"We are ok today"

Translation: Leo hatujambo

[Jeff.Netto]

Couldn't we say the same with "Sisi ni poa leo."

[RosaliaV1]

I have the same question

[RowanM.1]

I thought "hatu" was a negative prefix? Bit confused by its presence in a word conveying a positive statement rather than a negative one. Or is the Swahili literally saying something more like "We are not bad"?

[RosaliaV1]

If I stand correct, hatujambo literally means "we have NO problems" which duolingo translates to "we are okay". That is why the negative prefix is used.

[RowanM.1]

Ah, I see! Many thanks for that!

[pauli_tics]

Sisi hatujambo leo?

[RosaliaV1]

It seems that the "sisi" is not needed because the "hatujambo" implies it

[Ogola89]

Tuko salama leo did not register, I am not sure if this is grammatically incorrect, please confirm

[Paul271189]

My girlfriend is saying that is correct. She is a teacher.

[Iul1]

Can you also say sisi hatujambo leo?

[RobinK17]

No, the sisi is not necessary because hatujambo already implies several people are involved

[Tara.A.Leung]

I thought that "si-" was the negative prefix which implied "I don't have anything" or "I am fine." Does the prefix "Hatu- serve for the question and the answer? If so, when answering "How are you?" question, show to know when to use si- and when to use hatu-/ha-/hawa-, etc.?

[HollowViolet]

Yes, you are right, those are negative prefixes. However, the literal translation for sijambo is 'I don't have any problems' which is translated in English with 'I am fine'
This is one of the only verbs that has a positive meaning but is found in negative form, I think reasons are just cultural. So don't worry, this is an exception, you can carry on using the negative prefixes as you did before :)

[Ines310963]

Sisi hatujambo leo is correct. Here the Sisi emphasized, that WE are ok, but maby the others around us not. Hatujambo leo means we are OK without special accent on we.
(Sorry if my english is a bit confuse.)