If the pawn takes it isn't checkmate, but stalemate, which means that there is no legal way to win.
why is this checkmate?
neither, its just a question ive had so ive been setting it up in different engines making sure it isnt a glitch..and it isnt, im missing something...we're missing something lol
It's checkmate because the black king is in check from the white knight and black cannot take the knight and black cannot escape to a safe square. There are no co-ordinates but if it's a normal board, white is going up, black is going down. So the pawn cannot take the knight.
Thanks @IfPatriotGames. I am not great this
What's also interesting is if the black pawn were a black knight it would still be checkmate.
thank you. could you explain why black cant take the knight?
Because then the pawn would be going backwards (the pawn is one square away from promoting; it is not on its home square).
If the pawn takes it isn't checkmate, but stalemate, which means that there is no legal way to win.
You really have to google and then learn what "stalemate" means. It's very hard to play chess without knowing that.

pardon the ignorance but im missing it and need to know lol
thank you