Ayyukan Kullum
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Use the productive continuative construction — a subject form plus a verbal noun — to describe activities happening now or regularly.
- Produce the continuative subject forms for all persons, numbers, and genders introduced in this chapter.
- Use the correct verbal noun for each high-frequency daily-activity verb taught here.
- Ask and answer questions about ongoing activities using the continuative.
- Tell and ask the time in Hausa using clock-hour expressions.
- Name the days of the week and the parts of the day.
- Use common frequency and sequence expressions to connect activities into a simple narrative of a day.
- Recognize the habitual -kan- form in listening and reading without yet producing it independently.
- Produce intelligible tone and rhythm across continuative subject forms and their verbal nouns.
Communication Scenario
You are getting to know a Hausa-speaking colleague, Bilkisu, who works at the same office in Kano. Over tea before the workday begins, she asks what your morning was like, and you want to describe what you do each day. You also want to ask about her schedule. To do this in Hausa, you need a new grammatical tool: the continuative construction, which combines a short subject form with a verbal noun to express what someone is doing now or does regularly. This chapter introduces that system fully and gives you the vocabulary to put it to use immediately.
- In Chapters 3 and 6, you encountered formulaic continuative expressions — Ina magana da… and ina zaune a… — without analyzing their internal structure. This chapter explains what those forms are and how they work, so that you can build new sentences freely rather than relying only on memorized phrases. The analysis reconnects to the formulas you already know: ina is the first-person singular continuative subject form, and what follows it is a verbal noun.
- Hausa does not distinguish a dedicated "present tense" from a "present progressive" the way English does. The continuative construction — Ina karatu — can mean "I am studying (right now)" or "I study (generally)." Context, time expressions, and frequency words carry that distinction. As you work through this chapter, pay close attention to how time expressions and frequency words shape meaning.
Core Vocabulary
Ayyukan yau da kullum — Daily activities
The table below gives each high-frequency activity verb together with its verbal noun — the form used in the continuative construction. The verbal noun is not always predictable from the citation form of the verb, so both must be learned together. Every verbal noun in this table has been verified for this chapter.
| Citation verb | Verbal noun | English meaning | Example continuative |
|---|---|---|---|
| tashi | tashiwa | to get up, to rise | Ina tashiwa da safe. |
| yi wanka | yin wanka | to bathe, to wash oneself | Yana yin wanka. |
| ci abinci | cin abinci | to eat food, to have a meal | Tana cin abinci. |
| sha | shayan | to drink | Muna shayan ruwa. |
| tafi aiki | tafiya aiki | to go to work | Ina tafiya aiki. |
| yi aiki | yin aiki | to work, to do work | Suna yin aiki. |
| karanta | karatu | to read, to study | Ina karatu. |
| rubuta | rubutu | to write | Tana rubutu. |
| yi magana | yin magana | to speak, to talk | Yana yin magana. |
| saurara | sauraro | to listen | Muna sauraro. |
| koya | koyo | to learn | Ina koyo. |
| koyarwa | koyarwa | to teach (verbal noun same as citation) | Tana koyarwa. |
| tafi gida | tafiya gida | to go home | Yana tafiya gida. |
| huta | hutawa | to rest | Suna hutawa. |
| barci | barci | to sleep (verbal noun same as citation) | Ina barci. |
| saya | saye | to buy | Tana saye a kasuwa. |
| dafa abinci | dafuwa | to cook food | Ina dafuwa. |
| wanke | wankewa | to wash (clothes, dishes) | Tana wankewa. |
Note on verbal nouns: Some verbal nouns are identical to or closely related to the citation verb (barci, koyarwa); others are quite different (karatu from karanta; shayan from sha). Do not form a verbal noun by analogy — always use the verified form given in this table or in a dictionary.
Lokacin rana — Parts of the day
| Hausa | English | Approximate time |
|---|---|---|
| safe | morning | from dawn / Fajr to mid-morning |
| tsakar rana | midday, noon | around noon |
| rana | daytime, the sun / day | general daytime |
| yamma | afternoon, late afternoon | roughly 3 p.m. onward |
| magariba | evening, dusk | around sunset / Maghrib |
| dare | night | after dark |
| da safe | in the morning, this morning | used as an adverbial phrase |
| da yamma | in the afternoon/evening | used as an adverbial phrase |
| da dare | at night | used as an adverbial phrase |
Time categories in Hausa may overlap with or reference Islamic prayer times, particularly Fajr (before dawn), Zuhr (midday), Asr (mid-afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), and Isha'i (night). These are widely used as natural time anchors in many Hausa-speaking communities. Not every speaker organizes their day this way, and this course does not assume any particular religious practice. Where a community uses these terms as shared time references, learners will encounter them in authentic contexts.
Ranakun mako — Days of the week
| Hausa | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lahadi | Sunday | from Arabic al-Ahad; the first day of the week in traditional ordering |
| Litinin | Monday | from Arabic al-Ithnayn |
| Talata | Tuesday | from Arabic al-Thalatha |
| Laraba | Wednesday | from Arabic al-Arba'a |
| Alhamis | Thursday | from Arabic al-Khamis |
| Juma'a | Friday | the congregational prayer day in Muslim communities; significant in many Hausa contexts |
| Asabar | Saturday | from Arabic al-Sabt |
The Hausa day names derive from Arabic via long historical contact. Learn the Hausa pronunciation of each name — it differs from the original Arabic. The week is commonly felt to begin with Sunday (Lahadi) in traditional reckoning, though Monday-first calendars are also familiar through international and school contexts.
