A Gida
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Name common rooms, areas, furniture, and household objects in Hausa, with their correct grammatical gender and plural forms.
- State that something exists or is present using akwai and that something is absent using babu.
- Say that someone has something using the construction continuative subject form + da + possessed item.
- Say that someone does not have something using the negative possession pattern ba shi da / ba ta da and related forms.
- Describe where people and objects are located using common prepositions and location expressions.
- Distinguish near and far objects using expanded masculine, feminine, and plural demonstratives.
- Review genitive linkers -n and -r with household nouns and possessors.
- Identify the tone and vowel-length patterns of akwai, babu, and common location words through listening and pronunciation practice.
Communication Scenario
A relative visiting from out of town wants to see your home before the family gathers for an occasion. You walk her through each room, point out where things are, explain what the household has and does not have, and answer her questions about the layout. To do this smoothly in Hausa, you need words for the spaces and objects around you — and three grammatical tools that English handles with one verb ("have," "there is," "there is not") but Hausa handles with three distinct constructions.
- English uses "there is" and "there are" for both existence and a rough idea of availability. Hausa keeps these meanings more precisely separate. When you want to say that something exists or is present in a place, you use akwai. When you want to say something is absent or unavailable, you use babu. These two words are complete predicate expressions — they do not require a separate verb alongside them. Pay attention as they appear in the vocabulary and grammar sections, and notice that their pronunciation is distinct enough that confusing them would significantly change your meaning.
- When you want to say that a specific person has something, Hausa does not use a verb "have" the way English does. Instead, it uses a continuative subject form followed by da (with) and the item. So "she has a table" is literally structured as "she-is with table." This chapter introduces the possession pattern as a complete communication frame. The full continuative system is treated in depth in Chapter 7 — but the possession construction with da is introduced here because you need it to describe a home.
Core Vocabulary
Dakunan gida — Rooms and areas of a home
Learn each room name with its grammatical gender and plural. The gender of each noun governs its agreement with demonstratives, linkers, and the identification particle. Do not guess gender from the final vowel.
| Hausa | Gender | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| ɗaki | m. | dakunan | room |
| ɗakin kwana | m. | dakunan kwana | bedroom |
| ɗakin girki | m. | dakunan girki | kitchen |
| ɗakin wanka | m. | dakunan wanka | bathroom |
| zaure | m. | zauren | entrance hall, reception room, front room |
| falo | m. | falonni | living room, sitting room |
| gidan wanka | m. | gidajen wanka | toilet, WC (outside or separate) |
| kofar gida | f. | kofofen gida | front door, gate of the compound |
| lambun gida | m. | lambunan gida | yard, garden area of a compound |
| baranda | f. | barandoyi | veranda, covered outdoor porch |
| rufin gida | m. | — | roof, rooftop of a house |
Note on dakunan: The plural of ɗaki (room) is dakuna or dakunan (with linker). Zaure is the traditional Hausa reception hall at the entrance to a compound — it may also serve as a sitting room for male guests. Its social role varies by household, region, and context. Falo is a loanword used in many urban contexts for a general sitting room.
Kayan gida — Furniture and household objects
These productive nouns must be learned with their gender and plural. Genders that might surprise an English speaker are noted.
| Hausa | Gender | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| tebur | m. | tebunan | table |
| kujera | f. | kujeru | chair |
| gado | m. | gadaje | bed |
| kabad | m. | kabadodi | cupboard, wardrobe |
| kofar ɗaki | f. | kofofen ɗaki | door (of a room) |
| taga | f. | tagogi | window |
| fitila | f. | fitilu | lamp, light bulb |
| murhu | m. | murhunan | cooking stove, hearth |
| firiji | m. | firijijai | refrigerator |
| rediyo | m. | rediyoyi | radio |
| talabijin | m. | talabijinai | television |
| kayana | f. | — | household goods, possessions (used as a collective) |
| ruwa | m. | — | water (non-countable in this context) |
| wutar lantarki | f. | — | electricity |
Inda abubuwa suke — Location expressions
These productive prepositions and location words are needed to say where things are. Each must be combined with a noun or pronoun to form a complete location phrase.
| Hausa | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a ciki | inside, in | a cikin ɗaki — inside the room |
| a waje | outside | a waje — outside |
| a gaban | in front of | a gaban gida — in front of the house |
| a bayan | behind, at the back of | a bayan ɗaki — behind the room |
| a gefen | beside, next to | a gefen tebur — beside the table |
| a saman | on top of, above | a saman tebur — on the table |
| a ƙasan | below, under | a ƙasan gado — under the bed |
| a cikin | inside (with noun) | a cikin kabad — inside the cupboard |
| kusa da | near, close to | kusa da zaure — near the entrance hall |
| nesa da | far from | nesa da kasuwa — far from the market |
| tsakanin | between | tsakanin dakunan biyu — between the two rooms |
Note that Hausa location prepositions are often compound words combining a basic preposition with a noun: a ciki = in/at + inside; a gaban = in/at + face/front. The noun following these prepositions is typically linked with a genitive linker when it is a common noun: a cikin ɗaki (inside the room), with -n absorbed into cikin. These linked forms are taught here as complete location phrases.
Kalmomin akwai da babu — Existence and absence
| Hausa | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| akwai | there is, there are; it/they exist(s) | Stating presence or existence of something |
| babu | there is no, there are no; it/they do not exist | Stating absence or nonexistence of something |
| da | with, having | Used in possession constructions with continuative subject forms |
Siffofin gida — Descriptive qualities for homes
| Hausa | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| babba | big, large | agrees in gender: masculine babba, feminine babba (same form; agreement signal comes from demonstrative and pronoun context) |
| ƙarami / ƙarama | small, little | masculine ƙarami; feminine ƙarama; plural ƙanana |
| sabon / sabuwa | new | masculine sabon (with linker); feminine sabuwa; plural sabbin |
| tsoho / tsohuwa | old (of things) | masculine tsoho; feminine tsohuwa; plural tsofaffi |
| mai kyau | nice, good-looking, beautiful | mai quality construction; does not inflect for gender |
| mai tsabta | clean | mai construction; does not inflect for gender |
| mai faɗi | wide, spacious | mai construction; does not inflect for gender |
Adjectives in Hausa that have distinct masculine and feminine forms are placed after the noun and agree with it via both the form of the adjective and the linker. Mai constructions do not inflect for gender. Both patterns were introduced in Chapter 4 and are reviewed here in the context of household description. See Grammar Section 6.4 for a reminder.
