Yaani, unataka kwenda leo?

Yaani adds emphasis, reaction, or a sense of so / wait, you mean / really depending on tone and context.

In this sentence, it can make the question sound like:

• So, you want to go today?
• Wait, you mean you want to go today?
• Really, you want to go today?

It often shows that the speaker is reacting to what was just said, sometimes with surprise, doubt, or clarification.

The comma shows a short pause. It helps separate yaani from the main question.

So the rhythm is roughly:

Yaani, / unataka kwenda leo?

That pause matches the idea that yaani is a discourse word introducing the speaker’s reaction.

Unataka can be broken down like this:

• u- = you (singular subject marker)
• -nataka = want

More precisely:

• u- = you
• -na- = present tense marker
• -taka = verb root want

So unataka means you want or you are wanting.

In Swahili, the subject is usually built into the verb. So instead of saying a separate word for you, the verb already includes it.

• u- = you (singular)

That is why unataka already means you want.

If you wanted to add the separate pronoun wewe, you could, but it is usually for emphasis:

• Wewe unataka kwenda leo? = You want to go today? / Do you want to go today?

After -taka (to want), Swahili commonly uses another verb in the infinitive form, just like English uses to + verb.

• kutaka kwenda = to want to go

Here:

• kwenda = to go

So:

• unataka kwenda = you want to go

The basic infinitive prefix in Swahili is ku-, but with some verb stems the form changes in pronunciation and spelling.

The verb -enda (go) is commonly written as:

• kwenda

This is the standard form learners usually memorize. So just learn:

• kwenda = to go

Mainly through intonation and the question mark in writing.

Unlike English, Swahili does not need a helping verb like do:

• English: Do you want to go today?
• Swahili: Unataka kwenda leo?

The word order can stay the same as in a statement, and the rising question intonation makes it a question.

Leo means today, and in Swahili adverbs of time often come at the end of the sentence.

So:

• unataka kwenda leo = you want to go today

That word order is very natural. Swahili is often more flexible than English, but this end position is common and straightforward.

Yes, very much so, especially because of yaani.

Depending on tone, it might sound:

• neutral: So, you want to go today?
• surprised: You want to go today?
• doubtful: Really? You want to go today?
• clarifying: Wait, you mean you want to go today?

So the exact feeling comes a lot from context and intonation, not just the words alone.

It is singular you.

• u- = you (singular)

If you were talking to more than one person, you would use:

• mnataka kwenda leo? = Do you all want to go today?

Here:

• m- = you all
• -na- = present
• -taka = want

Yes.

• Unataka kwenda leo? = Do you want to go today?

This is the plain version. Adding yaani gives extra reaction or emphasis. So the version without yaani is more neutral.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation is:

• Yaani ≈ yaa-nee
• unataka ≈ oo-na-TA-ka
• kwenda ≈ KWEN-da
• leo ≈ LEH-oh

A few helpful notes:

• aa in yaani is a long a
• stress in Swahili is usually on the second-to-last syllable
• so you get yaa-NI, na-TA, KWEN-da, LE-o

Yes. Yaani is a very flexible conversational word.

In different situations, it can mean things like:

• that is to say
• I mean
• so
• really
• you mean

In this sentence, it is not just giving a dictionary meaning; it is shaping the speaker’s attitude. That is why it can be tricky to translate with just one English word.