A Wurin Aiki da Makaranta
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Name common occupations, workplaces, school subjects, and study-related activities in Hausa.
- Describe a work or school schedule using continuative forms and time expressions reviewed from Chapter 7.
- State future plans and predictions using the productive future construction with za.
- Negate future plans using the discontinuous pattern ba … ba with the appropriate future subject form.
- Express purpose — explaining why you will do something — using domin and its common alternatives.
- Review and apply ability with iya and necessity with dole from Chapter 13 in new work and school contexts.
- Use object pronouns reviewed from Chapter 9 in practical work and school sentences.
- Write a practical email-style message about duties and upcoming plans.
Communication Scenario
You have a colleague in another city who wants to understand what your work week looks like and what you have planned for the coming days. You also need to send a short written message to a supervisor or teacher explaining what you are working on and what you will do next. This chapter prepares you to describe your occupation, responsibilities, and schedule — and to talk about the future in Hausa for the first time as a fully productive skill.
- Up until now, every Hausa construction you have used productively has described something happening now, regularly, or as a general condition. In this chapter you add a genuinely new perspective: the ability to speak about what will happen. This requires a new subject-form set used together with the particle za. As you study this construction, notice that Hausa future meaning is built out of a subject form plus a particle, not out of a special ending attached to the lexical verb — a pattern quite unlike the way many European languages handle future tense.
- The concept of "purpose" — saying why you will do something — is closely tied to future and desired-action meaning. Hausa expresses purpose with a dedicated connector rather than with a relative clause or an infinitive construction as English often does. Learning to link an action to its purpose accurately is a key step toward producing connected, natural Hausa sentences and messages.
Core Vocabulary
Sana'o'i da wuraren aiki — Occupations and workplaces
Hausa occupation terms often have distinct masculine, feminine, and plural forms. Where the feminine is formed by changing the final vowel from -a to -iya, or by another regular pattern, the table notes it; where the forms are irregular or involve a separate word, both are shown. Plural forms must be learned as lexical items.
| Hausa (masculine / feminine) | English | Plural (selected) | Workplace |
|---|---|---|---|
| malami / malama | teacher (m. / f.) | malamai | makaranta (school) |
| likita / likita | doctor (m. or f.) | likitoci | asibiti (hospital, clinic) |
| ma'aikaci / ma'aikaciya | worker, employee (m. / f.) | ma'aikata | ofis (office) |
| ɗalibi / ɗaliba | student (m. / f.) | ɗalibai | makaranta / jami'a (university) |
| manomi / manomiya | farmer (m. / f.) | manoma | gona (farm) |
| ɗan kasuwa / 'yar kasuwa | trader, merchant (m. / f.) | yan kasuwa | kasuwa (market) |
| direban mota | driver (m. or f.) | direbobin mota | titin hanya (road, route) |
| ma'aikacin gwamnati | government employee | ma'aikata | ofishin gwamnati (government office) |
| mai siyarwa | seller, salesperson | masu siyarwa | shago / kasuwa (shop / market) |
Note on ɗalibi/ɗaliba: both ɗ characters must be written with the hook. Substituting plain d is a Boko error. ɗan kasuwa / 'yar kasuwa are noun phrases, not compound words; ɗan is the masculine linker form of ɗa (son/person of), and 'yar is the feminine equivalent — note the 'y which must never be replaced with plain y.
Fannonin karatu da ayyukan makaranta — School subjects and study activities
| Hausa | English |
|---|---|
| lissafi | mathematics |
| Hausa | Hausa (language subject) |
| Ingilishi | English (language subject) |
| kimiyya | science |
| tarihi | history |
| labarin ƙasa | geography |
| addini | religious studies |
| fasaha | arts and crafts, vocational skills |
| karatu | studying, reading; education (verbal noun of karanta) |
| rubutu | writing; handwriting (verbal noun of rubuta) |
| jarrabawa | examination, test |
| aji | class, classroom (reviewed from Chapter 2) |
| darasin gida | homework (literally "home lesson") |
Kayan aiki da sadarwa — Tools and communication
| Hausa | English |
|---|---|
| waya | phone (also "wire, electricity") |
| kwamfuta | computer |
| takarda | paper, document |
| wasiƙa | letter, written message |
| imel | |
| taro | meeting, gathering |
| rahoton aiki | work report |
| jadawali | schedule, timetable |
Lokaci da tsarin makwanci — Time and weekly schedule
| Hausa | English |
|---|---|
| sati | week |
| wannan sati | this week |
| mako mai zuwa | next week (literally "the coming week") |
| gobe | tomorrow |
| jibi | the day after tomorrow |
| jiya | yesterday (reviewed from Chapter 7) |
| da wuri | early |
| a kan lokaci | on time |
| bayan haka | after that |
| nan gaba | in the future, ahead |
Haɗin jumla na manufa — Purpose connectors
| Hausa | English equivalent | Register note |
|---|---|---|
| domin | in order to, so that, because | common in speech and writing; default productive form for this chapter |
| don | for, in order to, because | shorter form, very common; often interchangeable with domin in many contexts |
| saboda | because of, due to | introduces a cause or reason (reviewed from Chapter 12) |
Domin and don can both introduce a purpose clause ("in order to …") or a reason clause ("because …"). Context and the clause that follows determine the meaning. This chapter focuses on the purpose use. The difference between domin and don is primarily one of register and speech rhythm rather than meaning; both are correct, and learners should expect to encounter either in authentic Hausa.
