Topic: Swahili

"Ninaandika barua pepe"

Translation:I am writing an e-mail

April 18, 2017

11 Comments

https://www.duolingo.com/vtopphol
  • 7

Barua I know means letter, but what is pepe?

April 18, 2017
https://www.duolingo.com/Michael633900

    Pepe by itself means wind. Barua pepe means e-mail.

    April 24, 2017
    https://www.duolingo.com/vtopphol
    • 7

    Ah! So it literally means "wind-mail". That's nice.

    April 24, 2017
    https://www.duolingo.com/Michael633900

      Sorry, messed up that comment. The word for wind is actually upepo. But yea, I was told it was derived from that.

      April 24, 2017
      https://www.duolingo.com/vtopphol
      • 7

      No worries. It's still a nice way of understanding it. Googled it and found that "pepo" means both the plural of wind and also demon or spirit. Spirit mail? :P

      April 24, 2017
      https://www.duolingo.com/AGreatUserName

        e?

        I'll show myself out ...

        April 19, 2017
        https://www.duolingo.com/vtopphol
        • 7

        I don't get it.

        April 19, 2017
        https://www.duolingo.com/dpeach1

          I understand and it was funny.

          August 14, 2017
          https://www.duolingo.com/Hannah193002

            Kipepeo means butterfly. That helped me to remember it.

            June 25, 2017
            https://www.duolingo.com/pablopublico

              -andika comes from -andaa (“to ready, set, prepare”) +‎ -ika (“stative affix”). Literally, for a pen to be set to paper.

              May 3, 2018
              https://www.duolingo.com/SimonandNe

                I have learned this/seen it in Swahili books before, but I've never actually heard it used, and I tried it one time and got a funny look. Maybe I'm in an area with too much influence, but people here just say "e-mail."

                June 6, 2018
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