Learn Hardcore Swahili: Je, umewahi kusahau nenosiri lako la barua pepe? - Have you ever forgotten your email password?

Je is a question particle that marks a yes/no question. It doesn’t translate into English; it just signals “this is a question.” It’s optional in speech and many kinds of writing. You can simply say: Umewahi kusahau nenosiri lako la barua pepe? The comma after Je is common but not mandatory.

What exactly does umewahi mean?

It means “have you ever.” Morphology:

u- = you (singular) subject prefix
-me- = perfect aspect (“have/has”)
wahi = to manage/be in time; as an auxiliary, “ever (done)”

So umewahi + infinitive expresses “have you ever (done X)?”

Why is there an infinitive kusahau after umewahi?

After (ku)wahi, the following verb is typically in the infinitive (ku- form). Pattern: subject + (tense) + wahi + ku- + verb.

Examples: Nimewahi kusahau (I’ve at some point forgotten), Hajawahi kusafiri (He/She has never traveled).

Could I just say Umesahau nenosiri lako la barua pepe? What would that mean?

Yes, but it means “Have you forgotten your email password (now/recently)?” It asks about a specific present/recent situation. Umewahi kusahau… asks about any time in your life (“ever”).

What’s the difference between umewahi, umeshawahi, and ulishawahi?

umewahi = have you ever (neutral, standard).
umeshawahi = have you ever/already (adds -sha-, which emphasizes “already/at least once before”); very common colloquially.
ulishawahi = did you ever (past tense + -sha-); also expresses “ever (at some point in the past).” All are acceptable; choice depends on register and nuance. For many situations, umewahi or umeshawahi will sound most natural.

Why is it lako and not yako for “your”?

Because the head noun nenosiri is in noun class 5 (ji-/Ø class). Class 5 takes the possessive concord la-, so “your (sg)” is lako. If you were talking to more than one person, it would be lenu (your, plural). By contrast, a class 9 noun like barua takes yako (e.g., barua yako = your letter).

What is the la doing in nenosiri lako la barua pepe? Why not ya?

la is the associative “of,” and it agrees with the head noun nenosiri (class 5). That’s why it’s la (“of” for class 5), not ya (which would match a different class). The phrase literally means “your password of email.”

Can I put lako at the end: nenosiri la barua pepe lako?

Yes, that’s possible. The default is to place the possessive right after the head noun: nenosiri lako la barua pepe (“your email password”). Moving lako to the end—nenosiri la barua pepe lako—can add a bit of focus/contrast on “your” (as opposed to someone else’s), but both are understood.

What does barua pepe literally mean? Are there other ways to say “email”?

Literally it’s “e-letter” (an electronic letter). It’s the standard term across East Africa. You may also hear the borrowed form imeili/imeli in speech. You’ll sometimes see “baruapepe” or “barua-pepe,” but the recommended spelling is two words: barua pepe.

Are there other words for “password” besides nenosiri?

nywila: very common in Tanzania and on many interfaces; fully acceptable.
nambari ya siri: literally “secret number,” used for PINs.
msimbo: “code,” sometimes used where English would say “code” rather than “password.” For a general “password,” nenosiri or nywila are safest.

How would I answer this yes/no question in Swahili?

Yes: Ndiyo, nimewahi kusahau. / Ndiyo, nimeshawahi kusahau. / Ndiyo, niliwahi kusahau.
No: La, sijawahi kusahau.

How do I ask it to more than one person (“you all”)?

Change the subject prefix to 2nd person plural (mm-) and use the plural possessive:

Je, mmewahi kusahau nenosiri lenu la barua pepe? = Have you all ever forgotten your email password?

Is the comma after Je required?

No. It’s common to write Je, …?, but you’ll also see Je …? without the comma. In informal writing, many speakers just drop Je entirely and rely on a question mark and intonation.

How do I say “I have never forgotten my email password”?

Sijawahi kusahau nenosiri langu la barua pepe.