Pronunciation and Boko
Tone and vowel length in akwai, babu, and possession frames
Two of the most important new words in this chapter — akwai and babu — have specific tone and vowel-length patterns that distinguish them from each other and from other short words. Ordinary Boko does not mark tone or vowel length, so your ear and your memory must carry this information.
| Word | Approximate pronunciation guide | Key contrast |
|---|---|---|
| akwai | The first syllable ak- carries a high tone; the second syllable -wai ends with a falling glide. The a of the first syllable is short. Think of a sharp, falling two-syllable word: AK-wai. | Signals presence or existence. Mixing it up with babu produces the opposite meaning. |
| babu | Both syllables are low tone: ba-bu with even, unstressed quality. Neither syllable carries a high pitch. The vowels are short. | Signals absence or nonexistence. The steady low tone distinguishes it from the single ba that begins a negation construction. |
English speakers sometimes blur three distinct Hausa words because they look short and simple on the page:
- akwai — there is / there are (existence; two syllables with a distinctive falling second syllable)
- babu — there is no / there are none (two syllables, both low tone, steady)
- ba — the first element of a discontinuous negation pattern (single syllable; you have seen it in ba malami ba ne)
Mixing these up causes significant confusion. A sentence with akwai kujera a falo (there is a chair in the living room) means the opposite of babu kujera a falo (there is no chair in the living room). Ask your instructor or audio model to demonstrate each word in isolation and in a sentence, then practice repeating until the distinction is automatic.
Contrastive consonants in household vocabulary
Several household words contain the hooked consonants and apostrophe-consonant that Hausa distinguishes from plain letters. Review them in this new vocabulary:
| Word | Consonant to watch | Contrast |
|---|---|---|
| ɗaki | ɗ — hooked d; produced with the tongue pulled back toward the palate (retroflex), creating a popping quality distinct from plain d | Do not write or say daki — that is a different word. |
| ƙasan | ƙ — hooked k; produced at the back of the throat with a glottal catch, giving a sharp ejective quality distinct from plain k | Do not write kasan. |
| kofar | Plain k here — no hook. Distinguish from ƙ in words where the hook appears. | Keeping plain and hooked letters distinct is required for correct spelling and pronunciation. |
Hausa location expressions are compound phrases that flow as a single rhythmic unit in natural speech: a cikin ɗaki, a saman tebur, kusa da zaure. English speakers may be tempted to pause between the preposition and the noun, or to stress the preposition heavily. In natural Hausa speech, the rhythm tends to carry the main stress forward onto the final noun. Practice each location expression as one continuous phrase, not as two or three separate words. Your instructor or audio model will demonstrate the natural phrasing. As you read and write, remember that location words like cikin, saman, and bayan already contain a built-in linker — they do not need a separate -n or -r added after them in ordinary use.
Accurate spelling of linked and unlinked forms
Chapter 4 introduced the genitive linkers -n (masculine/plural possessed noun) and -r (feminine possessed noun). In household vocabulary, linked phrases appear frequently:
- ɗakin kwanabedroom — literally "room of sleeping"; ɗaki is masculine → linker -n joined to create ɗakin
- kofar gidadoor of the house / front gate — kofa is feminine → linker -r joined to create kofar
- lambun gidayard of the house — lambu is masculine → lambun
- wutar lantarkielectricity — literally "fire of electricity"; wuta is feminine → wutar
When you encounter these compound nouns, identify whether the first noun is masculine or feminine so you know which linker form to expect. Do not guess — check the vocabulary table.
Grammar Instruction
6.1 Existence: akwai
Purpose: state that something is present or exists in a place or situation.
Akwai expresses existence or presence. It precedes the noun or noun phrase describing what exists. It does not change for gender, number, or any other grammatical category — one form covers all persons and all nouns. A location phrase can follow the noun to specify where something is, but it is optional.
- Akwai tebur a falo.There is a table in the living room.
- Akwai kujeru a zaure.There are chairs in the entrance hall. (kujeru is the plural of kujera)
- Akwai gado a ɗakin kwana.There is a bed in the bedroom.
- Akwai ruwa a gida.There is water at home / in the house.
- Akwai wutar lantarki a nan.There is electricity here.
- Akwai dakunan kwana biyu.There are two bedrooms.
Akwai is an invariant word — it has one form for all situations. It does not change based on who or what exists, and it does not agree in gender or number. This is quite different from English "there is / there are," which at least varies between singular and plural. In Hausa, whether you say "there is one chair" or "there are fifty chairs," the word akwai stays the same. The number information comes from the noun and any numeral that follows.
6.2 Nonexistence: babu
Purpose: state that something is absent, unavailable, or does not exist.
Babu is the negative counterpart of akwai. Like akwai, it is invariant — one form for all situations. It precedes the noun phrase and, like akwai, can be followed by a location phrase.
- Babu tebur a ɗakin girki.There is no table in the kitchen.
- Babu kujera a nan.There is no chair here.
- Babu firiji a gida.There is no refrigerator at home.
- Babu wutar lantarki yanzu.There is no electricity right now.
- Babu ruwa a ɗakin wanka.There is no water in the bathroom.