Pronunciation and Boko
Tone and length in future subject forms
The future construction introduces a new set of short subject forms. Several of these are phonetically similar to forms you already know from the continuative, and distinguishing them depends on tone and vowel quality rather than on spelling differences visible in ordinary Boko. For example, the first-person singular future marker is commonly contracted as zan, which must be clearly distinguished in speech from continuative ina or the independent pronoun ni. Listen carefully to your audio or instructor model for each future form and practice them in full phrases before moving to open production.
The future particle za and the subject forms that follow it are short, and they can run together in connected speech. When you practice sentences such as Za mu je makaranta gobe ("We will go to school tomorrow"), be careful to produce each element distinctly rather than merging za and mu into an unclear blur. This matters because changing the subject form changes the person, number, or gender of the statement entirely. Slow down slightly on future sentences until the forms feel secure, then build up speed.
The first-person singular future form zan is a contraction that must be recognized and used accurately — it is not simply za + ni inserted side by side. Similarly, the third-person masculine singular future form is commonly zai. Both of these contracted forms must be learned as units.
Multi-clause phrasing and purpose expressions
Sentences with domin join two clauses — an action and its purpose. In speech, a brief natural pause or a slight change in intonation typically marks the boundary between the main clause and the purpose clause. Practice the example sentences in the grammar section by speaking them aloud in full, noting where you would naturally breathe or pause. Do not treat the connector as a separate stressable word; it tends to flow on from the preceding clause without heavy stress.
Writing school and workplace vocabulary accurately
Several vocabulary items in this chapter contain letters that require careful attention in Boko. ɗalibi and ɗaliba each begin with hooked ɗ. The plural ɗalibai keeps the hook. ɗan kasuwa and 'yar kasuwa both require special characters: the ɗ in ɗan and the 'y in 'yar. Writing these as dan kasuwa or yar kasuwa with plain letters is a Boko error that must be avoided in all written work.
Review the principle from Chapter 1: ordinary Boko uses four special characters — ɓ, ɗ, ƙ, and 'y — that must never be replaced with their plain-letter counterparts. This chapter's vocabulary is particularly rich in ɗ-initial words. When writing on paper, verify that the hook faces the correct direction. When typing, ensure your device supports Unicode and that you are not accidentally substituting a plain letter. The chapter review and writing workshop both include items specifically targeting these letters in the context of occupation and study vocabulary.
Grammar Instruction
14.1 The future construction with za — introducing productive future reference
Purpose: state what will happen or what someone plans to do, using the future particle za and the appropriate future subject form.
Until now, all the aspect constructions you have used productively have described situations happening now, regularly, or as a general state. In Chapter 14, you add the future: describing what has not yet happened but is planned, predicted, or expected. Hausa builds future meaning with the particle za followed by a short subject-form set. The lexical verb follows in its base form. This is the complete structure — there is no special future ending added to the verb itself.
The future subject forms follow za. Several contain contractions that must be learned as units:
| Person / Gender | Future subject form | Example with verb je (to go) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | zan | Zan je makaranta gobe. | I will go to school tomorrow. |
| 2nd sg. | za ka (m.) / za ki (f.) | Za ka je ofis? | Will you (m.) go to the office? |
| 3rd sg. m. | zai | Zai je gona da wuri. | He will go to the farm early. |
| 3rd sg. f. | za ta | Za ta je asibiti yau. | She will go to the clinic today. |
| 1st pl. | za mu | Za mu yi taro gobe. | We will hold a meeting tomorrow. |
| 2nd pl. | za ku | Za ku rubuta jarrabawa jibi? | Will you (pl.) write the exam the day after tomorrow? |
| 3rd pl. | za su | Za su iso da wuri. | They will arrive early. |
Key contractions: zan is the standard contracted form for first-person singular (not za ni in careful standard usage). zai is the standard contracted form for third-person masculine singular. Both are in common use and must be learned as single units rather than as za + ni or za + shi placed separately.
