sidee

For a condition question, choose the appropriate form of “be”: tahay addresses one listener and tihiin addresses several. Compare Sidee tahay maanta?, “How are you today?”, with Sidee baad u karisaa bariiska?, “How do you cook the rice?” One asks about a state; the other asks about a method.

Manner questions commonly contain a focus particle, a short subject pronoun, and preverbal u. Explicit baa or ayaa is optional after the interrogative ending. In baad, baa combines with aad, “you.” The verb still agrees with the person performing the action. A manner answer can contain si plus a description, linked to the predicate by u. Ordinary spelling leaves the interrogative high tone unmarked.