- Babu dakunan kwana a gida.There are no bedrooms in the house. (e.g., a studio or office)
Neither akwai nor babu is an ordinary verb in Hausa. They are existential predicates — complete statements of presence or absence on their own. This means you do not add a subject-pronoun form before them in ordinary statements: Akwai tebur (there is a table) is complete; it does not need anything before akwai. You also do not negate akwai by placing ba … ba around it. To express nonexistence, Hausa simply uses the separate word babu instead. Think of akwai and babu as a matched positive-negative pair, each complete on its own.
6.3 Possession: continuative subject form + da
Purpose: say that a specific person has something, using the possession construction introduced in this chapter.
When you want to say that a particular person has something, Hausa uses a structure that can be understood as "person-is with item." The first element is a continuative subject form — a short word that carries person, number, and gender information along with a continuative (ongoing/present) meaning. This is followed by da (with) and then the possessed item.
The continuative subject forms for possession statements are introduced here as a complete communication pattern. The full continuative system — including its use with verbal nouns to describe actions — is the central grammar of Chapter 7. For now, concentrate on the possession meaning.
| Person | Continuative form | Possession statement | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| I (1st sg.) | ina | Ina da gado. | I have a bed. |
| You (2nd sg. m.) | kana | Kana da tebur. | You have a table. (to a male) |
| You (2nd sg. f.) | kina | Kina da kujera. | You have a chair. (to a female) |
| He (3rd sg. m.) | yana | Yana da firiji. | He has a refrigerator. |
| She (3rd sg. f.) | tana | Tana da taga biyu. | She has two windows. |
| We (1st pl.) | muna | Muna da dakunan kwana uku. | We have three bedrooms. |
| You (2nd pl.) | kuna | Kuna da zaure. | You (all) have an entrance hall. |
| They (3rd pl.) | suna | Suna da gida babba. | They have a big house. |
The continuative forms introduced here — ina, kana, kina, yana, tana, muna, kuna, suna — are the general continuative subject-pronoun forms. They appear in Chapter 3 formulaically in expressions like Ina magana da… and Ina zaune a… You have already used them as complete patterns. Now they are presented as a system. Their full grammar — including their use with verbal nouns to describe actions — is the topic of Chapter 7.
The continuative subject form carries the subject information — who has the item. The word da links the subject to the item possessed. Do not add a separate independent pronoun (ni, shi, ita) before the continuative form in a plain possession statement. The subject information is already built into the continuative form.
6.4 Negative possession
Purpose: say that a person does not have something.
The negative of the possession construction uses a discontinuous negative pattern that surrounds the continuative subject form. The structure is: ba + continuative subject short form + da + item + ba. The continuative form used inside the negative is a shorter version of the full continuative form. These are the forms used:
| Person | Negative possession pattern | English |
|---|---|---|
| I | Ba ni da… | I do not have… |
| You (m.) | Ba ka da… | You do not have… (to a male) |
| You (f.) | Ba ki da… | You do not have… (to a female) |
| He | Ba shi da… | He does not have… |
| She | Ba ta da… | She does not have… |
| We | Ba mu da… | We do not have… |
| You (pl.) | Ba ku da… | You (all) do not have… |
| They | Ba su da… | They do not have… |
- Ba shi da firiji.He does not have a refrigerator.
- Ba ta da ɗakin wanka.She does not have a bathroom.
- Ba mu da wutar lantarki a gida.We do not have electricity at home.
- Ba ni da kujera a ɗakina.I do not have a chair in my room.
- Ba su da talabijin.They do not have a television.
Hausa uses two different constructions to express the absence of something, and they are not interchangeable:
- Babu tebur a falo. — There is no table in the living room. (general absence; no specific person's possession is in view)
- Ba shi da tebur. — He does not have a table. (a specific person lacks the item)
Use babu when you are stating that something does not exist or is not present in a location. Use the ba + short form + da pattern when you are stating that a specific person does not possess something. In practice, both patterns may overlap in some contexts, but keeping them distinct will make your Hausa more natural and precise.
6.5 Location statements
Purpose: state where a person or object is located.
Location in Hausa is typically expressed using yana / tana / ina (the continuative forms) followed by a location phrase, or by placing a location phrase after the noun it refers to. Location phrases use the prepositions and location words introduced in the vocabulary section.
- Tebur yana a cikin falo.The table is in the living room. (masculine noun → yana)
- Kujera tana a zaure.The chair is in the entrance hall. (feminine noun → tana)
- Gado yana a ɗakin kwana.The bed is in the bedroom.
- Firiji yana a cikin ɗakin girki.The refrigerator is in the kitchen.
- Fitila tana a saman tebur.The lamp is on the table. (feminine → tana)
- Ina a gida.I am at home.
- Yana a waje.He is outside.
In location statements, yana is used with masculine singular subjects (including masculine nouns used as subjects) and tana with feminine singular subjects. This is the same pattern as in the possession construction above, and it is the continuative form in its location use. Chapter 7 will show you how the same forms appear with verbal nouns to describe actions.
6.6 Demonstratives expanded — near and far
Purpose: point to near and far household objects using the correct masculine, feminine, and plural demonstrative form.
You met the demonstratives wannan and wancan in earlier chapters. Chapter 6 expands your demonstrative repertoire with all the gender and distance forms you need for household description.
| Distance | Masculine singular | Feminine singular | Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Near (this) | wannan | wannan | waɗannan | this / these (near the speaker) |
| Far (that) | wancan | waccan | waɗancan | that / those (further from the speaker) |
- Wannan ɗaki ne babba.This room is big. (ɗaki masculine → wannan, near)
- Waccan kujera ce tsohuwa.That chair is old. (kujera feminine → waccan, far)
- Waɗannan kujeru ne sabbin.These chairs are new. (plural → waɗannan)
- Wancan gado ne ƙarami.That bed is small. (gado masculine, far → wancan)
- Wannan taga ce mai kyau.This window is nice. (taga feminine, near → wannan)
- Waɗancan dakunan suna da tagogi.Those rooms have windows. (plural, far → waɗancan)
The near demonstrative wannan has one form for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. The far demonstrative, however, does distinguish gender: wancan for masculine singular, waccan for feminine singular. When you use a far demonstrative, you must know whether the noun is masculine or feminine in order to choose correctly. The safest approach: check the gender of the noun in the vocabulary table before producing a far demonstrative. The plural forms waɗannan (near) and waɗancan (far) cover all nouns regardless of gender.