English speakers sometimes expect a "future tense" to show up as a change in the verb itself — the way English adds will as a separate word, or the way some languages change a verb ending. In Hausa, the lexical verb in a future sentence looks the same as it does in other constructions. What marks the future is the particle za plus the appropriate subject form that follows it. In Zan rubuta wasiƙa gobe ("I will write a letter tomorrow"), the verb rubuta carries no future marker at all; the future meaning comes entirely from zan.
This means that when you switch from a continuative sentence to a future sentence, only the subject-form element changes — the verb and time expression can remain the same. Compare: Ina rubuta wasiƙa (I am writing a letter) → Zan rubuta wasiƙa gobe (I will write a letter tomorrow). The difference is entirely in the subject form.
14.2 The negative future — ba … ba with future subject forms
Purpose: state what will not happen, using the discontinuous negative pattern ba … ba with the future subject form.
Just as the continuative and possession constructions have their own specific negative patterns, the future has its own too. The negative future uses the discontinuous ba … ba frame with the future subject form in its place. The structure is: ba + future subject form + verb + (object/complement) + ba.
- Ba zan je ofis ba gobe.I will not go to the office tomorrow.ba + zan + je + ofis + ba
- Ba zai zo taro ba.He will not come to the meeting.
- Ba za mu rubuta jarrabawa ba a wannan sati.We will not write the exam this week.
- Ba za ki iya zuwa ba yau?Will you (f.) not be able to come today?
A very common mistake is to write or say only the first ba, by analogy with negation in some other languages. In the Hausa future negative, both parts of the frame are required: ba … ba wraps around the future subject form and the rest of the predicate. Ending the sentence without the second ba is incomplete — it leaves the negation frame open. Whenever you write a negative future sentence, make sure your sentence ends with ba (or has ba before any following time expression).
14.3 Expressing purpose with domin
Purpose: explain why an action will be done, linking a planned activity to its goal using domin.
Hausa uses domin (or its shorter form don) to introduce a purpose clause: the reason or goal that motivates an action. The main clause describes the action; domin then introduces the purpose. The verb in the purpose clause may be a continuative form or a verbal noun depending on context, but for this chapter, keep purpose clauses using the same verb constructions already in your productive repertoire.
- Zan je makaranta gobe domin in yi jarrabawa.I will go to school tomorrow in order to take the exam.
- Tana karanta littafi domin ta koyi Hausa.She is reading a book in order to learn Hausa.
- Za mu tafi kasuwa don mu sayi kayan abinci.We will go to the market to buy food.
- Yana aiki tuƙuru domin ya tara kudi.He is working hard in order to save money.
- Malama ta rubuta takarda domin ta aika wa shugaba.The teacher wrote a document in order to send it to the director.
You will notice that the verb following domin in several examples above uses a short subject form that looks like a subjunctive — for example, in yi, ta koyi, mu sayi, ya tara. The full productive subjunctive system belongs to Chapters 11 and 17; treat the purpose-clause verb forms in these examples as formulaic patterns tied to specific sentences. Your task in this chapter is to use the domin connector productively to link an action to its purpose, not to construct purpose clauses with freely chosen new subjunctive forms.
English speakers naturally want to translate a purpose clause with "to + verb": "I will go to school to take the exam." Hausa does not use an infinitive construction for this. Instead, it uses a connector (domin or don) followed by a full clause with its own subject reference. This means that even when the subject of the purpose clause is the same as the subject of the main clause, Hausa typically marks that subject reference inside the purpose clause rather than dropping it as English drops "I" in "I will go to school to take the exam." Treat each domin sentence as two connected clauses, not as a main verb plus a bare infinitive.
The first sentence shows an affirmative future plus a purpose connector. The second contrasts a negative future with an affirmative alternative. Both patterns are fully productive in this chapter.
14.4 Reviewing ability and necessity in work and school contexts
Purpose: apply iya (ability) and dole (necessity) from Chapter 13 in new work and school sentences.
In Chapter 13, you learned to express ability with iya and necessity with dole in health contexts. Those same constructions now extend naturally to work and study responsibilities. The patterns remain identical; only the vocabulary changes. Review these frames and practice them with the new occupational and academic vocabulary in this chapter.
- Yana iya yin lissafi sosai.He can do mathematics well.
- Ba ta iya zuwa taro ba yau.She cannot come to the meeting today.
- Dole in gama rahoton aiki kafin gobe.I must finish the work report before tomorrow.
- Dole su zo makaranta da wuri.They must come to school early.
- Zan iya aika da imel gobe safe.I will be able to send the email tomorrow morning.
Note the last example above: ability and future meaning can combine. Zan iya … means "I will be able to …" — the future subject form zan establishes future reference, and iya carries the ability meaning. This combination is fully natural and does not require any additional explanation beyond what you already know.
14.5 Object-pronoun review in work and school sentences
Purpose: apply direct-object pronouns from Chapter 9 in practical messages and schedules, using verified verb forms.
