"Hawajambo?"

Translation: How are they?

[carrots084]

I know it's probably just because languages are weird, but since hawajambo is "how are they" shouldnt hamjambo be "how is he" and hajambo be "how are you"?

[juryrigging]

ni = I. Negative is si.

u = you. Negative is hu.

a = he/she. Negative is ha.

tu = us. Negative is hatu.

m = you (pl). Negative is ham.

wa = they. Negative is hawa.

If you want to know why the negative is used, it's because what we are saying is that we/they/whoever, have no issues.

[SamanthaMo4141]

Thank you! Now I understand the differences :)

[carrots084]

...i'm aware. I'm asking why it is that way. Onthehype hit it on the dot though

[juryrigging]

Then I'm not sure I understand what you were asking. Why do you think hamjambo should be "how is he" and hajambo "how are you"? Why is it weird that they are not?

[carrots084]

Coming to this as someone with no experience to the language, seeing hawajambo, i automatically made the connection to "wakenya" and "wachina", and selected hamjambo. I´m not saying its necessarily annoying or bad, just struck me as odd

[juryrigging]

Aah. Yeah, I get it now. I admit I already had some confused understanding of subject prefixes before I started (which got clarified when I reached the Present skill), so that never occurred to me. But now you've pointed it out I can definitely see where you're coming from.

[birasafab]

could you please provide example for each subject and its negative form?

[John00625]

Hamjambo is How are you?(you is plural), and Hajambo is actually How is he/she? I guess thats just how it works ¯\(ツ)/¯

[VictorWachira]

hajambo means "he/she is fine"

[PeterGauli]

Why Ha- ? Looks like a negative form?

[ElizabethF711355]

You are correct, it is the negative form. Or literally means something like, "Do they not have any issues?" But it is never actually translated like that.

[jreddfts]

i wrote are they good and was told it was wrong and it was are they fine

[camjoy]

"Are they ok" should be acceptable.

[ZahidurRah1]

what is the answer for "hawajambo?"

[ElizabethF711355]

The answer is also "hawajambo" but as a statement.

It's like someone asking "Are they good?" And then getting the response "They are good."

When speaking, intonation and context become important to distinguish between the question and the answer.