6.7 Genitive linker review with household nouns
Purpose: link household nouns to possessors using the correct genitive linker.
You learned the genitive linkers -n (masculine/plural possessed noun) and -r (feminine possessed noun) in Chapter 4. Household vocabulary provides many opportunities to use them:
- ɗakin AminaAmina's room (ɗaki is masculine → ɗakin)
- kofar gidathe door of the house / the front gate (kofa is feminine → kofar)
- tebur ɗakin girkithe kitchen table (tebur is masculine → tebur + ɗakin with the linker on ɗaki)
- kujerar BelloBello's chair (kujera is feminine → kujerar)
- dakunan gidathe rooms of the house (dakuna is plural → linker -n: dakunan)
- fitilun falothe lights of the living room (fitilu, plural, → fitilun)
Practice exercises
Atisayen A — Akwai ko babu? (Is there or is there not?):
Write a Hausa sentence using either akwai or babu as directed.
- State that there is a bed in the bedroom.
- State that there is no television in the kitchen.
- State that there are chairs in the entrance hall.
- State that there is no water in the bathroom.
- State that there are two windows in this room.
- State that there is electricity here.
Atisayen B — Yana da / Tana da (He has / She has):
Write a possession sentence using the correct continuative subject form.
- State that she has a table and two chairs.
- State that he does not have a refrigerator.
- State that we have three bedrooms.
- State that they do not have electricity at home.
- State that you (speaking to a female) have a nice veranda.
- State that I do not have a cupboard in my room.
Atisayen C — Ina abubuwa suke? (Where are things?):
Complete each sentence with a location phrase from the vocabulary section.
- Gado yana ___. (The bed is in the bedroom.)
- Firiji yana ___. (The refrigerator is in the kitchen.)
- Kujera tana ___. (The chair is beside the table.)
- Yana ___. (He is outside.)
- Fitila tana ___. (The lamp is on the table.)
- Tana ___. (She is inside the room.)
Atisayen D — Nuna abubuwa (Demonstratives):
Write the correct demonstrative (near or far) and the correct identification particle (ne or ce) for each sentence.
- ___ ɗaki ___ babba. (This room is big.)
- ___ kujera ___ tsohuwa. (That chair is old — far from speaker.)
- ___ kujeru ___ sabbin. (These chairs are new.)
- ___ gado ___ ƙarami. (That bed is small — far.)
- ___ taga ___ mai kyau. (This window is nice.)
Atisayen E — Siffanta ɗaki (Describe a room):
Look at the description below and answer the comprehension questions in Hausa.
A ɗakin kwana, akwai gado ɗaya da kujera biyu. Babu firiji. Tana da taga guda biyu — waɗannan tagogi suna a gefe ɗaya. Kabad yana a bayan kofa. Babu wutar lantarki a yanzu.
- How many beds are in the bedroom?
- Is there a refrigerator? Write the Hausa sentence that tells you.
- Where is the cupboard?
- What demonstrative is used for the windows? Why that form?
- Is there electricity? Write the Hausa sentence that tells you.
Model Dialogue
Yanayin hali: Hauwa ta isa gidan 'yar uwarta Rakiya a Kano, inda Rakiya ta koma kwanan nan. Suna zagayawa a cikin gidan tare.
(Setting: Hauwa has arrived at the home of her sister Rakiya in Kano, where Rakiya has recently moved. They are taking a tour of the house together.)
Vocabulary notes for the dialogue: barka da sabuwar gida = congratulations on the new home (common greeting for a new house); zo = come (command); mu kalle = let us look (formulaic subjunctive pattern, recognition only; full subjunctive in Chapter 11); na farko = first; na biyu = second; kuma = also, and also; nawa = how many; a can = there (further away); tukuna = yet; amma = but; muna jira = we are waiting (formulaic continuative); muna son dasa = we want to plant (recognition only); itace = tree; barka da zama = congratulations on settling in.
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- What is in the entrance hall (zaure)? List the items mentioned.
- What does the living room (falo) contain? List the items.
- How many bedrooms does the house have? Are both fully furnished?
- Is there water? Is there electricity? Write the Hausa sentence that answers each question.
- Where is the yard? How is it described?
- Find two examples of yana da or tana da in the dialogue. Write each sentence and give the English meaning.
- Find one example of babu and one example of ba mu da in the dialogue. Write each and explain the difference in meaning.
Listening
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passages aloud, twice each. Complete the tasks after listening.
Sauraro na A — Gidan Musa (Musa's house)
"Gidan Musa ba babba ba ne, amma mai kyau ne. Akwai dakunan kwana biyu. Akwai ɗakin girki da ɗakin wanka. Babu falo — suna amfani da zaure a matsayin dakin zama. Musa yana da tebur da kujeru a zaure. Yana da firiji a ɗakin girki. Babu wutar lantarki a yanzu, amma akwai ruwa."
Sauraro na B — Ina suke? (Where are they?)
"Kujera tana a cikin falo. Tebur yana kusa da taga. Gado yana a ɗakin kwana — a gefen kofar ɗaki. Fitila tana a saman tebur. Kabad yana a bayan kofa. Firiji yana a cikin ɗakin girki."
Sauraro na C — Akwai da babu (What is and is not there)
"A gidan Halima, akwai kujeru uku a falo. Akwai talabijin ɗaya. Babu rediyo. Muna da gado biyu a ɗakin kwana. Ba mu da firiji. Akwai wutar lantarki da ruwa — alhamdulillah."
Sauraro na D — Nawa? (How many?)