Work and school communication regularly involves referring back to people or things already mentioned — "I will send it tomorrow," "Did you read it?" These uses require the direct-object pronouns introduced in Chapter 9. The examples below recycle those pronouns in future and continuative sentences, using verbs whose object-conditioned forms are already in your repertoire.
- Takarda tana nan — zan aike ta gobe.The document is here — I will send it tomorrow. (ta = it, referring to the feminine noun takarda)
- Rahoton ya shiryu — malami zai karanta shi.The report is ready — the teacher will read it. (shi = it, masculine)
- Ɗalibai suna nan — malama tana koyar da su.The students are here — the teacher (f.) is teaching them.
- Wasiƙa ta zo — ka karanta ta?The letter has arrived — did you read it? (recognition-only completive; full productive completive in Chapter 16)
The last example introduces a completive verb form for recognition. Do not use the completive productively yet; Chapter 16 introduces it fully. All other sentences above are fully within your productive scope.
Practice exercises
Atisayen A — Cike teburin (Complete the future paradigm):
Translate each English sentence into Hausa using the future construction with za. Use the verb given.
- I will go to the office tomorrow. (verb: je)
- She will write the report. (verb: rubuta)
- They will come to the meeting. (verb: zo)
- We will not go to school today. (verb: je — use negative future)
- Will you (m. sg.) send the email? (verb: aika)
- He will not be able to attend. (combine future + iya + negative)
Atisayen B — Ƙirƙira jumla da domin (Build sentences with domin):
Combine each pair of ideas into one Hausa sentence using domin or don.
- Main action: I will go to school. Purpose: to study mathematics.
- Main action: She is working hard. Purpose: to finish the report.
- Main action: We will go to the market. Purpose: to buy food.
- Main action: He will send a letter. Purpose: to inform the teacher.
Atisayen C — Iya da dole (Ability and necessity):
Rewrite each sentence as directed.
- Yana zuwa taro. → He cannot come to the meeting. (use negative iya)
- Zan je makaranta. → I must go to school. (use dole)
- Tana rubuta rahoton. → She will be able to write the report. (add future)
- Write one original sentence using dole with a work or school context.
Atisayen D — Zamawar da jam'i/rukunin jumla (Object pronouns):
Replace the underlined noun object with the correct direct-object pronoun.
- Zan aika wasiƙa gobe.
- Za ta karanta takarda a ofis.
- Malami zai koyar da ɗalibai.
- Za mu gama rahoton aiki yau.
Model Dialogue
Yanayin hali: Layla ita ce malama a makaranta. Ibrahim abokin aikinta ne. Suna magana a farkon makon aiki game da shirye-shiryen mako mai zuwa.
(Setting: Layla is a teacher at a school. Ibrahim is her colleague. They are speaking at the beginning of the work week about plans for the coming week.)
Vocabulary notes for the dialogue: mai muhimmanci = important (having importance); kai kanka = you yourself, what about you; har = until; tattauna = to discuss; gabatar da = to present (a report or proposal); ɗan aiki = a small favour, a little task; taimaka = to help; lissafin ɗalibai = students' marks / scores; ba da wahala = no problem, it is no trouble; tare = together; Allah ya saka da alheri = a common courtesy expression of blessing, used when thanking someone for a service or favour (recognition only — formulaic).
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- What is happening to Layla's students the day after tomorrow? What does this mean for her work today and tomorrow?
- Why will Layla not have a meeting this week?
- What will Layla and Ibrahim do on Thursday, and what is the purpose?
- Find the sentence in which Ibrahim explains why he will write a report tomorrow. Write it in Hausa.
- What does Layla ask Ibrahim for help with? When, and why does she need help?
- Find one example of a negative future sentence in the dialogue. Identify both ba elements.
Listening
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following short passages aloud, twice each. Complete the tasks after listening.
Sauraro na A — Jadawalin aiki
"Zan je ofis da wuri gobe, domin akwai taro a ƙarfe tara na safe. Bayan taron, zan rubuta rahoton aiki domin in aika wa shugaba. Da yamma, ba zan iya yin komai ba — dole in je asibiti domin in duba ɗana."
Sauraro na B — Ɗalibi yana magana game da makaranta
"Sunana Amadu. Ɗalibi ne a jami'a. Ina karatu sosai wannan sati domin akwai jarrabawa ƙarfe huɗu na yamma. Dole in gama darasin gida kafin Talata. Ba zan sami lokaci don hutu ba — aiki ya yi yawa a wannan sati."
Sauraro na C — Tattaunawa game da shirye-shirye
"Za mu tafi gona mako mai zuwa — dole mu shirya kayan aiki a wannan sati. Ba za mu iya tafiya da Litinin ba domin akwai taro a ofis, amma za mu tafi da Talata da sassafe."
