Learn Hardcore Swahili: Je, unaweza kuandika insha hii mwenyewe bila msaada? - Can you write this composition by yourself without help?

You can put Je at the beginning of a yes/no question:
Je, unaweza kuandika insha hii mwenyewe bila msaada?
You can also drop it and just rely on intonation:
Unaweza kuandika insha hii mwenyewe bila msaada?

Both are correct. Using Je sounds slightly clearer and a bit more “bookish” or formal, but it’s very common in speech too.

How is unaweza formed, and what exactly does it mean?

Unaweza comes from the verb -weza (to be able / can) with subject and tense markers:

u- = you (singular)
-na- = present tense (roughly “are / do / can (now / generally)”)
-weza = be able

So unaweza literally means “you are able (to)”, and in this sentence it works like “can you” in English.

For other persons:

ninaweza – I can
anaweza – he/she can
mnaweza – you (plural) can
wanaweza – they can

Why do we say kuandika after unaweza, instead of just andika?

After -weza (to be able) you normally use the infinitive form of the main verb, which begins with ku-:

kuandika = to write
unaweza kuandika = you can write

So:

unaweza kuandika = you can write
unaweza kula = you can eat
unaweza kwenda = you can go

Using andika instead (unaweza andika) would be ungrammatical in standard Swahili.

Can you break down unaweza kuandika word by word?

Yes:

u- = you (singular subject prefix)
-na- = present tense marker (current / general time)
-weza = be able
ku- = infinitive marker (“to”)
andika = write

So:

unaweza kuandika → you (now/general) are able to write → you can write

Why is the word order kuandika insha hii and not insha hii kuandika?

Swahili word order in a basic clause is typically:

Verb + (Object)

So you get:

kuandika insha hii = to write this essay

Putting the object (insha hii) after the verb is normal.
Insha hii kuandika would be ungrammatical in this context; you don’t usually put the infinitive after the noun like that.

Why is it insha hii and not hii insha?

In Swahili, demonstratives like hii (this) usually come after the noun, not before:

insha hii = this essay
kitabu hiki = this book
mtu huyu = this person

So insha hii is the standard order.
Hii insha is not natural in standard Swahili.

Why is the demonstrative hii and not something like hili?

Demonstratives in Swahili must agree with the noun class of the noun.

insha belongs to the N-class (same singular and plural form).
The N-class uses hii for “this” in the singular.

Examples:

insha hii – this essay
barua hii – this letter
safari hii – this trip

Demonstratives like hili go with a different noun class (the JI-/MA- class), e.g.:

jambo hili – this matter
gari hili – this car

What exactly does mwenyewe mean here, and how does it relate to “yourself”?

Mwenyewe is a reflexive/emphatic word that can mean:

oneself / by oneself / on one’s own

Its exact meaning depends on the context and the person implied:

With unaweza (you-singular), mwenyewe means yourself / on your own.
With ninaweza (I), mwenyewe would mean myself / on my own.

In this sentence it adds emphasis:
not just “can you write this essay,” but “can you write this essay yourself / on your own” (i.e., not done by or with someone else).

Could we also say wewe mwenyewe unaweza kuandika insha hii bila msaada? What’s the difference?

Yes, that is grammatically correct:

wewe mwenyewe unaweza kuandika insha hii bila msaada?

The meaning is basically the same, but the focus changes slightly:

insha hii mwenyewe (original): emphasizes doing the essay yourself.
wewe mwenyewe unaweza…: emphasizes you yourself, as opposed to someone else.

In everyday speech, both patterns would be understood as “Can you do this on your own, without help?”

Why is there no separate word for “you” (like wewe) in the original sentence?

Swahili usually marks the subject inside the verb with a prefix:

u- in unaweza already means “you (singular)”.

So:

Unaweza kuandika… already means “You can write…”

You only add wewe (you) when you want to:

Emphasize the subject: Wewe unaweza, lakini yeye hawezi. – You can, but he/she can’t.
Contrast people, or make things very clear.

In the original sentence, wewe is not needed for basic meaning, so it is omitted.

What does bila msaada mean exactly, and how is bila used?

Bila msaada literally means “without help”.

bila = without
msaada = help / assistance

Structure: > bila + noun

Other examples:

bila sukari – without sugar
bila kosa – without a mistake
bila sababu – without a reason

You might also see bila ya msaada in some styles, but bila msaada is very common and natural.

Is this sentence polite, or should we use something else to sound more polite?

The sentence is neutral and acceptable in normal conversation, especially in a context where you’re allowed to speak casually (e.g., teacher–student, friends).

To sound softer or more polite, you could:

Add tafadhali:
Je, unaweza kuandika insha hii mwenyewe bila msaada, tafadhali?
Use a conditional form (a bit like “could you”):
Je, ungeweza kuandika insha hii mwenyewe bila msaada?

But the original Je, unaweza… is already fine and not rude.

How would I change this sentence for plural “you” (talking to more than one person)?

For you (plural), change the subject prefix u- to m-:

Je, mnaweza kuandika insha hii wenyewe bila msaada?

Details:

mnaweza = you (plural) can
wenyewe = yourselves (plural form of mwenyewe)

So the plural version means “Can you (all) write this essay yourselves without help?”