"Akwai dakunan kwana uku. Akwai tagogi guda shida a cikin gida. Akwai kujeru goma sha biyu a cikin zaure. Akwai fitilu huɗu."
Kula na A — Cike jadawalin (Complete the table): Listen to Sauraro na A. For each item below, write akwai or babu to indicate whether Musa's house has it or not: dakunan kwana · falo · ɗakin girki · ɗakin wanka · firiji · wutar lantarki · ruwa
Kula na B — Daidaita (Match locations): Listen to Sauraro na B. Draw a line connecting each object to its location.
Objects: kujera · tebur · gado · fitila · kabad · firiji
Locations: a cikin falo · kusa da taga · a ɗakin kwana / gefen kofa · a saman tebur · a bayan kofa · a cikin ɗakin girki
Kula na C — Gaskiya ko ƙarya? (True or false?): Listen to Sauraro na C. Mark each T (true) or F (false). Correct the false ones.
(a) A gidan Halima, akwai kujeru biyu a falo. (b) Akwai talabijin ɗaya. (c) Akwai rediyo. (d) Muna da gado biyu. (e) Ba mu da firiji. (f) Babu wutar lantarki.
Kula na D — Lambobi (Numbers): Listen to Sauraro na D. Answer in Hausa words: (1) How many bedrooms? (2) How many windows? (3) How many chairs in the zaure? (4) How many lights?
Rubutun sauraro don malami, abokin karatu, ko amfani da rubutun lantarki. Duba amsoshi a sashi na amsoshi.
(Listening Script for Instructor, Partner, or Text-to-Speech Use. See Answer Key for expected responses.)
Reading
Read the two texts below carefully. They have been written for learners at this stage. Look for information about the type of home, its rooms, and what is or is not present.
Rubutu na 1 — Gidan Hajiya Zainab (Hajiya Zainab's home)
Gidan Hajiya Zainab yana a Kano, a unguwar Gwagwarwa. Gida babba ne da dakunan kwana uku. Akwai zaure mai kyau a gaban gida — akwai kujeru da tebur a zaure. Falo yana a gefen zaure. Akwai talabijin da rediyo a falo. Ɗakin girki yana a bayan gida. Hajiya Zainab tana da firiji a ɗakin girki da kuma murhu. Akwai ɗakin wanka guda biyu — ɗaya a cikin gida, ɗaya a waje. Lambun gida yana a bayan gida — babba ne kuma mai kyau. Akwai wutar lantarki da ruwa a gida — alhamdulillah. Ba ta da baranda, amma gida yana da lambun gida mai faɗi.
New words for recognition: unguwa = neighborhood / ward; guda = one, single (used after a noun with a number: ɗakin wanka guda biyu = two bathrooms); ɗaya = one (as a numeral after a noun).
Rubutu na 2 — Ɗaki ɗaya (A single room)
Ina zaune a ɗaki ɗaya tare da abokin karatu. Ɗaki ne ƙarami, amma mai tsabta ne. Akwai gadaje biyu — ɗaya nawa, ɗaya na abokin karatuna. Muna da tebur ɗaya da kujeru biyu a tsakiyar ɗakin. Babu firiji a ɗakinmu. Babu talabijin kuma. Amma muna da rediyo ɗaya. Ɗakin wanka yana a waje — muna raba shi da ɗalibai huɗu a guda. Akwai ruwa da wutar lantarki — wannan abu ne mai muhimmanci. Wannan ɗaki yana kusa da makaranta, don haka mun fi son zama a nan.
New words for recognition: tare da = together with; tsakiyar = the middle of; muna raba = we share (formulaic continuative); da ɗalibai huɗu a guda = with four students together; abu ne mai muhimmanci = it is an important thing; don haka = therefore, for that reason; mun fi son = we prefer (recognition only).
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- How many bedrooms does Hajiya Zainab's house have? Find the Hausa sentence that tells you.
- Where is the kitchen in Hajiya Zainab's house? What does it contain?
- What does Hajiya Zainab's house have that the student's room does not? List at least three things.
- What does the student's room have? What does it lack? Use akwai and babu in your answers.
- Where is the bathroom in the student accommodation? Who shares it?
- Find all examples of yana da / tana da / muna da in both texts. Write each and give the English meaning.
- Both texts mention electricity and water. Write both Hausa sentences and explain what pattern they use.
Writing Workshop
- Karanta samfuri. Reread Rubutu na 1 (Hajiya Zainab's home). Underline every use of akwai and babu. Put a box around every possession statement (tana da…, muna da…, etc.). Circle every location phrase.
- Zaɓa gida. Choose a real or imagined home to describe. It may be your own home, a relative's home, a student room, a family compound, or any other living space. Decide on: the type of home; the number of rooms; what furniture and objects are present and absent; where key items are located; and two or three descriptive qualities.
- Rubuta bayananka. Write a Hausa paragraph of 70–90 words describing your chosen home. Your paragraph must include: at least two uses of akwai; at least one use of babu; at least two possession statements (yana da, tana da, or muna da); at least one negative possession statement (ba shi da, ba mu da, etc.); at least two location phrases; and at least one demonstrative (wannan, wancan, waɗannan, or waɗancan).
- Duba da jerin bincike. Check your draft against the editing checklist before writing the final version.
- Rubuta siffa ta ƙarshe. Produce a clean final version for your portfolio.
Jerin binciken gyara — Editing checklist:
- Every akwai sentence places the noun phrase after akwai with no extra subject word before it.
- Every babu sentence places the noun phrase after babu with no extra element before it.
- Every possession statement uses the correct continuative subject form for the person: ina (I), yana (he/masculine noun), tana (she/feminine noun), muna (we), and so on.
- Negative possession uses ba + short form + da, not babu.
- Location phrases use the correct preposition from the vocabulary section.
- Demonstratives agree with the noun: wannan / wancan for masculine singular; wannan / waccan for feminine singular; waɗannan / waɗancan for plural.