Kula na A — Cike tebur (Complete the table): Listen to Sauraro na A. Note: (1) why the speaker will go to the office early, (2) what they will do after the meeting, (3) why they cannot do other things in the evening.
Kula na B — Amsoshi: Listen to Sauraro na B. Answer in Hausa: (1) What is Amadu's occupation? (2) Why is he studying hard this week? (3) What must he finish before Tuesday?
Kula na C — Gaskiya ko ƙarya? Listen to Sauraro na C. Mark T (true) or F (false) and correct the false statements.
(a) Za su tafi gona wannan sati. (b) Ba za su iya tafiya da Litinin ba. (c) Za su tafi gona da Talata da sassafe.
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 have been written for learners at this stage of the course. As you read, identify all future sentences, any purpose expressions, and any statements of ability or necessity.
Rubutu na 1 — Wasiƙa ta imel (A work email)
Daga: Kande Diallo
Zuwa: Alhaji Musa Garba
Taken: Shirye-shiryen taro na Alhamis
Assalamu alaikum, Alhaji Musa.
Zan zo taron Alhamis da wuri domin in shirya kayan aiki. Rahoton aiki ya shiryu — zan kawo shi zuwa taro. Ba za mu iya tattauna duk abubuwan da ke jerin ba a wannan taro, amma dole mu fara da mafi muhimmanci.
Kuna iya aika min da jadawalin taro kafin Laraba? Ina buƙata domin in shirya tambayoyina.
Na gode da haɗin gwiwarku.
Kande
New words for recognition: taken = subject (of an email or document); assalamu alaikum = a widely used Islamic greeting, very common in Hausa correspondence across many settings; abubuwan da ke jerin = the items on the list (recognition only — relative continuative form); mafi muhimmanci = the most important (comparison, formally introduced in Chapter 18); haɗin gwiwa = cooperation.
Rubutu na 2 — Bayani game da aikin ɗalibi (A student's description of their studies)
Sunana Fatima Suleiman. Ɗaliba ce a jami'ar Bayero dake Kano. Ina karatu kimiyya — fanni mai wahala amma mai ban sha'awa. A wannan sati, akwai jarrabawa guda biyu: ɗaya a Talata, ɗayan kuma a Jumma'a.
Dole in yi karatu sosai a kowace rana domin in ci jarrabawar. Ba zan iya hutawa ba har jarrabawar ta ƙare. Bayan jarrabawar, zan huta kwana uku, sannan zan dawo zuwa makaranta domin in ci gaba da karatuna.
New words for recognition: fanni = field, discipline; mai ban sha'awa = interesting (literally "having what draws attention"); guda biyu = two (counting units); ci jarrabawa = to pass an exam (literally "to eat/take the exam"); hutawa = resting (verbal noun of huta); ta ƙare = it ends/finishes (3rd sg. f. completive, recognition only); kwana uku = three days; ci gaba da = to continue with.
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- In Rubutu na 1, why does Kande say she will arrive at the meeting early?
- What does Kande ask Alhaji Musa to send her, and why?
- In Rubutu na 2, what is Fatima studying and where?
- How many exams does Fatima have this week? When are they?
- What does Fatima plan to do after the exams?
- Find every use of domin or don in both texts. For each, identify the main action and the purpose it introduces.
- Find every negative future sentence in both texts. For each, write both ba elements.
Writing Workshop
- Karanta samfuri. Reread Rubutu na 1 (the work email) above. Underline every future sentence. Circle every use of domin or don. Put a box around any dole or iya expression. Note how the email is organized: greeting, main information, request, closing.
- Shirya bayananka. Choose a real or invented work or school situation. Decide: Who are you writing to? What is the subject? What will you do, and when? What is your purpose? What do you need from the reader?
- Rubuta farkon rubutunka. Write a short Hausa email or message of seven to nine sentences. Include: at least two future sentences, at least one negative future sentence, at least one domin or don purpose expression, and at least one use of dole or iya.
- 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 including a greeting, the body of your message, and a closing.
Jerin binciken gyara — Editing checklist:
- Each future sentence uses za followed by the correct subject form for the person, number, and gender intended. The contracted forms zan (1st sg.) and zai (3rd sg. m.) are used where required.
- Each negative future sentence contains both ba elements: ba before the future subject form and ba at (or near) the end of the clause.
- Each domin or don sentence contains a main action clause and a purpose clause. The purpose clause is a complete clause, not a bare infinitive.
- Any use of dole or iya follows the patterns established in Chapter 13.
- Hooked letters (ɗ in ɗalibai, ɗan; 'y in 'yar kasuwa; ƙ where it appears) are written correctly.
- Work and school vocabulary is spelled correctly; malami/malama, jarrabawa, jadawali, rahoton aiki, and similar words retain their standard Boko forms.
