Kasuwa, Farashi, da Ciniki
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Name common market goods, containers, and bargaining-related vocabulary in Boko.
- Ask and answer questions about price using nawa ("how much").
- Continue using existence, possession, and quantity expressions (akwai, yana/tana da, da yawa, kaɗan) in a market context.
- Use object pronouns after common market verbs such as siya (buy) and sayar da (sell).
- Expand negative statements across existence, possession, and continuous/habitual frames introduced in Chapter 6.
- Politely bargain, accept, decline, and confirm a purchase.
- Read a short price list and a market-related message.
- Write a short paragraph comparing what is available in two markets or stalls.
Communication Scenario
Bala goes to Kasuwar Kurmi to buy ingredients for Hajiya Talatu's kitchen, following up on the invitation from Chapter 6. He needs to check prices, ask what is available, buy several items, and politely bargain with the sellers. This chapter continues Unit II by extending the existence, possession, and quantity clauses from Chapter 6 into more independent market interactions, and by introducing object pronouns and price questions with nawa.
- New vocabulary in this chapter centers on markets, goods, containers, and prices.
- New grammar introduces price questions with nawa and object pronouns used with common market verbs.
- The akwai/yana-tana da system and the ina/kana/tana + verbal noun frame from Chapter 6 continue to develop and now cover a wider set of verbs, including siya and sayar da.
- All vocabulary and grammar from Chapters 1–6 remain available for recycling.
- Communication repair remains an active, expected part of every interaction.
Core Vocabulary
The vocabulary below is productive for this chapter. Gender and plural information is included where relevant so you can use these nouns correctly in the grammar patterns that follow. Food vocabulary from Chapter 6 remains active and recycled here.
Kasuwa da Ciniki — Market and Bargaining
| Boko | Meaning | Gender/Plural | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| kasuwa | market | f., pl. kasuwanni | recycled from Volume I, expanded here |
| mai sayarwa / mai kasuwa | seller, trader | pl. masu sayarwa | |
| mai saya | buyer, customer | pl. masu saya | |
| kuɗi | money | m., mass noun | |
| farashi | price | m., pl. farashi | |
| arha | cheapness, low price | f. | used in "mai arha" (cheap) |
| tsada | expensiveness, high price | f. | used in "mai tsada" (expensive) |
| kanti | stall, small shop | m., pl. kantuna | |
| buhu | sack, large bag | m., pl. buhunhu | |
| tulu | container, tin measure | m., pl. tuluna | common market measure |
| siya | to buy | verb | |
| sayar da | to sell | verb | |
| rangwame | discount, reduction | m. | |
| nawa | how much, how many | question word |
Bargaining Formulas
| Boko | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nawa ne? | How much is it? | core price question |
| Yi mini rangwame. | Give me a discount. | polite bargaining formula |
| Ya yi tsada sosai. | It's too expensive. | |
| Zan ɗauka. | I'll take it. | recognition: future "zan," glossed formula, not a productive target |
| Sai na gode. | Then, thank you (closing a purchase). | polite closing formula |
All items above are productive except where noted. The bargaining formulas may be used and recognized as fixed expressions even though the future marker inside "Zan ɗauka" is not yet a productive grammar target.
Pronunciation and Boko Focus
7.1 Tone contrast: farashi versus other similar words
Practice the tone pattern of farashi (price) carefully, keeping the syllables even and avoiding English stress transfer onto the first syllable. Also review the vowel length in kuɗi (money), which contrasts with shorter vowels in nearby words.
Continue practicing the implosive ɗ in kuɗi. This sound is produced further back and with a distinct implosive quality compared to an ordinary English "d." Say kuɗi slowly, then at a natural pace, and compare it to gida (house) from earlier chapters, which uses an ordinary "d."
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter extends the existence, possession, and continuous/habitual frames from Chapter 6 into market interactions, and introduces price questions with nawa and object pronouns used with market verbs. All forms below build directly on the subject-marker system introduced in Chapter 6.
7.2 Asking price: nawa
Nawa asks "how much" or "how many." It typically appears at the end of a question about price or quantity.
- Shinkafa nawa ne kilo ɗaya?How much is one kilo of rice?
- Wannan buhu, nawa ne?This sack, how much is it?
- Tulu biyu na mai, nawa ne duka?Two tins of oil, how much is that altogether?
Nawa combines with the identifying copula ne (recycled from Chapter 1) in most price questions. The pattern is: [item] + nawa + ne. This is the same identifying-clause pattern used for basic identity statements, now applied to price.
7.3 Object pronouns with market verbs
To avoid repeating a noun, use an object pronoun after verbs such as siya (buy) and sayar da (sell). The forms below attach directly after the verb.
| Independent Pronoun | Object Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ni (I) | ni | Ya sayar mini da shi. (he sold it to me) |
| kai (you, m.) | ka | Zan siya maka shi. (recognition: future, glossed) |
| shi (he/it, m.) | shi | Ina son sayan shi. (I want to buy it) |
| ita (she/it, f.) | ta | Na siya ta jiya. (recognition: past, glossed) |
| su (they) | su | Ina son sayan su duka. (I want to buy all of them) |
At this stage, object pronouns are productive only in the present-based frames already active from Chapter 6 (ina son + verbal noun). Examples using the future or past marker are included for recognition and glossed accordingly; they are not yet productive targets.