- Genitive linkers are correct: -n on masculine/plural possessed nouns; -r on feminine possessed nouns.
- Hooked letters (ɗ, ƙ, ɓ) and 'y are written correctly.
- Numbers above 20 follow the pattern: decade + da + unit.
- Each sentence ends with a full stop. Names and the beginning of sentences are capitalized.
Speaking Practice
Atisaye na ƙa'ida — Controlled practice
Practice saying five statements aloud using akwai, five using babu, and five using a possession construction (yana da, tana da, muna da, etc.). Use different rooms and objects from the vocabulary section each time. Pay attention to distinguishing akwai from babu in tone and vowel quality. Then practice two negative possession statements. Check your demonstrative forms as you go.
Zagayawa gida — Home tour activity
Using the floor plan of a real or imagined home (you may sketch it on paper), give an oral tour to a partner. Walk through each room, describing: what is in it (akwai…), what is missing (babu…), what the occupant has (yana / tana da…), and where key objects are (yana / tana a…). Use at least one demonstrative during your tour. Your partner asks two follow-up questions: "Is there a ___?" and "Where is the ___?" Answer without notes.
If studying independently: record yourself giving a 90-second tour of a real or imagined home. Include all the required patterns. Listen back and check that you used the correct continuative form for each subject.
Kwatanta gidaje biyu — Comparing two homes
Describe two different homes — they may be Hajiya Zainab's home and the student room from the reading, or two homes you know. State two things that each home has (akwai or possession construction), one thing each home lacks (babu or negative possession), and one location fact about each home. A partner or recording audience then asks: "Which home is bigger?" Respond in Hausa using babba ne or ƙarami ne.
Madadin karatu kai tsaye — Solo alternative
Record yourself: (1) stating five things that are in your home using akwai; (2) stating two things that are not in your home using babu; (3) saying what you have, what you do not have, and where one object is located. Then describe what "this" object and "that" object are, using the correct demonstrative. Listen back and check the hooked consonants in ɗaki and ƙasan.
Culture and Communication
There is no single "Hausa home." Housing across Hausa-speaking communities varies significantly by geography, socioeconomic situation, urban or rural setting, historical period, and household structure. In many parts of northern Nigeria and Niger, a traditional residential unit is the gida — a walled compound that may house an extended family across multiple dwellings, with shared open spaces, separate kitchen areas, and communal access points. A compound of this kind might have a zaure — the male reception room at the entrance — which serves as the primary space for welcoming visitors before they enter the domestic interior.
In urban settings including Kano, Kaduna, and Niamey, apartment buildings, bungalows, government housing estates, and rented rooms in subdivided compounds are all common. A student or young worker may live in a single room shared with a roommate, as described in the reading. A government official or business person may occupy a freestanding house with separate rooms for distinct purposes.
The vocabulary in this chapter covers a range of contexts rather than one idealized floor plan. Words like falo (a loanword used in many urban homes for a general living room) coexist with zaure (a term more tied to traditional compound architecture). Both are productive vocabulary in this course because learners are likely to encounter both. When you describe a home in Hausa, choose vocabulary that fits the actual space — do not impose one architectural model on every household.
Greeting before entering a home or compound, and being appropriately welcomed in, are important social practices in many Hausa-speaking communities. A visitor who arrives at a home typically calls out from the entrance — Sannu da gida! (Greetings to the household!) or Ko an ji? (Is anyone there? / May I come in?) — before entering. Entering without announcing yourself would be considered rude in most settings.
The zaure — the entrance hall or reception area — often functions as the first social space for visitors, particularly in compound-style housing. Depending on the household structure and community norms, guests may be received there before being invited further inside. These practices vary by household, region, community, and relationship between visitor and host. Do not treat any one set of rules as universal across all Hausa-speaking communities or contexts.
What remains consistent is that greetings and courtesy are expected at the threshold of any interaction — including entering a physical space. The expression Barka da zama (congratulations on settling in), used in the model dialogue, is a warm and common way to acknowledge someone who has recently moved into a new home.
Some household vocabulary differs between Nigeria and Niger, reflecting both linguistic variation and the influence of different colonial and administrative languages. In Nigerien Hausa contexts, French-origin terms for household items may be more common alongside Hausa terms — for example, frigidaire alongside firiji for refrigerator. This course uses the productive Hausa terms consistently; recognize that in Niger, a speaker may use a different vocabulary item for the same object. Similarly, architectural vocabulary for room types and compound structures may vary by region and community. When you encounter a Hausa speaker from a different setting, follow their lead on local terms and do not assume that the vocabulary in this textbook is the only valid set of options.
Common Mistakes
Error: *Gida akwai tebur. or *Shi akwai tebur. (placing a noun or pronoun subject before akwai)
Correction: Akwai tebur a gida. — The word akwai begins the predicate directly. It does not need — and does not accept — a separate subject noun or pronoun placed before it in a basic existence statement. The location can follow the noun: Akwai tebur a gida (there is a table at home). If you want to say "there is a table" with reference to a room or place, put the place phrase after the noun.
Error: *Babu shi tebur. or *Babu Musa firiji. (using babu to say a person does not have something)
Correction: Ba shi da tebur. / Ba Musa da firiji. — When you want to say a specific person does not have something, use the discontinuous negative possession pattern: ba + short form + da + item. Babu states general absence from a location; ba shi da / ba ta da states that a person lacks something. Both are correct Hausa — they mean different things.
Error: *Yana da tebur when the subject is a woman. Or: *Tana da tebur when referring to a male subject.
Correction: Yana da tebur (he has a table / the table is there — masculine subject). Tana da tebur (she has a table — feminine subject). The continuative forms carry gender in the third person singular: yana for masculine, tana for feminine. This is the same distinction you have seen in ne and ce — Hausa marks gender in agreement consistently. Before producing a possession or location statement, identify the gender of the subject so you choose the correct form.