- Each sentence ends with a full stop; the email or message includes a greeting and a closing.
- Register is respectful where the addressee is a supervisor, teacher, or elder.
Speaking Practice
Atisaye na ƙa'ida — Controlled practice
Using the future paradigm table in this chapter, practice one affirmative and one negative future sentence for each person (1st sg., 2nd sg. m., 2nd sg. f., 3rd sg. m., 3rd sg. f., 1st pl., 2nd pl., 3rd pl.). Use work and school verbs from this chapter's vocabulary. Pronounce zan and zai as contracted units rather than as two separate sounds.
Tsarin makwanci — Weekly schedule presentation
Present your work or study schedule for the coming week in 60–90 seconds without notes. Include: what you will do each day, what you must do (dole), at least one thing you will not be able to do, and at least one plan described with a purpose expression (domin). Your partner listens, then asks you two follow-up questions.
Neman taimako a wurin aiki/makaranta — Role-play: asking for help
Partner A plays a colleague or fellow student who needs help with a task before a deadline. Partner B responds — either agreeing to help, explaining why they cannot, or proposing an alternative. The conversation must use at least one future sentence, one domin sentence, and one iya or dole expression. Switch roles.
Madadin karatu kai tsaye — Solo alternative
Record yourself: (1) describing your plans for tomorrow using at least three future sentences — one affirmative, one negative, and one with a purpose expression; (2) saying two things you must do this week using dole; (3) saying one thing you will not be able to do. Listen back and check your pronunciation of zan and zai, and verify that all negative future sentences contain both ba elements.
Culture and Communication
Work and school in Hausa-speaking communities in Nigeria and Niger take many forms. Northern Nigeria in particular has a long history of Islamic education through Qur'anic schools and later through Western-model government and private schools introduced during the colonial period; both traditions continue alongside each other today. Formal education is conducted in Hausa, English, and sometimes Arabic depending on the institution and level, and the relationship between these languages varies by school type, region, and household. Jami'ar Bayero (Bayero University Kano), founded in the 1970s, is a major centre for Hausa language and literary studies.
Work patterns are equally varied: urban professionals in cities like Kano, Zaria, Niamey, and elsewhere maintain office schedules that will feel familiar from many other contexts, while traders, farmers, craftspeople, and others organize their work around market cycles, seasonal rhythms, agricultural calendars, and community events. Do not assume that one occupational pattern or institutional structure represents all Hausa-speaking workplaces and schools.
Workplace and school communication in Hausa typically begins with an appropriate greeting before moving to the purpose of the interaction — asking a colleague for help, requesting information from a supervisor, or addressing a teacher with a question. Jumping directly into a request without a greeting is considered abrupt in many Hausa-speaking settings, particularly when addressing someone older, more senior, or with whom you do not have a very familiar relationship. The dialogue in this chapter models this pattern: Ibrahim and Layla exchange greetings and inquire about each other's week before discussing plans. In written messages, even emails, a brief greeting and closing are standard.
The term alhaji or alhaja (one who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca) is used as a respectful title for many people in northern Nigerian and Nigerien Hausa-speaking communities. It may appear in names, in direct address, and in written correspondence. Using a title correctly shows awareness of the relationship and context; learners should treat titles as meaningful social information rather than decorative prefixes.
Several school and work terms show variation between Nigerian and Nigerien usage, partly because Nigerien Hausa has borrowed some administrative and educational vocabulary from French rather than from English. For example, the word for "school" may be makaranta across most of the Hausa-speaking world, but some administrative levels and types of institution may use different labels depending on the country's educational system. Similarly, titles and forms of address in professional settings may differ between the two countries' public-sector traditions. This chapter teaches the core Nigerian Standard Hausa forms; if you are working specifically in a Nigerien context, verify individual institutional terms with a speaker familiar with that setting.
Common Mistakes
Error: *Ba zan je ofis gobe. (only one ba)
Correction: Ba zan je ofis ba gobe. — The Hausa negative future requires both elements of the ba … ba frame. The second ba closes the negative construction and must appear at or near the end of the predicate. A sentence ending with the lexical verb and no closing ba is incomplete. Every time you write a negative future sentence, check that ba appears both before the future subject form and after the verb (and object, if present).
Error: *Za ni je ofis. or *Za shi zo taro.
Correction: The standard contracted forms are zan (first-person singular, "I will") and zai (third-person masculine singular, "he will"). These are not written as two separate words za + ni or za + shi in standard Hausa; they are single forms that must be learned as units. Write and say zan and zai, not their uncontracted equivalents.
Error: *Zan je makaranta domin rubuta jarrabawa. (bare verbal noun without a subject reference in the purpose clause)
Correction: Zan je makaranta domin in rubuta jarrabawa. — Unlike English "to take the exam," Hausa purpose clauses introduced by domin typically contain a full clause with its own subject reference. The formulaic purpose-clause verb forms you have learned in this chapter (such as in rubuta, mu sayi, ta koyi) carry that subject reference. Do not use a bare verbal noun after domin as though it were an English infinitive.
