Here's why:
* Schwa is represented by the upside-down "e" symbol (ə) and is a very short, unstressed vowel sound. It's like a very quick "uh" sound.
* In "qualify," the stress is on the second syllable, "li".
* This means the first syllable, "qua", is unstressed, making the vowel sound a schwa.
So, "qualify" is pronounced like: ˈkwɑː.lɪ.faɪ