Asha hajawahi kuogelea baharini.

Asha has never swum in the ocean.

Breakdown of Asha hajawahi kuogelea baharini.

• Asha: Asha
• kuogelea: to swim
• baharini: in the ocean
• hajawahi: never

Questions & Answers about Asha hajawahi kuogelea baharini.

What does the word hajawahi literally consist of, and how does it work?

It’s a single verb made from three pieces:

• ha- = 3rd person singular negative subject prefix (he/she not)
• -ja- = negative perfect aspect (has not)
• -wahi = verb meaning “to be early, to have the chance, to ever have done”

Together, hajawahi means “he/she has never (ever had the chance to)”. In the affirmative perfect you’d see amewahi (“he/she has ever/has at some point”).

Examples:

• Asha amewahi kuogelea baharini? = Has Asha ever swum in the sea?
• Asha hajawahi kuogelea baharini. = Asha has never swum in the sea.

Why is the next verb in the infinitive (kuogelea) after hajawahi?

With (a)me/ja + -wahi, the action that someone has ever/never done is expressed with the infinitive. So you use ku- + verb:

• … amewahi ku-… = has ever …
• … hajawahi ku-… = has never …

Other examples:

• Sijawahi kusafiri. = I’ve never traveled.
• Umewahi kula sushi? = Have you ever eaten sushi?

Could I say Asha hajaogelea baharini instead? Does it mean the same?

Not quite.

• Asha hajaogelea baharini = She hasn’t swum in the sea (yet/in this period). It negates the main verb “swim” with the negative perfect.
• Asha hajawahi kuogelea baharini = She has never (at any time in her life) swum in the sea. The -wahi makes it “ever/never.”

If you want “hasn’t swum yet,” you can add bado: Asha bado hajaogelea baharini.

How do I turn this into a question like “Has Asha ever swum in the sea?”

Use the affirmative -me- + wahi:

• Je, Asha amewahi kuogelea baharini? (formal/neutral)
• Asha amewahi kuogelea baharini? (common speech)

Answering:

• Yes: Ndiyo, amewahi.
• No: Hapana, hajawahi.

How do I say the same thing with different subjects (I/you/we/they)?

Use the negative subject prefix + -ja- + wahi:

• I: Sijawahi kuogelea baharini.
• You (sg): Hujawahi kuogelea baharini.
• He/She: Hajawahi kuogelea baharini.
• We: Hatujawahi kuogelea baharini.
• You (pl): Hamjawahi kuogelea baharini.
• They: Hawajawahi kuogelea baharini.

What does the -ni in baharini do?

The suffix -ni is a locative marker. It usually means “in/at/on/into” depending on context. So:

• bahari = the sea
• baharini = in/at the sea (i.e., in the seawater, out at sea, etc.)

Other examples:

• shule → shuleni = at school
• nyumba → nyumbani = at home

Could I say katika bahari or kwenye bahari instead of baharini?

Yes, you can say kwenye bahari or katika bahari, and they will be understood. However, the locative -ni (baharini) is the most compact and idiomatic choice here. In many everyday contexts, -ni feels more natural than using a separate preposition.

Why is it kuogelea and not kuoga? Aren’t both about water?

• kuogelea = to swim (moving through water)
• kuoga = to bathe/wash oneself
• kuogea = to bathe in/with something (applicative of kuoga), e.g., kuogea maji ya barafu (to bathe with ice water)

So kuogelea baharini = to swim in the sea, while kuoga baharini would mean “to take a bath in the sea.”

How is this pronounced and where is the stress?

Swahili stress is on the second-to-last syllable:

• Asha: A-sha (stress on A)
• hajawahi: ha-ja-WA-hi
• kuogelea: ku-o-ge-LE-a (the u-o sequence may glide slightly; just keep syllables clear)
• baharini: ba-ha-RI-ni

Say it smoothly: A-sha ha-ja-WA-hi ku-o-ge-LE-a ba-ha-RI-ni.

Is hajawahi written as one word or separated?

One word. Swahili subject prefixes and tense/aspect markers attach to the verb, so hajawahi is written together. Similarly, kuogelea and baharini are each single words.

Does baharini mean “in the sea,” “at sea,” or “to the sea”?

All are possible, depending on context. The locative -ni is flexible:

• Aliogelea baharini = He swam in the sea.
• Anafanya kazi baharini = He works at sea (e.g., on a ship).
• Waliingia baharini = They went into the sea.

English prepositions vary; Swahili uses -ni to cover the location/motion-to-location idea.

Do I need articles like “the” or “a” before bahari?

No. Swahili has no articles. bahari can translate as “sea” or “the sea” depending on context. The -ni tells you it’s a location: baharini = “in/at the sea.”

Can I add emphasis to “never”?

Yes. Common intensifiers:

• kabisa (completely): Asha hajawahi kuogelea baharini kabisa.
• hata mara moja (not even once): Asha hajawahi kuogelea baharini hata mara moja.
• kabisa kabisa (very emphatic): Asha hajawahi… kabisa kabisa.

What’s the difference between hajawahi and hakuwahi?

• hajawahi uses the negative perfect (-ja-) and means “has never (ever),” a lifetime/general statement.
• hakuwahi uses the simple past negative (-ku-) and is often used in narratives about a past timeframe: “he/she never did” or “didn’t get the chance (on that occasion/in that period).”

Examples:

• General life experience: Asha hajawahi kuogelea baharini.
• Past narrative: Siku ile, hakuwahi kuogelea baharini (That day, she never managed to swim in the sea).

Can I put the place earlier, like Asha hajawahi baharini kuogelea?

Word order is fairly flexible for adverbials, but the most natural order here keeps the infinitive phrase together: … hajawahi kuogelea baharini. Moving baharini before kuogelea sounds marked or awkward in this simple sentence.