Lokaci — Time expressions
| Hausa | English | Function |
|---|---|---|
| yanzu | now | locates action in the present moment |
| kullum / kullun | every day, always | expresses daily habit |
| koyaushe | always, every time | expresses universal habit |
| sau da yawa | often, frequently | high frequency |
| wani lokaci | sometimes | occasional frequency |
| ba koyaushe ba | not always | non-universal habit (recognition) |
| da farko | first, at first | sequence: first action |
| sa'an nan | then, after that | sequence: next action |
| bayan haka | after that, afterward | sequence: subsequent action |
| a ƙarshe | finally, at the end | sequence: last action |
| tare da | together with, at the same time as | simultaneous actions |
Agogon lokaci — Telling the time
Clock time in Hausa uses the word ƙarfe (hour, o'clock) followed by the number. The question "What time is it?" is Nawa ne ƙarfe? or Wane lokaci ne? The answer uses the pattern Ƙarfe [number] ne.
| Hausa | English |
|---|---|
| Nawa ne ƙarfe? | What time is it? (How many is the hour?) |
| Wane lokaci ne? | What time is it? (What time is it?) |
| Ƙarfe ɗaya ne. | It is one o'clock. |
| Ƙarfe biyu ne. | It is two o'clock. |
| Ƙarfe takwas da rabi ne. | It is half past eight. (rabi = half) |
| Ƙarfe goma da kwata ne. | It is quarter past ten. (kwata = quarter) |
| Ƙarfe goma sha biyu ne. | It is twelve o'clock. |
| Ƙarfe … da safe | … o'clock in the morning |
| Ƙarfe … da yamma | … o'clock in the afternoon/evening |
| Ƙarfe … da dare | … o'clock at night |
Note on ƙarfe: This word contains the hooked ƙ — a distinct Hausa consonant. Do not substitute plain k. The word originally referred to the sound of a struck bell or gong used to mark the hour. Practice the ƙ sound carefully whenever you say or write a time expression.
Pronunciation and Boko
Tone and length in continuative subject forms
The continuative subject forms introduced in this chapter are short but tonally significant. They carry person, number, and gender information in a single word, and their tone is part of that identity. The table below shows the forms with a guide to their tonal pattern. Ordinary Boko does not mark tone; these notes are for listening and speaking practice only.
| Person / Gender / Number | Form | Tonal pattern (guide only) | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | ina | High-Low | I am (doing…) |
| 2nd singular masculine | kana | Low-Low | you are (doing…) — to a male |
| 2nd singular feminine | kina | Low-Low | you are (doing…) — to a female |
| 3rd singular masculine | yana | Low-Low | he is (doing…) |
| 3rd singular feminine | tana | Low-Low | she is (doing…) |
| 1st plural | muna | Low-Low | we are (doing…) |
| 2nd plural | kuna | Low-Low | you all are (doing…) |
| 3rd plural | suna | Low-Low | they are (doing…) |
Tonal patterns are indicated here as a listening and imitation guide. They are not marked in ordinary Boko writing. Your instructor or audio model will demonstrate each form. Do not write tone marks in your written exercises.
The continuative construction is a two-word unit: a short subject form followed by a verbal noun. In natural Hausa speech, these two words form a rhythmic pair — neither one is separately stressed in the English sense, and the subject form is not swallowed or reduced. When you say Ina karatu, both words receive their full sounds: i-na and then ka-ra-tu, with the rhythm flowing naturally across the phrase. English speakers sometimes reduce the subject form to something like a mumbled prefix. Resist this. The subject form carries grammatical information that Hausa listeners depend on — shortchanging it leads to misunderstanding.
Practice each pair as a single breath group: ina karatu, yana yin aiki, tana cin abinci, muna sauraro. Listen carefully to the rhythm before you speak, then reproduce it.
Verbal noun pronunciation
Verbal nouns are separate words with their own tone and vowel length. You cannot reliably predict the pronunciation of a verbal noun from the citation verb — learn each one as a new vocabulary item. Two patterns to note:
- karanta → karatu: The citation verb ends in -nta; the verbal noun ends in -tu. The vowel pattern shifts. Practice both words until the difference is automatic.
- sha → shayan: The citation verb is a single syllable; the verbal noun adds a suffix and becomes two syllables. The vowel in sha is short; the vowel in shay- is a diphthong. Do not pronounce them identically.
- barci → barci: Some verbal nouns share the same written form as the citation verb but may differ in tone. Follow the audio model.
- tashi → tashiwa: The verbal noun adds -wa suffix. The -wa is always pronounced fully — never drop it or reduce it to a murmur.
The word ƙarfe (o'clock, hour) begins with the ejective consonant ƙ — the same hooked letter you have been practicing since Chapter 1. In this consonant, the back of the tongue presses against the soft palate and the airstream is cut off briefly before releasing with a sharp burst. It sounds firmer and more abrupt than plain k. Every time expression you produce this chapter will begin with this sound: Ƙarfe ɗaya, Ƙarfe biyu, Ƙarfe goma sha biyar. Make the ƙ distinct. If you substitute plain k, a Hausa listener will hear a different word or assume you are not familiar with Boko. Consistent production of ƙ versus k is one of the most important orthographic and pronunciation habits of this course.
Grammar Instruction
7.1 The continuative construction — form
Purpose: describe activities that are happening now or that happen regularly, using the correct subject form for each person, number, and gender.
The Hausa continuative construction consists of two elements:
- A continuative subject form — a short word that encodes person, number, and grammatical gender.
- A verbal noun — the noun-form of the verb, which names the action.
The subject form comes first. The verbal noun follows immediately. Nothing separates them in a basic statement. Here is the complete set of productive continuative subject forms for this course:
| Person / Number / Gender | Continuative form | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | ina | I am (doing) / I (do) |
| 2nd singular masculine | kana | you are (doing) / you (do) — to a male |
| 2nd singular feminine | kina | you are (doing) / you (do) — to a female |
| 3rd singular masculine | yana | he is (doing) / he (does) |
| 3rd singular feminine | tana | she is (doing) / she (does) |
| 1st plural | muna | we are (doing) / we (do) |
| 2nd plural | kuna | you all are (doing) / you all (do) |
| 3rd plural | suna | they are (doing) / they (do) |
Each form is a complete unit. Do not try to analyze it as a pronoun plus an ending at this stage. What matters for communication is choosing the right form for the right person and — crucially — the right gender: kana addresses a male, kina addresses a female; yana refers to a male, tana to a female.