Error: *Wancan kujera ce. (using the masculine far demonstrative with a feminine noun)
Correction: Waccan kujera ce. — Kujera (chair) is feminine. The far demonstrative for feminine singular nouns is waccan, not wancan. The near demonstrative wannan is the same for both genders, but the far demonstrative is gender-sensitive. Check the gender of the noun before choosing between wancan and waccan. Plural nouns take waɗancan regardless of gender.
Error: *ɗaki kwana or *kofa gida (omitting the genitive linker inside a compound noun)
Correction: ɗakin kwana (bedroom); kofar gida (front gate / house door). When a room name or compound noun consists of a head noun followed by another noun, the genitive linker joins them. The linker matches the gender of the head noun: ɗaki is masculine → ɗakin; kofa is feminine → kofar. These compound forms should be memorized as complete units, but knowing the underlying linker rule will help you recognize and check them.
Chapter Review
Sashi na A — Kalmomi (Vocabulary)
1. Name five rooms or areas of a home in Hausa with their grammatical gender and one example plural.
2. Name six pieces of furniture or household objects in Hausa. For each, give the gender and one example of the item in a sentence using akwai.
3. Give the Hausa for: inside · on top of · beside · behind · near · between.
4. What is the difference in meaning between akwai and babu? Give one example sentence for each.
5. Give the Hausa for: small (masculine) · small (feminine) · new (masculine with linker) · clean · wide and spacious.
Sashi na B — Nahawu (Grammar)
1. Write a sentence using akwai for each prompt:
(a) There is a bed in the bedroom. (b) There are three chairs in the entrance hall. (c) There is water here.
2. Write a sentence using babu for each prompt:
(a) There is no television in the kitchen. (b) There is no electricity right now. (c) There are no windows in that room.
3. Complete each possession statement with the correct continuative subject form:
(a) _____ da gado. (She has a bed.) (b) _____ da firiji. (He has a refrigerator.) (c) _____ da dakunan kwana uku. (We have three bedrooms.) (d) _____ da tebur da kujeru. (I have a table and chairs.)
4. Write the negative possession for each prompt:
(a) She does not have a wardrobe. (b) They do not have electricity. (c) He does not have a radio. (d) We do not have a yard.
5. Choose the correct demonstrative for each noun:
(a) ___ ɗaki ne. (This room is…) (b) ___ kujera ce. (That chair is… — far) (c) ___ kujeru ne. (These chairs are…) (d) ___ taga ce. (That window is… — far)
Sashi na C — Karatu (Reading)
1. Reread both profiles (Hajiya Zainab's home and the student room). For each home, make two lists: things that are present (akwai items) and things that are absent (babu items).
2. Find one sentence from Rubutu na 2 that uses a possession construction. Write it, identify the subject form used, and give its English meaning.
3. What location expression describes where the bathroom is in the student room? Write the Hausa sentence and give its English meaning.
Sashi na D — Rubutu (Writing)
1. Write a 70–90-word Hausa paragraph describing a real or imagined room or home. Follow the checklist from the Writing Workshop. Include at least one demonstrative, two location phrases, one possession statement, one negative possession statement, and one babu statement.
Sashi na E — Magana (Speaking)
1. Without notes, answer these questions about a real or imagined home: Akwai dakunan kwana nawa a gida? · Akwai falo? · Kana/Kina da firiji? · Ina zaure yake? Then use one demonstrative to point to a near object and one to point to a far object.
Bitar gaba ɗaya — Cumulative review (from Chapters 1–5)
1. A visitor arrives at your home. Greet her appropriately, ask where she is from, and introduce her to another person in the household. Use at least one identification sentence with ne or ce.
2. Write two sentences about the visitor: one stating her profession using the correct identification particle, and one negative identification stating what she is not.
3. Count aloud from 30 to 40 in Hausa. Then state that there are 35 chairs in a large meeting room, using akwai.
4. Point to the nearest object in the room where you are studying. Write one sentence using wannan or wannan with the correct identification particle and a descriptive quality word from Chapter 6 or Chapter 4.
Chapter Performance Task
Aikin Aiwatarwa
Zagayawar Gida — Home Tour
You are showing your home — real or imagined — to a visitor who speaks Hausa. Complete both the oral and written components:
- Oral component: Without notes, give a 2–3 minute guided tour of a home. Describe at least three rooms or areas. For each area, state at least one thing that exists (akwai), one thing that the home or occupant has (yana / tana / muna da), and at least one location of an object (yana / tana a…). Include at least one thing that is missing (babu or negative possession). Use at least two demonstratives during the tour.
- Written component: Write a 70–90-word Hausa description of the same home. It should read as a coherent paragraph, not a list. Include: at least two akwai statements; at least one babu statement; at least two possession statements; at least one negative possession statement; at least two location phrases; at least one demonstrative; and at least one descriptive quality word.
- Numbers check: State the total number of rooms in the home using a number between 1 and 100. Write it in Hausa words and say it aloud.
Evaluation criteria: correct use of akwai vs. babu vs. possession construction for appropriate meanings; correct continuative subject forms for each person; correct demonstrative gender agreement; accurate genitive linkers in compound nouns; accurate Boko spelling including hooked letters; correct numbers; appropriate and natural description of a living space.
Answer Key / Amsoshi
Atisayen A — Akwai ko babu?
- Akwai gado a ɗakin kwana.
- Babu talabijin a ɗakin girki.
- Akwai kujeru a zaure.
- Babu ruwa a ɗakin wanka.
- Akwai tagogi biyu a wannan ɗaki. / Akwai taga biyu a ɗakin nan.
- Akwai wutar lantarki a nan.
Atisayen B — Yana da / Tana da
- Tana da tebur da kujeru biyu.
- Ba shi da firiji.
- Muna da dakunan kwana uku.
- Ba su da wutar lantarki a gida.
- Kina da baranda mai kyau.
- Ba ni da kabad a ɗakina.
Atisayen C — Ina abubuwa suke?
