Learn Hardcore Swahili: Je, umehesabu noti zote mezani? - Have you counted all the notes on the table?

"Je," is a neutral yes/no question marker placed at the beginning of a sentence. It signals that a question is being asked. It’s common in writing and formal speech, but it’s not required. In everyday conversation you can simply say the clause with questioning intonation: Umehesabu noti zote mezani? Both are fine. You’ll also see … je? used after a topic (e.g., Na wewe je? “And you?”).

How is "umehesabu" built morphologically?

It’s three parts: u- (2nd person singular subject) + -me- (perfect aspect) + hesabu (verb root “count”). So u-me-hesabu literally “you-have-counted.” The perfect in Swahili often implies a completed action with present relevance (similar to English “have done” or even “already did” depending on context).

Could I use a simple past instead of the perfect? What’s the nuance?

Yes. Ulihesabu noti zote mezani? uses -li- (simple past) and is closer to “Did you count…?” The original ume- form often suggests the result matters now (“Have you counted [yet]?”). Both can translate as “Did you count…?” in casual English, but Swahili keeps the aspect difference clearer. If you want to stress “already,” you can say Umeshahesabu…? (with -sha- “already”).

How do I make the question negative?

Use the negative perfect huja-:

Je, hujahesabu noti zote mezani? “Haven’t you counted all the notes on the table?” If you include the object marker for “notes,” it’s:
Je, hujazihesabu noti zote mezani? Replying negatively about yourself would be: Sijahesabu bado (“I haven’t counted yet”).

Why is it “noti zote” and not “zote noti”?

Adjectives and quantifiers typically follow the noun in Swahili. Zote means “all” and follows the noun: noti zote. A common exception you’ll meet is kila (“every”), which comes before the noun: kila noti (“every note”).

Why is it “zote” and not “yote”?

Agreement with noun class and number. Noti belongs to the N class (singular and plural look the same). For N-class plural, “all” is zote; for N-class singular, it’s yote.

Singular: noti yote (“the whole note”)
Plural: noti zote (“all the notes”)

Can I add an object marker to “umehesabu”? What changes?

Yes: umezihesabu adds -zi- (N-class plural object marker for “them,” referring to the notes): Je, umezihesabu noti zote mezani? With the full noun present, the object marker is optional and can add a sense of specificity/emphasis (“Have you counted them, the notes on the table?”). If you drop the noun and keep only the pronoun sense, the object marker is required: Je, umezihesabu? (“Have you counted them?”).

What does “mezani” mean exactly? Is it “on,” “at,” or “in” the table?

Mezani is the noun meza (“table”) plus the locative suffix -ni. Locative -ni is flexible and can mean “at/on/in” depending on the noun and context. Here it’s naturally understood as “on the table” or “at the table.” If you want to be very specific:

juu ya meza = on top of the table
kwenye meza = on/at the table (also common)
mezani = at/on the table (compact, idiomatic)

Can I drop “Je” and still have a correct question?

Yes. Umehesabu noti zote mezani? is perfectly fine. Spoken Swahili often relies on intonation rather than the particle. You can also use a tag for confirmation: Umehesabu noti zote mezani, sivyo? (“…, right?”).

How do I address multiple people instead of just one?

Change the subject marker to 2nd person plural m-:

Je, mmehesabu noti zote mezani? (“Have you [pl.] counted all the notes on the table?”)

What are natural short answers to this yes/no question?

Yes: Ndiyo (or Ndio) — you can add detail: Ndiyo, nimeshahesabu.
No: Hapana — or Bado (“not yet”): Hapana, sijahesabu bado.

Is the comma after “Je” necessary?

It’s common and recommended in writing to separate Je from the clause (Je, umehesabu…?). You’ll also see it written without the comma (Je umehesabu…?) in informal contexts. Both are acceptable; the comma improves clarity.

Does “noti” mean any kind of “note,” like meeting notes?

No. Noti usually means banknotes (paper money). For “notes” as in written notes, use words like dondoo, maandishi, or notisi (for “notice,” different meaning). For money in general, pesa/hela, and for coins specifically, sarafu.

Is “hesabu” only a verb?

No. Hesabu is both a verb (“to count”) and a noun (“arithmetic/mathematics,” e.g., somo la hesabu “math class”). In the sentence here, it’s the verb root inside umehesabu.