When you say Ina karatu, the word ina is doing the work of both the English pronoun "I" and the auxiliary "am." The continuative subject form already encodes first-person singular. Because of this, you do not normally add a separate independent pronoun (ni) in front of ina in a plain statement. Ni ina karatu is grammatically unusual and sounds emphatic or contrastive rather than ordinary. At this stage, use the continuative form alone in straightforward descriptions of what you or someone else is doing.
An independent pronoun can appear before the continuative form when you want to contrast or emphasize: Ni ina karatu, amma shi yana barci (I am studying, but he is sleeping). That contrastive use is natural — what you want to avoid is adding ni as a mechanical habit every time.
7.2 The continuative construction — meaning and use
Purpose: understand when the continuative expresses an ongoing action versus a regular habit, and how time expressions carry that distinction.
The Hausa continuative construction covers the communicative ground of both English "I am reading" and "I read (generally)." The construction itself is neutral between the two; time expressions, frequency words, and context determine which interpretation fits.
- Ina karatu yanzu.I am studying right now. (yanzu = now → ongoing action at this moment)
- Ina karatu kullum.I study every day. (kullum = every day → regular activity)
- Yana yin aiki da safe.He works in the morning. / He is working in the morning. (context determines which)
- Tana dafuwa yanzu.She is cooking right now.
- Muna tafiya aiki Litinin.We go to work on Monday. / We are going to work on Monday.
- Suna sauraro.They are listening. / They listen. (ongoing or regular, from context)
The key lesson: do not expect one Hausa form to map onto one English tense. Add a time expression whenever you need to specify whether you mean right now or regularly. When the context makes it clear, no time expression is needed.
7.3 Asking about ongoing activities
Purpose: form continuative questions using the correct subject form and question word.
To ask what someone is doing, combine the question word me or menene (what) with the continuative subject form. The word order places the question word at the start, followed by the continuative form and the context:
- Me kake yi?What are you doing? (to a male)me + kake + yi — Note: kake is the relative-continuative form, required after me in this question type; see note below.
- Me kike yi?What are you doing? (to a female)
- Me yake yi?What is he doing?
- Me take yi?What is she doing?
- Me suke yi?What are they doing?
- Ina kake aiki?Where do you work? (to a male)
- Yaushe kake tafiya?When do you go? (to a male)
You first encountered kake and kike in Chapter 3, in origin questions like Daga ina kake zuwa? (Where are you from?). At that point, they were presented as fixed question patterns without full analysis. Now you can see the system they belong to: when a question word or focused element comes before the subject-aspect construction, Hausa uses a different set of subject forms — called relative-continuative forms — rather than the plain forms in the table above.
The relative-continuative forms for this chapter are: kake (2nd m. sg.), kike (2nd f. sg.), yake (3rd m. sg.), take (3rd f. sg.), muke (1st pl.), kuke (2nd pl.), suke (3rd pl.). For first-person singular, the relative-continuative form is nake. These forms appear in information questions beginning with me, ina, yaushe, and similar words. The full analysis of this system is developed further in later chapters. For now, treat each question pattern above as a complete communication formula and notice how these forms differ from the plain forms ina, kana, kina, yana, tana…
7.4 The continuative with location and time
Purpose: combine the continuative with location and time expressions from earlier chapters and this chapter.
Time and location expressions attach after the verbal noun. The basic word order is: continuative subject form + verbal noun + location or time.
- Ina karatu a gida da safe.I study at home in the morning.
- Yana yin aiki a ofis.He works at the office.
- Tana tafiya kasuwa Talata.She goes to the market on Tuesday.
- Muna cin abinci tare da iyali da dare.We eat with the family at night.
- Suna hutawa Asabar da Lahadi.They rest on Saturday and Sunday.
7.5 Sequencing a routine with connectors
Purpose: use approved connectors to link continuative statements into a simple account of a day.
The connectors introduced in the vocabulary section — da farko, sa'an nan, bayan haka, a ƙarshe — attach at the start of a new statement and signal its place in a sequence. Each new statement then uses the continuative normally.
- Da farko, ina tashiwa da ƙarfe shida da safe.First, I get up at six in the morning.
- Sa'an nan, ina yin wanka.Then I bathe.
- Bayan haka, ina cin abinci.After that, I eat.
- A ƙarshe, ina tafiya aiki da ƙarfe takwas.Finally, I go to work at eight o'clock.
These connectors are a first introduction to the clause-sequencing system that will be developed throughout Units III and IV. Use them to organize spoken and written routines from this chapter onward.
7.6 Habitual meaning: recognition only
Purpose: recognize the habitual -kan- form in listening and reading; understand that it marks a specifically habitual (regularly repeated) meaning.
Hausa has a dedicated habitual construction that inserts -kan- between the subject form and the verbal noun. You may encounter it in listening passages or readings. Do not attempt to produce it independently at this stage — the full system is introduced in Chapter 19.
| Continuative (productive) | Habitual with -kan- (recognition only) | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ina karatu. | Nakan karatu. | I (habitually) study. / I always/regularly study. |
| Yana yin aiki. | Yakan yin aiki. | He habitually works. |
| Tana tafiya. | Takan tafiya. | She habitually goes. |
If you see or hear nakan, kakan, yakan, takan, mukan, kukan, or sukan followed by a verbal noun, recognize this as a habitual form meaning the action is a regular, established habit. Do not confuse it with the plain continuative. The continuative is fully adequate for expressing regular activity with frequency words; the -kan- form adds an additional layer of "established habit" meaning. This chapter's productive requirement is the plain continuative — the habitual form is for recognition only.
