Hi Kate! I just saw your question. It's hard to believe that you posted it here on July 18. The verb suffix 'sha' is used as a causative mood verb suffix. The causative mood in Swahili is like saying 'someone/something makes someone/something else (causes someone/something else to) do something). For example: You make me happy = Unanifurahisha He made me cook = Alinipikisha To understand the verb suffix 'shwa' well, you need to understand the verb suffix 'wa' (passive voice in Swahili). We replace the verb suffix 'a' with 'wa' when we start with the object (victim) in a sentence instead of the subject (doer) = passive voice. I teach you - becomes - You are taught by me (this is what we call passive voice). Ninakufundisha - becomes - unafundishwa na mimi (passive voice). Ninapika chakula - becomes - chakula kinapikwa = (the verb suffix 'a' is replaced with 'wa). Now, let's go back to our first question - the verb suffix 'sha' = causative mood. When the causative mood has to have the passive voice in it, the letter 'a' in the verb suffix 'sha' is now going to be replaced with 'wa' to make the verb suffix 'shwa'. For example: a. Wake up (by yourself) = amka = Ninaamka/Unaamka = I wake up. b. Make (another person) wake up = amsha = ninakuamsha = I wake you up. c. Be woken up (by another person) = amshwa = ninaamshwa na wewe = I am woken up by you. Swa Kate! I hope that helps!