Error: *dalibi, *daliba, *dan kasuwa, *yar kasuwa
Correction: ɗalibi, ɗaliba, ɗan kasuwa, 'yar kasuwa — Both ɗ and 'y are required characters in Nigerian Standard Boko. Replacing them with plain d or y is a spelling error, not an acceptable shortcut. These characters represent distinct sounds in Hausa and must be preserved in all writing.
Error: *Zan jeshi or *zan rubuta-ko (inventing a future ending on the verb)
Correction: Zan je. / Zan rubuta. — The lexical verb in a Hausa future sentence carries no future marker of its own. The entire future signal comes from za plus the appropriate subject form. The verb itself appears in the same form it would take in other constructions. Do not add any suffix or ending to a verb to make it "future."
Chapter Review
Sashi na A — Kalmomi (Vocabulary)
1. Give the Hausa (masculine and feminine forms) for: teacher, student, worker/employee.
2. Give the Hausa for: mathematics, history, examination, homework.
3. Give the Hausa for: meeting, report, schedule, email.
4. Give the Hausa for: tomorrow, next week, on time, after that.
5. Give the Hausa for: in order to / so that (two forms). When would you use one rather than the other?
Sashi na B — Nahawu (Grammar)
1. Write the future construction for each: (a) I will go. (b) She will write. (c) They will come. (d) We will hold a meeting.
2. Negate each sentence from question 1 using the negative future pattern.
3. Write a sentence for each: (a) I will send the email tomorrow in order to inform the director. (b) She must finish the report today. (c) He will not be able to come to the meeting.
4. Replace the underlined noun object with a direct-object pronoun: (a) Zan rubuta wasiƙa. (b) Za ta kawo takarda.
5. In your own words, explain why the lexical verb does not change in a Hausa future sentence.
Sashi na C — Karatu (Reading)
1. Reread the email (Rubutu na 1). What three things does Kande say she will do or not do in connection with the Thursday meeting?
2. In Rubutu na 2, find all the domin expressions. For each, explain the connection between the main action and the purpose.
Sashi na D — Rubutu (Writing)
1. Write an 80-100-word Hausa description of your plans for the coming week. Include: your occupation or study situation, at least three future sentences, at least one negative future sentence, at least one purpose expression, and at least one dole statement.
Sashi na E — Magana (Speaking)
1. Without notes, tell a partner about your most important task for tomorrow: what you will do, why (purpose), and what you will not be able to do because of it.
Bitar gaba ɗaya — Cumulative review
1. Daily routines and time (Chapter 7): Describe what you usually do in the morning before work or school, using continuative forms.
2. Ability and necessity (Chapter 13): State two things a student must do to prepare for an exam, and one thing they cannot do the night before.
3. Weather and conditional planning (Chapter 12): Your meeting tomorrow is outdoors. Write one idan sentence relating the weather to your plan.
4. Directions and commands (Chapter 11): Give your colleague directions from the market to the school in three steps, using the correct imperative or subjunctive command forms.
5. Possession and location (Chapter 6): State three things that are present or absent in your workplace or classroom, using akwai and babu.
Chapter Performance Task
Aikin Aiwatarwa
Shirye-shiryen Aiki da Wasiƙar Sanarwa — Work Plans and a Practical Message
A supervisor, teacher, or colleague has asked you to explain what you are working on this week and what your plans are for next week. Complete both the oral and written components:
- Oral component: Without notes, give a 90-second account of your work or study responsibilities this week and your plans for next week. Include: at least three future sentences covering different people or times (use at least two different future subject forms), at least one negative future sentence with both ba elements, at least one purpose expression using domin or don, and at least one statement using dole or iya. Answer two follow-up questions from a partner.
- Written component: Write a practical email or message of eight to ten Hausa sentences addressed to a supervisor or teacher. The message must read as a connected, organized text — not as a list of unrelated sentences. Include: a greeting, at least two different future subject forms in affirmative future sentences, at least one negative future sentence, at least one domin purpose expression, a request or closing statement, and a closing courtesy expression.
Evaluation criteria: correct future subject forms (including contracted zan and zai); complete negative future pattern with both ba elements; natural use of domin/don with a complete purpose clause; accurate hooked letters and 'y; appropriate greeting and register for the addressee; organization and cohesion in the written message.
Answer Key / Amsoshi
Atisayen A — Cike teburin
- Zan je ofis gobe.
- Za ta rubuta rahoton.
- Za su zo taro.
- Ba za mu je makaranta ba yau.
- Za ka aika da imel?