The subject form (ina, yana, tana…) carries person, number, and gender. The verbal noun names the action. A time expression specifies when. The three elements work together as a unit. Learn the correct verbal noun with every verb — do not form it by analogy.
Practice exercises
Atisayen A — Tsarin bayani na ci gaba (Build the continuative):
Combine the given subject form and verbal noun into a complete continuative sentence. Add the time expression in brackets.
- [ina] + [karatu] + [da safe] → _____
- [yana] + [yin aiki] + [kullum] → _____
- [tana] + [dafuwa] + [ƙarfe biyar da yamma] → _____
- [muna] + [cin abinci] + [da tsakar rana] → _____
- [suna] + [hutawa] + [Lahadi] → _____
- [kana] + [rubutu] + [a ofis] → _____
- [kina] + [sauraro] + [yanzu] → _____
Atisayen B — Zaɓi madaidaicin nau'in (Choose the correct form):
Choose the correct continuative subject form for each sentence. Pay attention to person and gender.
- Bilkisu _____ yin aiki a asibiti. (She works at the hospital.) → yana / tana / muna
- Audu da Musa _____ karatu a makaranta. (Audu and Musa study at school.) → suna / yana / kana
- Mu biyar _____ cin abinci tare. (The five of us are eating together.) → suna / muna / kuna
- Kina ko kana — to a female colleague: "_____ tafiya aiki kullum?" → kana / kina / tana
- _____ koyo Hausa. (I am learning Hausa.) → yana / ina / tana
Atisayen C — Suna yi me? (What are they doing?):
Look at each picture description below. Write a complete Hausa continuative sentence describing what the person is doing. Use the correct subject form.
- Fatima (female) — she is cooking.
- Garba (male) — he is reading.
- Amina and her sister (two females) — they are washing clothes.
- You (use first person) — you are writing.
- Your colleague Hassan (male) — he is going to work.
- A group of students — they are listening.
Atisayen D — Tambayoyin lokaci (Time questions):
Write the question and a plausible Hausa answer for each prompt.
- Ask a male colleague what time it is.
- Ask a female colleague what she is doing right now.
- Ask a male friend what time he goes to work.
- Say that it is half past seven in the morning.
- Say that you eat at noon.
Atisayen E — Jerin ayyuka (Routine sequence):
Write four sentences describing your morning routine in order. Use one connector from the vocabulary table in each sentence: da farko, sa'an nan, bayan haka, a ƙarshe. Include at least two different verbal nouns and two different time expressions.
Model Dialogue
Yanayin hali: Ofis a Kano, safe da wuri. Bilkisu — malama ce wacce tana koyarwa a makaranta ta gwamnati — ta zo ofis don wata taro kafin darasi ta fara. Tana magana da Usman, ɗan aiki a ofis ɗin. Su biyun suna sha shayi kafin su fara aiki.
(Setting: An office in Kano, early morning. Bilkisu — a teacher at a government school — has come to the office for a meeting before her class begins. She is speaking with Usman, an office worker. The two are having tea before starting work.)
Vocabulary notes for the dialogue: da wuri = early; tana da nisa = it is far (possession with da from Chapter 6); nakan tashi = I habitually get up (habitual form — recognition only); yin sallah = praying; fitar da yara makaranta = seeing the children off to school; hawa mota = getting in a car/vehicle; kai! = exclamation of surprise; da gaske = really, truly; littafi = book; azuzuwa na ƙasa = lower classes/grades; rahotanni = reports; mai daɗi = pleasant, enjoyable; ɗaukar lokaci mai yawa = taking a lot of time. Items marked (habitual form — recognition only) are for recognition; items involving da possession and akwai recycle Chapter 6 grammar.
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- What time does Bilkisu leave home? What time does Usman go to work?
- List, in order, the four things Bilkisu does before leaving home. Write them in Hausa continuative sentences.
- What does Bilkisu do on Saturday? What does the family do on Sunday?
- What two things does Bilkisu do in the morning at school? Write each as a continuative sentence.
- Find one example of the habitual -kan- form in the dialogue. Write it and identify whose routine it describes.
- Find two sequence connectors in the dialogue. Write the full sentence for each and give the English meaning.
Listening
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passages aloud. Complete the tasks after listening.
Sauraro na A — Jadawalin Musa (Musa's schedule)
"Sunana Musa ne. Ina tashi da ƙarfe shida da rabi da safe. Da farko, ina yin wanka. Sa'an nan ina sha shayi. Bayan haka, ina tafiya aiki da ƙarfe takwas. Ina aiki a ofis daga ƙarfe takwas zuwa ƙarfe biyu da yamma. Da tsakar rana, ina cin abinci a kantin ofis. A ƙarshe, ina tafiya gida da ƙarfe biyu da rabi da yamma. Da dare, ina karatu kaɗan sa'an nan ina barci da ƙarfe goma."
Sauraro na B — Tattaunawa gajera (Short conversation)
"Me kake yi yanzu?" — "Ina rubutu." — "Kana rubutu Litinin ko Talata?" — "Kullum — ina rubutu kullum da safe." — "Kuma da yamma?" — "Da yamma ina koyarwa. Ina koyarwa Laraba da Alhamis da yamma."
Sauraro na C — Ranakun mako (Days of the week)
"Yaushe kake tafiya kasuwa?" — "Talata da Juma'a." — "Asabar kuma?" — "A'a, ina hutawa Asabar. Asabar, ina karanta littafi da yamma." — "Lahadi?" — "Lahadi, muna tafiya wurin iyali."