7.4 Expanded negation with akwai, yana/tana da, and the continuous frame
Negation forms introduced in Chapter 6 (babu, ba ... da) now extend to a wider range of market contexts, including negating the continuous/habitual frame.
- Babu shinkafa mai arha yau.There isn't cheap rice today.
- Ba mu da isasshen kuɗi domin buhu biyu.We don't have enough money for two sacks.
- Ba na siyan nama mai tsada.I'm not buying expensive meat.
Atisayen A — Cika gibi (Fill in the blank): Complete each sentence with the correct price question, existence/possession clause, or negation.
- Wannan tulu na mai, ___ ne?
- ___ shinkafa mai arha a kasuwa yau, amma ___ nama.
- Ni ___ (ba ... da) kuɗi mai yawa domin buhu biyu.
- Ina son siyan ___ (object pronoun for "su," referring to 'ya'yan itace).
Model Dialogue
Yanayin hali: Bala ya je Kasuwar Kurmi domin sayan kayan girki domin Hajiya Talatu.
(Setting: Bala goes to Kasuwar Kurmi to buy cooking ingredients for Hajiya Talatu.)
Vocabulary notes for the dialogue: naira ɗari biyar, naira dubu goma = five hundred naira, ten thousand naira (recognition, number-price formulas built on recycled numerals, not assessed for production as full sentences); farashinsa = its price (recognition, possessive-suffix form; the productive possessive system for nouns is scheduled later in the volume).
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- What does Bala first ask about, and how does the seller respond?
- Why does Bala ask for a cheaper option?
- What does Bala decide to buy instead of just one kilo?
- What does Bala do when he doesn't hear the price clearly?
- What is unavailable at the end of the dialogue?
Listening
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud, twice. Complete the listening task after the passage.
Sauraro — Ranar Kasuwa (Market Day)
"Kowace ranar Talata, ina zuwa kasuwa da mahaifiyata. Muna siyan shinkafa, kayan lambu, da wani lokaci nama, idan akwai mai arha. A yau, farashin shinkafa ya yi tsada sosai, don haka muka nemi rangwame daga mai sayarwa. Ba mu da kuɗi mai yawa a wannan mako, don haka muna siyan kaɗan kawai. Duk da haka, akwai kayan lambu da yawa, kuma mai sayarwa ya ba mu rangwame kaɗan."
Kula na sauraro — Questions: (1) What day does the speaker go to the market? (2) What do they usually buy, and under what condition do they buy meat? (3) What problem occurs with the price of rice today? (4) What do they end up doing because they don't have much money this week?
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 short price list and message below. Underline every price question or price statement, and circle every existence, possession, or negation expression.
Jerin Farashi da Saƙo daga Kanti — Price List and Message from the Stall
Barka da zuwa Kantin Amina! Ga jerin farashi na yau: shinkafa, kilo ɗaya, naira ɗari biyar; miya, tulu ɗaya, naira ɗari uku; kayan lambu, kaɗan, naira ɗari ɗaya. Babu nama a yau, amma akwai kifi da yawa. Idan kuna son rangwame domin siyan kaɗan da yawa, ku tambaya kai tsaye. Ba ni da lokaci mai yawa da yamma, don haka ku zo da safe idan zai yiwu.
New words for recognition: jeri = list; safe = morning (recycled time word); zai yiwu = it is possible (recognition, glossed formula, not a productive target).
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- What three prices are given in the price list?
- What is missing today, and what is available instead?
- What should a customer do if they want a discount for buying a large quantity?
- What does the seller ask customers to do, and why?
Writing Workshop
- Karanta jerin farashi da hankali. Reread the price list and notice how it combines price statements, existence/possession clauses, and negation with a market purpose.
- Tsarawa. Plan a short paragraph comparing what is available at two markets or stalls: what each has, lacks, and its prices.
- Rubuta. Write 90–120 words in Hausa. Include at least one price question or statement with nawa, one existence/possession clause, one negation, and one object pronoun.
- Duba jerin bincike. Check your draft against the checklist below.
- Rubuta siffa ta ƙarshe. Produce a clean final version.
Jerin binciken gyara — Editing checklist:
- At least one price question or statement with nawa appears accurately.
- At least one existence or possession clause (akwai, yana/tana da, or negative) appears accurately.
- At least one negation form from Chapter 6 or 7 is used correctly.
- At least one object pronoun is used correctly with a market verb.
- Prior systems (identity clauses, pronouns, continuous/habitual frame, quantity words) remain accurate where they appear.
- No grammar beyond this chapter's scope appears (no productive future za, no productive past na/ka/ta/mu/ku/sun, no productive possessive-suffix system).
- Special characters (ɓ, ɗ, ƙ) and the apostrophe/glottal convention are used accurately.
Speaking Practice
Atisayen ƙa'ida — Price-asking drill
With a partner, take turns pointing to pictures or objects and asking Nawa ne? Practice answering with recycled numbers and quantity words.
