"Hamjambo?"

Translation: How are you?

[GeorgeMwid]

Hamjambo? is the short form of Hamna jambo? Where in this context jambo = problem.

Hamna jambo? = Don't you have a problem?

Remember how to get hamna from plural you.

You = Ninyi m; have = na; problem (jambo)

The negative is made by fixing ha before Subject marker 'm'

Ninyi 'ha'-m-na jambo. You do not have problem.

Ninyi ha-m-na- jambo? = Don't you have a problem?

How are you is not direct translation but just a hint.

[manyofa]

I was wondering because i understand si to be a negative, sijambo seems to be I'm not ok, but now you've made it clear by explaining the meaning of jambo. Asante sana.

[Miles533542]

Jambo actually means, "What's the news? or What's new?" So the reply, "Sijambo" simply mean, "no news, nothing new...." So th e "si" is indeed negative.

[GeorgeMwid]

Read other posts too. Jambo can mean news/issue/problem/affair/ depending on the context for example 'Ministry of Home Affairs' means 'Wizara ya Mambo ya Ndani'

[SeaTownRa]

I was just in Kenya two Months ago and was told Jambo means hi. I would say it to everyone and they replied Jambo back.

[hixibitsi]

It's the same in Zanzibar

[Punny_Username]

Can hamjambo be used as a greeting? Like how when you see someone you say "Hello, how are you?" Can you use hamjambo in that context?

[Gazelle1596]

Yes, that typically is the context in which it occurs. :)

[Haydiicakes]

So if someone asks you this you can reply with the same word, just not in question?

[irina.pokalakina]

Seem like a tipical French situation with ça va? ça va!

[Bluthund]

Yeah but it's confusing that "hamjambo?" (as a question) seems to contain a form of "you" and you'd expect the answer to change to a form of "I/me": How are you? - I am fine.

[AGreatUserName]

Hujambo? = How are you? (to one person)
Sijambo. = I am fine. (one person)

Hamjambo? = How are you (all/guys/lot)? (to more than one)
Hatujambo. = We are fine. (more than one person)

It's only confusing you because in English "you" is both singular and plural.

[CWEspaillat]

Thats why I'm trying to recall it as "How are y'all?"
Which is accepted as a corrwct answer. That is helping me keep it straight.

[bwana-b]

It helps to understand that -jambo means, roughly translated, "problems, issues". "Hu-/ham-jambo?" = Do you/plural have any problems? The reply si/hatu-jambo means I/we have no problems.

[Gazelle1596]

yes - small addition
"jambo" is singular "problem, issue, affair
with plural "mambo"
"Hu-/ham-jambo?" literally means "You don't have any problem(s), do you?"

[GeorgeMwid]

Excellent!

[GeorgeMwid]

Exactly

[Haydiicakes]

Cool

[bwana-b]

No, you reply hatujambo (short form of hatuna jambo) = "we are fine" (= we have no problems).

[Haydiicakes]

Even if you're by yourself? or the question is given to directly yourself?

[bwana-b]

Nobody would ask ONE person "hamjambo". They would say "hujambo" to which you reply "sijambo".

[Haydiicakes]

Aiiii, now i get it, thanks heaps :)

[GeorgeMwid]

Very good explanation

[Sophy782097]

This was not clear. The explanation for Hamjambo is 'how are they doing' which is plural but the answer was singular.