Sauraro na D — Lokaci (Time)
"Nawa ne ƙarfe?" — "Ƙarfe goma sha ɗaya ne." — "Da safe ne ko da yamma?" — "Da safe. Nawa ne ƙarfe da ke nan?" — "Ƙarfe biyu da rabi da yamma ne." — "Kai, ina da taro da ƙarfe uku! Da gaggawa!"
Kula na A — Cike jadawali (Complete the schedule): Listen to Sauraro na A. Fill in Musa's schedule by writing a Hausa sentence for each time slot: 6:30 a.m., morning departure, noon, 2:30 p.m., evening.
Kula na B — Gaskiya ko ƙarya? (True or false?): Listen to Sauraro na B. Mark T (true) or F (false) and correct the false statements.
(a) The speaker writes every day. (b) He writes in the evening. (c) He teaches on Mondays and Tuesdays. (d) He teaches in the afternoon.
Kula na C — Amsoshi (Answers): Listen to Sauraro na C. Answer in complete Hausa sentences: (1) On which days does the speaker go to market? (2) What does he do on Saturday? (3) What does the family do on Sunday?
Kula na D — Lokaci (Time): Listen to Sauraro na D. Write each time mentioned, first as a numeral and then in Hausa words. Identify whether each time is morning, afternoon, or evening.
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. They were written for learners at this level. As you read, identify each continuative construction and the connector words that sequence the activities.
Rubutu na 1 — Ranata (My day) — Zainab
Sunana Zainab ce. Malama ce a makaranta ta gwamnati a Kano. Ina tashi da ƙarfe biyar da rabi kullum. Da farko, ina yin wanka da sanyi. Sa'an nan, ina taimaka wa yara da fagen gida — suna cin abinci, na kuma duba su. Bayan haka, muna tafiya tare: su zuwa makaranta, ni zuwa aikin koyarwa. Ina koyarwa daga ƙarfe takwas zuwa ƙarfe goma sha biyu. Da tsakar rana, ina karanta rubutu ɗalibai. Da yamma, ina tafiya gida. A ƙarshe, ina dafuwa da dare — ina cin abinci da iyali da ƙarfe takwas da dare.
Words for recognition: sanyi = cold water (here: cold-water wash); taimaka wa = help (someone); fagen gida = the household/home tasks; duba = check on, look after; zuwa = going to (direction); rubutu ɗalibai = students' written work.
Rubutu na 2 — Jadawali (A schedule) — Kwame's work week
Kwame dan kasuwa ne a Kano. Yana yin aiki Litinin zuwa Juma'a. Da safe kullum, yana sha kofi sa'an nan yana buɗe shago da ƙarfe takwas. Talata da Laraba, yana tafiya kasuwa babba don saye. Alhamis, yana karanta takardun kasuwanci. Juma'a, yana rufe shago da ƙarfe ɗaya da yamma don tafiya masallaci. Asabar da Lahadi, yana hutawa — yana sauraron rediyo da yamma da dare.
Words for recognition: kofi = coffee; buɗe shago = open the shop; kasuwa babba = the main market; takardun kasuwanci = business papers/documents; rufe shago = close the shop; masallaci = mosque; rediyo = radio.
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- At what time does Zainab get up? Write the time in Hausa words.
- List four continuative constructions from Zainab's text. For each, identify the subject form and the verbal noun.
- On which days does Kwame go to the main market? Write the days in Hausa.
- What does Kwame do on Friday afternoon? Write a complete Hausa sentence.
- Find all the sequence connectors in Zainab's text. Write each connector and the sentence that follows it.
- Both Zainab and Kwame rest on the weekend. How do their weekend activities differ? Use Hausa sentences to compare.
Writing Workshop
- Karanta samfuri. Reread Rubutu na 1 (Zainab's day). Underline every continuative construction — subject form plus verbal noun. Circle every connector word. Put a box around every time expression.
- Shirya bayananku. Plan your own daily-routine paragraph. Make notes (in English or Hausa) about five to seven activities you do on a typical weekday. For each activity, note: who does it, the verbal noun, and the time or day.
- Rubuta farkon rubutunka. Write 80–100 words describing your typical weekday in Hausa. Use the productive continuative throughout. Include at least four different verbal nouns from this chapter, at least two time expressions (clock times or parts of day), at least two days of the week or frequency words, and at least three sequence connectors.
- Duba da jerin bincike. Check your draft against the editing checklist before producing the final version.
- Rubuta siffa ta ƙarshe. Produce a clean final version for your portfolio.
Jerin binciken gyara — Editing checklist:
- Every continuative sentence uses the correct subject form for person, number, and gender.
- Every verbal noun is the verified form from the chapter table — not a guessed form.
- Time expressions come after the verbal noun, not before the subject form.
- Sequence connectors (da farko, sa'an nan, bayan haka, a ƙarshe) are used accurately and signal a real sequence.
- The hooked ƙ in ƙarfe and other words is written correctly — not replaced by plain k.
- Any other hooked letters (ɗ, ɓ) and the apostrophe consonant 'y are written correctly.
- Days of the week are spelled correctly and capitalized.
- Each sentence ends with a full stop. Names and sentence-initial words are capitalized.
- No habitual -kan- form has been produced independently — the continuative is used for regular activity with frequency words instead.
Speaking Practice
Atisayen ƙa'ida — Controlled substitution
With a partner or by yourself, practice the following substitution drill. Say the base sentence, then substitute the new element and say the complete new sentence. Focus on producing the correct continuative subject form for each person change.
Base: Ina karatu da safe.
Substitutions: (a) he → Yana karatu da safe. (b) she → _____ (c) we → _____ (d) they → _____ (e) you (male) → _____ (f) you (female) → _____
Then repeat with the base: Tana yin aiki kullum. Substitute in the same order.