Ciniki — Bargaining role-play
Role-play a market interaction as in the Model Dialogue. Ask about price, ask for a discount, and use at least one moment of communication repair.
Madadin karatu kai tsaye — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing what you would buy at a market, how much you expect it to cost, and one item that is not available.
Culture and Communication
Polite bargaining is a normal and expected part of many market interactions in Hausa-speaking communities, though the degree of bargaining, tone, and expectations vary by market, item, region, and relationship between buyer and seller. Bargaining is generally a friendly, respectful exchange rather than a confrontation.
Currency names, common measurement units (such as tulu and buhu), and typical market prices vary between Nigerian and Nigerien Hausa-speaking communities, and change over time. This course presents forms most useful for general communication in Kano-based standard usage; other regional currency and measurement terms are equally legitimate and should be adjusted for local context.
Common Mistakes
Error: *Nawa shinkafa ne? (placing nawa before the noun)
Correction: Shinkafa nawa ne? — In price questions, the item being priced normally comes first, followed by nawa ne.
Error: *Ina son sayan shi ita. (mixing an object form with an unneeded independent pronoun)
Correction: Ina son sayan ta. — Use only the object form after the verbal noun; do not add a second independent pronoun for the same object.
Chapter Review
Sashi na A — Kalmomi (Vocabulary)
1. Give the Hausa for four market items and two bargaining formulas introduced in this chapter.
Sashi na B — Nahawu (Grammar)
1. Write one price question with nawa, one existence/possession clause, and one sentence using an object pronoun.
2. Change this sentence to the negative: Akwai nama mai arha a kasuwa.
3. Complete: Ina son siyan ___ (object pronoun for "shi," referring to buhu).
Sashi na C — Karatu da Rubutu
1. Reread the price list and message and summarize it in two to three English sentences.
2. Write your 90–120-word comparison paragraph, following the Writing Workshop instructions.
Sashi na D — Magana
1. With a partner or instructor, perform the price-asking drill and the bargaining role-play from the Speaking Practice section.
Practical Performance Task
Aikin Aiwatarwa
A Kasuwa — At the Market
Complete all four components:
- Listening: Listen to the Market Day passage read aloud and answer the comprehension questions.
- Speaking: With a partner, perform an unrehearsed market exchange that includes at least one price question, one existence/possession clause, and one instance of asking for repetition.
- Reading: Read the price list and message and answer the comprehension questions.
- Writing: Submit your 90–120-word comparison paragraph.
Evaluation criteria: correct use of nawa in price questions; correct use of akwai versus yana/tana da; accurate object pronouns with market verbs; accurate negation; natural use of at least one communication-repair expression; accurate ordinary Boko spelling and special characters. Consistent with A2 expectations, comprehensible and task-fulfilling communication should not be penalized as though produced by an advanced speaker.
Answer Key / Amsoshi
Atisayen A (Grammar, Section 7.4)
- Wannan tulu na mai, nawa ne?
- Akwai shinkafa mai arha a kasuwa yau, amma babu nama.
- Ni ba ni da kuɗi mai yawa domin buhu biyu.
- Ina son siyan su.
Tambayoyin fahimta na tattaunawa (Dialogue comprehension)
- Bala asks the price of one kilo of rice; the seller says it is five hundred naira.
- He asks because he thinks the price is too expensive.
- Bala decides to buy a whole sack instead of one kilo.
- Bala politely asks the seller to repeat the price.
- Oil is unavailable at the end of the dialogue.
Kula na sauraro (Listening responses)
(1) The speaker goes to the market every Tuesday. (2) They usually buy rice and vegetables, and buy meat only when it is cheap. (3) The price of rice is too expensive today. (4) Because they don't have much money this week, they buy only a small amount, though the seller gives them a small discount.
Tambayoyin karatu (Reading comprehension)
- Rice is five hundred naira per kilo, soup is three hundred naira per tin, and vegetables are one hundred naira for a small amount.
- Meat is missing today; fish is available instead.
- They should ask directly for a discount.
- The seller asks customers to come in the morning, because they do not have much time in the evening.
Sashi na B (Chapter Review grammar)
- Sample: Kayan lambu nawa ne? Akwai kifi da yawa a kanti. Ina son siyan su. (Other accurate sentences are acceptable.)
- Babu nama mai arha a kasuwa.
- Ina son siyan shi.
Sashi na C (Sample writing)
A Kantin Amina, akwai shinkafa da kayan lambu da yawa, amma babu nama a yau. Farashin shinkafa, kilo ɗaya, naira ɗari biyar ne. A wani kanti kusa, farashinsa ya yi tsada sosai, don haka ba ni da isasshen kuɗi domin siyan can. Ina son siyan kayan lambu daga Kantin Amina, don akwai su da yawa kuma mai arha ne.
Other accurate, well-formed passages meeting the stated requirements are equally acceptable.
Looking Ahead
Abin da ka/ki koya — What you have learned
You have learned to name market and bargaining vocabulary, ask and answer price questions with nawa, use object pronouns with market verbs, and extend negation across existence, possession, and continuous/habitual frames in a market context.