- Ba zai iya halarta ba. (or: Ba zai iya zuwa ba.)
Atisayen B — Ƙirƙira jumla da domin (sample answers)
- Zan je makaranta domin in yi karatu lissafi.
- Tana aiki tuƙuru domin ta gama rahoton.
- Za mu tafi kasuwa don mu sayi kayan abinci.
- Zai rubuta wasiƙa domin ya sanar da malami.
Atisayen C — Iya da dole
- Ba zai iya zuwa taro ba yau. (or: Ba ya iya zuwa taro ba.)
- Dole in je makaranta.
- Za ta iya rubuta rahoton.
- (Open-ended; any correct sentence using dole in a work or school context is acceptable.)
Atisayen D — Object pronouns
- Zan aika da ita gobe. (or with some verb forms: Zan aiketa gobe — accept either if the construction is otherwise correct; the verified form requires expert review)
- Za ta karanta ta a ofis.
- Malami zai koyar da su.
- Za mu gama shi yau.
Tambayoyin fahimta na tattaunawa (Dialogue comprehension)
- Layla's students have an exam the day after tomorrow; this means she must prepare them well today and tomorrow.
- The director is travelling and will not come to school until Wednesday.
- They will have a meeting on Thursday in order to discuss next week's schedule.
- Zan rubuta rahoton aiki gobe domin in gabatar da shi a taron Alhamis.
- Layla asks Ibrahim to help her with the students' marks on Tuesday because she does not have much time that day.
- Sample: Ba zan yi taro ba wannan sati. — first ba before zan; second ba after taro. Also: Ba zai zo makaranta ba har Laraba.
Kula na sauraro (Listening responses)
Kula na A: (1) There is a meeting at nine in the morning. (2) The speaker will write a work report to send to the director. (3) They must go to the clinic to check on their child.
Kula na B: (1) Amadu is a university student (ɗalibi). (2) There is an exam at four in the afternoon. (3) He must finish his homework before Tuesday.
Kula na C: (a) F — they will go to the farm next week, not this week. (b) T. (c) T.
Tambayoyin karatu (Reading comprehension)
- Kande will arrive early in order to prepare the materials.
- Kande asks Alhaji Musa to send the meeting schedule before Wednesday; her purpose is to prepare her questions.
- Fatima is studying science at Bayero University in Kano.
- Two exams: one on Tuesday, one on Friday.
- After the exams, Fatima will rest for three days, then return to school to continue her studies.
- Domin/don uses — Rubutu na 1: domin in shirya kayan aiki (purpose: to prepare materials); domin in shirya tambayoyina (purpose: to prepare questions). Rubutu na 2: domin in ci jarrabawar (purpose: to pass the exam); domin in ci gaba da karatuna (purpose: to continue studies).
- Rubutu na 1: Ba za mu iya tattauna duk abubuwan da ke jerin ba — ba before za mu and ba after jerin. Rubutu na 2: Ba zan iya hutawa ba har jarrabawar ta ƙare — ba before zan and ba after hutawa.
Bitar gaba ɗaya — Sashi na B
- (a) Zan je. (b) Za ta rubuta. (c) Za su zo. (d) Za mu yi taro.
- (a) Ba zan je ba. (b) Ba za ta rubuta ba. (c) Ba za su zo ba. (d) Ba za mu yi taro ba.
- (a) Zan aika da imel gobe domin in sanar da shugaba. (b) Dole ta gama rahoton yau. (c) Ba zai iya zuwa taro ba.
- (a) Zan rubuta ta. (b) Za ta kawo ta.
- Sample answer: In Hausa, the future signal comes from the particle za plus the future subject form that follows it — not from an ending added to the lexical verb. The verb itself remains in the same form regardless of whether the sentence is continuative or future.
Bitar gaba ɗaya — Sashi na D (sample)
A wannan sati, ina aiki sosai domin akwai jarrabawa a Jumma'a. Dole in yi karatu kowace rana. Zan gama darasin gida da Laraba, sannan zan tafi ofis da Alhamis domin in samu kayan aiki. Ba zan iya hutu ba har jarrabawar ta ƙare. Mako mai zuwa, zan huta kwana biyu.
Other well-formed and accurate passages are equally acceptable. Use the editing checklist to evaluate your work.
Looking Ahead
Abin da ka/ki koya yanzu — What you know now
Chapter 14 has added the productive future construction to your Hausa toolkit — a significant step, because you can now orient conversation and writing toward what has not yet happened, in addition to describing ongoing states and present conditions. You can state future plans and predictions, negate them, and explain the purpose behind an action using domin. You have also extended your use of ability (iya) and necessity (dole) into work and school contexts, and recycled object pronouns in future sentences. Together with the direction-giving, weather, and health language from Chapters 11, 12, and 13, you now have all the tools needed for the Unit III consolidation chapter.