Tambayar abokin aiki — Interview a partner
Interview a partner about their daily routine using these questions. After the interview, report the key facts about your partner to a third person (or record a summary). When interviewing a male partner, use kana; a female partner, use kina.
- Yaushe kake/kike tashi da safe?
- Me kake/kike yi da farko da safe?
- Wane aiki kake/kike yi kullum?
- Ina kake/kike cin abinci da tsakar rana?
- Ranakun mako — kake/kike hutawa?
- Nawa ne ƙarfe yanzu?
After interviewing, give a four-to-five sentence oral summary using third-person forms: Yana… / Tana…
Kwatanta jadawalin — Schedule comparison
Using the two reading texts (Zainab and Kwame), orally compare their weekday routines. Make at least four statements of comparison. For example: Zainab tana tashi da ƙarfe biyar da rabi, amma Kwame yana buɗe shago da ƙarfe takwas. You may use amma (but) and kuma (and, also) as connectors. This is preparation for the formal comparison system introduced in Chapter 18.
Madadin karatu kai tsaye — Solo alternative
Record yourself: (1) Describing your morning routine from getting up to leaving home in five connected sentences, using sequence connectors; (2) Answering these three questions with genuine or plausible information: Yaushe kake/kike tashi? · Me kake/kike yi kullum da yamma? · Wane lokaci kake/kike barci?; (3) Saying the time for: 7:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 3:30 p.m., 10:00 p.m. Listen back and check for correct verbal nouns and accurate pronunciation of ƙarfe.
Culture and Communication
When you describe your daily routine to a Hausa speaker, you are entering a conversation that has many possible shapes. Daily schedules in Hausa-speaking communities — like anywhere in the world — vary enormously by occupation, family structure, location, religious practice, and personal habit. A schoolteacher in Kano, a farmer in rural Niger, a trader in Accra's Hausa quarter, and a university student in Kaduna will have daily rhythms that look very different from one another.
One variable that often appears in conversations about daily routine is the structure of Islamic prayers, which are observed five times each day by many (though not all) Hausa speakers. These prayer times — Fajr (pre-dawn), Zuhr (midday), Asr (mid-afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), and Isha'i (night) — often serve as natural anchors for scheduling. You may hear someone say they do something bayan sallah (after prayer) rather than naming a clock time. This is not unusual, and understanding it helps you interpret schedules accurately. The dialogues in this chapter reference prayer time without making it the only framework.
When asking someone about their routine, it is polite to show interest in what they describe rather than assuming your own schedule is the norm. Asking Kana/kina hutawa yaushe? (When do you rest?) or Yaushe kake/kike cin abinci? (When do you eat?) opens a genuine conversation about how another person organizes their day.
Market days are an important organizing principle in many Hausa-speaking communities. In towns and cities across northern Nigeria and Niger, particular markets operate on specific days of the week, and some communities even take their name from their market day (a common pattern across West Africa). For traders and farmers, the market-day schedule structures the entire week — determining when goods are bought and sold, when travel happens, and when social contact is most dense.
For learners, this means that when you ask a Hausa speaker Yaushe kake tafiya kasuwa? (When do you go to the market?), the answer may be specific to the local market schedule rather than a general preference. Talata (Tuesday) might be the answer not because the person prefers Tuesdays, but because that is the day the market operates in their town.
Friday (Juma'a) holds special significance in many Muslim communities as the day of congregational prayer. In some settings, this affects working hours and the rhythm of business. The reading passage about Kwame reflects one version of this reality — he closes his shop early on Friday. This is a feature of many but not all businesses in Hausa-speaking areas, and it varies by community, individual practice, and context.
Some daily-activity vocabulary differs between Nigerian and Nigerien Hausa, and between urban and rural registers. A few items to be aware of at this stage:
Cooking: The verb dafa abinci and its verbal noun dafuwa are widely used for cooking. You may also encounter girki (cooking, especially in certain contexts and regions) — this is listed as receptive for this chapter.
Going to work: Tafi aiki is the common productive expression. In some contexts, especially in Niger, you may encounter je aiki or similar constructions. This course uses tafi as the standard productive form.
Coffee versus tea: Both kofi (coffee) and shayi (tea) appear in this chapter's dialogue and reading. Tea — especially the sweetened, spiced Hausa tea or the West African ataya (Mauritanian-style gunpowder tea) — is widely consumed in northern Hausa-speaking communities. Coffee is present but less universally the morning default than it might be in other cultural contexts. Do not assume that "morning drink" means coffee.
Common Mistakes
Error: Ina karanta. (using the citation verb karanta instead of the verbal noun karatu)
Correction: Ina karatu. — In the continuative construction, the element after the subject form must be the verbal noun, not the citation form of the verb. The verbal noun for karanta (to read, to study) is karatu — a different word. This is not a small variation; using the citation verb here produces an unnatural or unclear sentence. The same applies throughout: Ina yin wanka (not Ina yi wanka); Ina tashiwa (not Ina tashi). Always learn the verbal noun alongside the verb.
Error: Yana karatu when referring to a female person, or Tana karatu when referring to a male person.
Correction: Yana karatu — for a male; Tana karatu — for a female. The third-person singular forms carry gender. Using the wrong one creates a genuine error that a Hausa speaker will notice, not just a stylistic preference. The same applies in the second person: kana when speaking to a male, kina when speaking to a female. Make a habit of asking: who is the subject, and what is their gender? Then select accordingly.
Error: Da safe ina karatu. (placing the time expression before the subject form as though time always comes first)
Correction: Ina karatu da safe. — In the standard continuative pattern, time expressions typically follow the verbal noun: subject form + verbal noun + time/location. The time expression can be moved to sentence-initial position for emphasis or contrast, but this is a specific communicative choice, not the default. When beginning a sequence (Da farko…), the connector is fronted — but what follows it is still the full continuative construction: Da farko, ina tashiwa.