- Gado yana a cikin ɗakin kwana. / Gado yana a ɗakin kwana.
- Firiji yana a cikin ɗakin girki.
- Kujera tana a gefen tebur.
- Yana a waje.
- Fitila tana a saman tebur.
- Tana a cikin ɗaki.
Atisayen D — Nuna abubuwa (demonstratives)
- Wannan ɗaki ne babba. (ɗaki = masculine; near → wannan; identification → ne)
- Waccan kujera ce tsohuwa. (kujera = feminine; far → waccan; identification → ce)
- Waɗannan kujeru ne sabbin. (plural; near → waɗannan; identification → ne)
- Wancan gado ne ƙarami. (gado = masculine; far → wancan; identification → ne)
- Wannan taga ce mai kyau. (taga = feminine; near → wannan; identification → ce)
Atisayen E — Siffanta ɗaki (Comprehension)
- There is one bed: akwai gado ɗaya.
- No refrigerator: Babu firiji a ɗakin kwana.
- The cupboard is behind the door: Kabad yana a bayan kofa.
- Waɗannan — plural form; the windows (tagogi) are plural.
- No electricity: Babu wutar lantarki a yanzu.
Tambayoyin fahimta na tattaunawa (Dialogue comprehension)
- Entrance hall: kujeru (chairs), tebur ɗaya (one table).
- Living room: talabijin, kujeru, rediyo, fitila.
- Two bedrooms. The first has a bed and wardrobe; the second has one bed but no chair yet.
- Water: Akwai ruwa — alhamdulillah. Electricity: Amma babu wutar lantarki yanzu.
- At the back of the house (a bayan gida). It is described as big (babba ne).
- Accept any two: e.g., Muna da tebur ɗaya kuma (We also have one table); Yana da talabijin da kujeru da kuma rediyo (It has a television, chairs, and a radio).
- Babu wutar lantarki yanzu (general absence — no electricity right now); Ba mu da kujera a can tukuna (personal possession negative — we do not have a chair there yet). The difference: babu states general nonexistence; ba mu da states that a specific subject (we) lacks something.
Kula na sauraro (Listening responses)
Kula na A: dakunan kwana — akwai (biyu); falo — babu; ɗakin girki — akwai; ɗakin wanka — akwai; firiji — akwai; wutar lantarki — babu; ruwa — akwai.
Kula na B: kujera → a cikin falo; tebur → kusa da taga; gado → a ɗakin kwana / gefen kofar ɗaki; fitila → a saman tebur; kabad → a bayan kofa; firiji → a cikin ɗakin girki.
Kula na C: (a) F — akwai kujeru uku, ba biyu ba. (b) T. (c) F — babu rediyo. (d) T. (e) T. (f) F — akwai wutar lantarki da ruwa.
Kula na D: dakunan kwana — uku; tagogi — guda shida; kujeru a zaure — goma sha biyu; fitilu — huɗu.
Tambayoyin karatu (Reading comprehension)
- Three bedrooms: Gida babba ne da dakunan kwana uku.
- Kitchen is at the back of the house. Contents: firiji da kuma murhu (refrigerator and cooking stove).
- Hajiya Zainab's home has: firiji, murhu, talabijin, rediyo, zaure, falo, baranda (or lambun gida), two bathrooms. Student room lacks: firiji, talabijin, private bathroom. Accept other valid comparisons.
- Student room has: gadaje biyu, tebur ɗaya, kujeru biyu, rediyo, wutar lantarki, ruwa. Lacks: firiji, talabijin, private bathroom.
- Bathroom is outside (a waje); shared with four students (muna raba shi da ɗalibai huɗu).
- Accept correct sentences identified in either text. Examples: Hajiya Zainab tana da firiji a ɗakin girki da kuma murhu; Muna da gadaje biyu.
- Hajiya Zainab: Akwai wutar lantarki da ruwa a gida. Student: Akwai ruwa da wutar lantarki — wannan abu ne mai muhimmanci. Both use akwai for existence.
Bitar gaba ɗaya — Sashi na B
- (a) Akwai gado a ɗakin kwana. (b) Akwai kujeru uku a zaure. (c) Akwai ruwa a nan.
- (a) Babu talabijin a ɗakin girki. (b) Babu wutar lantarki yanzu. (c) Babu tagogi a wancan ɗaki.
- (a) Tana (b) Yana (c) Muna (d) Ina
- (a) Ba ta da kabad. (b) Ba su da wutar lantarki. (c) Ba shi da rediyo. (d) Ba mu da lambun gida.
- (a) Wannan ɗaki ne. (b) Waccan kujera ce. (c) Waɗannan kujeru ne. (d) Waccan taga ce.
Bitar gaba ɗaya — Sashi na D (sample paragraph)
Gidanmu yana a Kano. Akwai dakunan kwana biyu da ɗakin girki da ɗakin wanka. A falo, akwai tebur da kujeru huɗu. Muna da talabijin a falo. Babu firiji a ɗakin girki — ana amfani da kabad. Ɗakin kwana na farko yana da gado biyu. Ba mu da baranda, amma lambun gida yana a bayan gida — babba ne. Wannan gida yana da wutar lantarki da ruwa. Muna da gida mai kyau.
Other accurate, well-formed paragraphs are equally acceptable. Use the editing checklist to evaluate your work.
Looking Ahead
Abin da ka/ki koya yanzu — What you know now
You can now name the rooms, furniture, and common objects in a Hausa-speaking home with their correct gender and plural forms. You have three new grammatical tools: akwai to say that something is present or exists; babu to say that something is absent; and the possession construction (continuative subject form + da) to say that a specific person has something. You have also practiced location expressions, expanded your demonstrative repertoire to include all gender and distance forms, and reviewed genitive linkers in household compound nouns. Looking back: the gender agreement you practiced with ne and ce in Chapters 1–3, the genitive linkers introduced in Chapter 4, and the demonstratives from Chapter 2 are all active now in household description — the systems are growing together.