wewe
The Swahili word for 'you' is wewe.
wewe is used as a subject pronoun to refer to the person being addressed. It can also function as a determiner to identify the individual or group being spoken or written to.
Meaning: subject pronoun: the person being addressed (pron)
Which one should you use?
Use wewe when addressing only one person. If you are addressing a group of people, use nyinyi instead.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form wewe is strictly singular and is used exclusively for a single person being addressed.
Did you know?
- In many Swahili-speaking regions, using wewe during a heated argument can be a way of stripping someone of their dignity or social status.
- In Swahili, the pronoun wewe is often omitted entirely from a sentence because the verb changes its prefix to signal that 'you' are the subject.
- The word wewe is a cognate with the word iwe used in the Tumbuka and Chichewa languages.
Examples in context
- Wewe ni rafiki yangu.You are my friend.This sentence shows how to use wewe as a subject.Tatoeba #3087294 by JohnKnaphus, translation #370562 by saeb
- Je, wewe ni nyumbani?Are you at home?This sentence demonstrates using wewe in a question.Tatoeba #3172992 by ecorralest101, translation #405500 by CK
- Nina umri sawa na wewe.I am more or less the same age as you.This sentence shows wewe used to compare yourself to another person.Tatoeba #10896550 by ecorralest101, translation #7795893 by sharris123
- Nakusalimu wewe.I greet you.
- Unaenda wapi wewe mwenyewe?Where are you going yourself?
- Habari rafiki?How are you, friend?
- Pole sana, wewe mwenyewe ulisema Kiswahili kwa ustadi!I'm sorry, you yourself spoke Swahili fluently!
- Ewe mwalimu, tafadhali, nisaidie.O teacher, please help me.
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aisha and Juma are meeting for the first time at a party.
- AishaHabari, wewe unaitwa nani?Hello, what are you called?
- JumaNaitwa Juma. Na wewe?I am called Juma. And you?
- AishaNaitwa Aisha. Wewe unatoka wapi?I am called Aisha. Where are you from?
- JumaNinatoka Mombasa.I am from Mombasa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries wewe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wewe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