Error: Ni ina karatu da safe. as a neutral statement of routine
Correction: Ina karatu da safe. — The continuative subject form already encodes the first-person singular. Adding ni before ina in a plain statement is unusual and sounds contrastive or emphatic: "It is I who study in the morning (not someone else)." That emphasis may occasionally be exactly what you want, but it is not the default for describing a routine. Use the continuative form alone in ordinary descriptions.
Error: karfe biyu (using plain k instead of hooked ƙ)
Correction: ƙarfe biyu — The word for "o'clock / hour" begins with ƙ, the ejective velar stop. Writing it with plain k is a Boko spelling error. Since time expressions appear in almost every routine description, this mistake is likely to appear many times if you are not careful. Check every time expression you write: the first letter of ƙarfe must always be the hooked form. If your keyboard does not produce ƙ easily, find a Unicode input method or character map — substituting k is not acceptable in Boko writing.
Error: Attempting to produce Nakan karatu, Yakan yin aiki, etc. as a productive form in written or spoken exercises in this chapter.
Correction: Use the plain continuative plus a frequency word: Ina karatu kullum. (I study every day.) — The habitual -kan- form is introduced for recognition only in this chapter. Its full production rules and contexts are taught in Chapter 19. Using it now without that foundation risks producing an incorrect or unnatural form. The plain continuative with kullum, koyaushe, or sau da yawa is fully adequate and natural for expressing regular habits at this level.
Chapter Review
Sashi na A — Kalmomi (Vocabulary)
1. Give the citation verb and verbal noun for: cook, study/read, sleep, wash (clothes), go to work.
2. Name all seven days of the week in Hausa, in order from Sunday to Saturday.
3. Give the Hausa for: morning, midday, afternoon/evening, night; and the adverbial phrases "in the morning," "at night."
4. Write the Hausa time expression for: 7:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 4:30 p.m., 9:00 p.m.
5. Give the Hausa for: now, every day, often, sometimes, then/after that, finally.
Sashi na B — Nahawu (Grammar)
1. Write the complete continuative subject-form paradigm (all eight forms) in a table with their English equivalents.
2. Form a continuative sentence for each prompt:
(a) I am studying right now. (b) She cooks every day. (c) They work at the office. (d) We rest on Sunday. (e) He drinks tea in the morning.
3. Write the continuative question for each prompt (use the correct relative-continuative form):
(a) Ask a male what he is doing. (b) Ask a female where she works. (c) Ask a male when he goes home.
4. Write a four-sentence sequence using: da farko, sa'an nan, bayan haka, a ƙarshe. Use four different verbal nouns. The sequence should describe a plausible afternoon routine.
5. Identify and correct the error in each sentence:
(a) Ina karanta kullum. (b) Ni ina tafiya aiki da safe. (c) Yana barci, amma tana barci. (These two people are both female.) (d) Muna hutawa karfe biyu. (ƙ missing)
Sashi na C — Karatu (Reading)
1. Reread Rubutu na 2 (Kwame's week). List every day mentioned and the activity associated with it.
2. Find three continuative constructions in Zainab's text. For each, write: (a) the subject form, (b) the verbal noun, (c) the time expression if present.
3. The habitual form nakan tashi appeared in the model dialogue. Write it, identify it as a habitual form (recognition only), and give the plain continuative equivalent that you would produce.
Sashi na D — Rubutu (Writing)
1. Write an 80–100-word Hausa paragraph describing a typical weekday for you or a fictional person. Include at least five different verbal nouns, two clock times, three days or frequency words, and three sequence connectors. Apply the editing checklist before submitting.
Sashi na E — Magana (Speaking)
1. Without notes, answer the following questions with genuine or plausible responses in full Hausa sentences: Yaushe kake/kike tashi da safe? · Me kake/kike yi da tsakar rana? · Yaushe kake/kike barci? · Ranakun mako, kake/kike hutawa?
Bitar gaba ɗaya — Cumulative review (Chapters 1–6)
1. Greet a partner appropriately for the time of day and ask how they are. Exchange names and professions. Use forms from Chapters 1–3.
2. Use akwai to say there is a clock in the classroom and babu to say there is no schedule on the wall. (Chapter 6 vocabulary.)
3. Write one possession sentence with da (Chapter 6): state that Bilkisu has a busy schedule. Then add a continuative sentence saying what she does every day.
4. Write a negative identification sentence using ba … ba ne/ce (Chapter 3): "He is not a farmer — he is an office worker."
Chapter Performance Task
Aikin Aiwatarwa
Gabatar da Jadawalinka — Present Your Schedule
You are participating in a language-exchange event where participants share their weekly routines with each other. Complete the oral and written components below.
- Oral component — Jawabin jadawali: Without notes, give a two-to-three-minute spoken description of your typical weekday routine from morning to night. Use at least six continuative constructions with different subject forms and verbal nouns, at least three time expressions (including at least two clock times), at least two sequence connectors, and at least two frequency words. After your presentation, your partner or the group asks two follow-up questions in Hausa — answer them without notes.
- Written component — Rubutu game da mako: Write an 80–100-word Hausa paragraph comparing your weekday routine with your weekend routine. Use continuative constructions throughout. Include: what you do on at least two specific weekdays, what you do on Saturday and Sunday, and one contrast using amma (but). Apply the editing checklist.
- Time check: During either component, correctly state two different times of day using ƙarfe — once with a simple hour and once with da rabi (half past) or da kwata (quarter past).
Evaluation criteria: correct continuative subject forms for all persons and genders used; correct verbal nouns (not citation verbs); accurate time expressions with ƙarfe written with the hooked letter; effective use of sequence and frequency vocabulary; intelligible tone and rhythm across continuative constructions; accurate Boko spelling throughout.
