bolded nywa is one syllable cluster: NY-wa. So: ha-JA-nywa (JA as in jar without r, then nywa).