Learn Hausa: Numbers, Greetings & Conversation

How sentences work

Word order, the person-and-aspect word, plurals and “of”.

Lesson 1 of 2

Word order and aspect

Subject, verb, object

The basic word order is subject–verb–object, as in English. Instead of changing the verb for tense, Hausa puts a short word beside the pronoun to show whether an action is finished, going on or still to come. Aspect matters more than time.

Three aspects

Hausa	English	Pattern
Na zo.	I came.	Completive: na + verb
Ina zuwa.	I am coming.	Continuous: ina + verbal noun
Zan tafi.	I will go.	Future: zan + verb

Lesson 2 of 2

Plurals and “of”

Plurals are learned word by word

Singular	Plural	Meaning
gida	gidaje	house
mutum	mutane	person, people
yaro	yara	boy, children

Linking with -n and -r

Possession is shown by a linking ending, -n for masculine nouns and -r for feminine nouns: “Audu’s house” is gidan Audu.

★ quiz

How sentences work

Which word order does basic Hausa follow? → Subject, verb, object. Like English: subject–verb–object.

What does “Zan tafi” mean? → I will go. Zan marks the future.

What is the plural of “gida” (house)? → gidaje. Plurals must be learned word by word.

How do you say “Audu’s house”? → gidan Audu. The linker -n joins a masculine noun to what follows.

What does “Ina zuwa” mean? → I am coming. Ina marks an action in progress.

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Subject, verb, object

Three aspects

Plurals are learned word by word

Linking with -n and -r

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