Answer Key / Amsoshi
Atisayen A — Build the continuative
- Ina karatu da safe.
- Yana yin aiki kullum.
- Tana dafuwa ƙarfe biyar da yamma.
- Muna cin abinci da tsakar rana.
- Suna hutawa Lahadi.
- Kana rubutu a ofis.
- Kina sauraro yanzu.
Atisayen B — Choose the correct form
- tana (Bilkisu is female)
- suna (Audu da Musa = plural)
- muna (mu biyar = we five)
- kina (addressing a female colleague)
- ina (first person singular)
Atisayen C — What are they doing? (sample answers)
- Tana dafuwa.
- Yana karatu.
- Suna wankewa.
- Ina rubutu.
- Yana tafiya aiki.
- Suna sauraro.
Atisayen D — Time questions (sample answers)
- Q: Nawa ne ƙarfe? / Wane lokaci ne? A: Ƙarfe [number] ne. (actual time varies)
- Q: Me kike yi yanzu? A: Ina … [appropriate verbal noun].
- Q: Nawa ne ƙarfe kake tafiya aiki? A: Ina tafiya aiki da ƙarfe [number].
- Ƙarfe bakwai da rabi da safe ne.
- Ina cin abinci da tsakar rana. / Ina cin abinci da ƙarfe goma sha biyu.
Bitar gaba ɗaya — Sashi na B (Grammar review)
Question 2: (a) Ina karatu yanzu. (b) Tana dafuwa kullum. (c) Suna yin aiki a ofis. (d) Muna hutawa Lahadi. (e) Yana shayan shayi da safe.
Question 3: (a) Me kake yi? (b) Ina kike aiki? (c) Yaushe kake tafiya gida?
Question 4 (sample sequence): Da farko, ina karatu. Sa'an nan, ina sha ruwa. Bayan haka, ina tafiya kasuwa. A ƙarshe, ina tafiya gida. (Other accurate sequences are equally acceptable.)
Question 5 — Error correction:
(a) Ina karanta kullum → Ina karatu kullum. (citation verb → verbal noun)
(b) Ni ina tafiya aiki da safe → Ina tafiya aiki da safe. (remove the unnecessary independent pronoun in a plain statement)
(c) Both subjects are female: Tana barci, kuma tana barci. or rewrite using names to distinguish: Halima tana barci, Amina kuma tana barci.
(d) Muna hutawa karfe biyu → Muna hutawa ƙarfe biyu. (plain k → hooked ƙ)
Kula na A — Musa's schedule (expected responses)
6:30 a.m.: Yana tashi da ƙarfe shida da rabi da safe. Morning: Yana yin wanka; yana sha shayi; yana tafiya aiki da ƙarfe takwas. Noon: Yana cin abinci a kantin ofis. 2:30 p.m.: Yana tafiya gida da ƙarfe biyu da rabi. Evening: Yana karatu kaɗan sa'an nan yana barci da ƙarfe goma.
Kula na B — True or false?
(a) T — he writes every day. (b) F — he writes in the morning, not the evening. (c) F — he teaches on Wednesday and Thursday, not Monday and Tuesday. (d) T — he teaches in the afternoon.
Kula na C — Schedule answers (sample)
(1) Yana tafiya kasuwa Talata da Juma'a. (2) Yana karanta littafi da yamma Asabar. (3) Suna tafiya wurin iyali Lahadi.
Kula na D — Time
11:00 a.m.: ƙarfe goma sha ɗaya — morning. 2:30 p.m.: ƙarfe biyu da rabi — afternoon. 3:00 p.m. (implied by the meeting): ƙarfe uku — afternoon.
Tambayoyin karatu (Reading comprehension)
- Ƙarfe biyar da rabi da safe.
- Sample four constructions: Ina tashi (subject: ina; verbal noun: tashiwa); Ina yin wanka (subject: ina; verbal noun: yin wanka); Ina koyarwa (subject: ina; verbal noun: koyarwa); Ina dafuwa (subject: ina; verbal noun: dafuwa). Other valid constructions accepted.
- Talata da Laraba.
- Yana rufe shago da ƙarfe ɗaya da yamma don tafiya masallaci.
- Connectors in Zainab's text: Da farko (first she bathed); Sa'an nan (then helped the children); Bayan haka (then left together); A ƙarshe (finally ate at night). Accept any accurately quoted sentence-connector pair.
- Sample contrast: Zainab tana karanta rubutu ɗalibai da yamma, amma Kwame yana hutawa Asabar da Lahadi. Accept any accurate comparison using the texts.
Bitar gaba ɗaya — Sashi na C cumulative
Question 2: Akwai agogo a cikin aji. Babu jadawali a bango. (akwai/babu from Chapter 6; agogo = clock; jadawali = schedule; bango = wall.)
Question 3: Bilkisu tana da jadawali mai ɗaukar lokaci. Tana koyarwa kullum. (Other accurate possession and continuative sentences accepted.)
Question 4: Ba manomi ba ne — ma'aikaci ne a ofis. (Masculine identification; adjust to ce if the referent is female.)
Looking Ahead
Abin da ka/ki koya yanzu — What you know now
This chapter introduced the most important grammatical tool of Unit II: the Hausa continuative construction. You can now describe ongoing and regular activities for any person, number, and gender using the correct subject form and verified verbal noun. You can tell and ask the time, name the days of the week, use frequency and sequence expressions to connect activities into a coherent routine, and recognize (but not yet produce) the habitual -kan- form. The continuative construction you have learned here also explains the formulaic expressions from Chapters 3 and 6 — Ina magana da…, ina zaune a…, yana zaune a… — which you now understand as continuative subject form plus verbal noun. Every chapter from here to Chapter 20 will use and recycle the continuative. It is the foundation of expressing what people do, and you will build on it in every remaining unit.