Labarai daga Al'umma
Chapter Overview
Chapter 19 continues Unit IV. In Chapter 18 you described a problem, proposed a solution with magani and warware, and negotiated next steps with watakila, while continuing to use tunda, idan, fiye da, and kamar, and tracking reference across sentences. This chapter keeps those same systems active and applies them to a new communicative task: understanding and producing short announcements, updates, and community messages. No new grammar system is introduced. Instead, the same reason, condition, comparison, and reference-tracking forms continue developing toward consolidation, alongside a small set of new vocabulary for announcing, updating, and informing a community.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Understand a short spoken or written community announcement.
- Introduce an announcement or update using sanarwa (announcement) and ana sanar da (it is announced that).
- Report a change or update using an canza (it has been changed) and yanzu (now).
- Give a reason for an announced change using domin and tunda, continuing from Chapters 16–18.
- State a condition attached to an announcement using idan.
- Compare an old arrangement with a new one using fiye da and kamar.
- Use the formulaic expression da fatan (it is hoped that) to close a message politely.
- Track a named event, place, or person across a connected announcement without unnecessary repetition.
- Read and write a short, organized community message or announcement.
- Identify and self-correct common Unit IV errors in announcement and update language.
Communication Scenario
Amina, Bala, and Musa's community group, last seen negotiating the leaking roof of the community hall in Chapter 18, now needs to inform the wider community about what was decided. Over the course of this chapter, you will help understand, and then write, the kind of short announcement a community group sends when plans change.
- No new vocabulary domain beyond announcements, updates, and community messages is required for this chapter.
- Reason and condition connectors (tunda, idan) and comparison expressions (fiye da, kamar) from Chapters 16–18 remain developing, not yet fully consolidated, and continue to appear in this chapter.
- Reference tracking across connected sentences, introduced in Chapter 16 and practiced in Chapters 17–18, is expected to continue without additional explanation of the underlying rule.
- Vocabulary and grammar from Units I, II, and III remain fully active and are expected to appear accurately.
Core Vocabulary
| Boko | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| sanarwa (pl. sanarwowi) | announcement | feminine; an fitar da sanarwa "an announcement has been issued" |
| ana sanar da... | it is announced that..., it is hereby made known that... | fixed impersonal frame that opens a formal announcement |
| canji (pl. canje-canje) | change | masculine; akwai canji a shirin "there is a change in the plan" |
| canza | to change | verb; an canza ranar "the date has been changed" |
| sabuntawa | update, renewal | noun/verbal noun; sabon sabuntawa "a new update" |
| bayani | information, explanation | masculine; ƴan bayani "a bit of information" |
| taro (pl. tarurruka) | meeting, gathering | masculine; kira taro "to call a meeting" |
| gudummawa | contribution, assistance | feminine; bayar da gudummawa "to give a contribution" |
| da fatan | it is hoped that, hopefully | formulaic; closes a message politely, often before a request or reminder |
| a sani cewa | be it known that, please note that | fixed expression for drawing attention to an important point in a message |
All items above are productive for this chapter. Vocabulary from Chapters 1–18 remains active and is expected to appear in your speaking and writing.
Pronunciation Focus
Pay attention to the tone pattern and vowel length of this chapter's key words: sanarwa, canza, and gudummawa. Note the doubled consonant in gudummawa, which must be held slightly longer than a single consonant, similar to the doubled consonant already practiced in gaggawa in Chapter 18. Keep an even syllable rhythm across full announcement-style sentences such as Ana sanar da cewa an canza ranar taro zuwa Litinin mai zuwa, without letting the longer sentence speed up or lose its rhythm toward the end. This review consolidates pronunciation features already active since earlier chapters; no new sound or contrast is introduced here.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter continues developing the four systems active since Chapter 16 — reason and condition, comparison, reference tracking, and controlled reading/writing — and applies them to announcements and community messages. No new connector or comparison expression is introduced. Completive/perfective, negation, focus, and prepositional systems from Units I–III remain fully active.
19.1 Opening an announcement with ana sanar da
- Ana sanar da cewa an canza ranar taro zuwa Litinin mai zuwa.It is announced that the meeting date has been changed to next Monday.
- A sani cewa za a fara gyaran rufin zauren al'umma gobe da safe.Please note that repair of the community hall roof will begin tomorrow morning.
Ana sanar da cewa... ("it is announced that...") opens a formal community message, continuing the impersonal existential-style pattern already familiar from earlier chapters. A sani cewa... ("be it known that...") is a related fixed expression used to highlight an especially important point within a message.
19.2 Continuing: Reason and condition with tunda and idan
As in Chapters 16–18, tunda introduces a reason the reader or listener already accepts, while idan introduces a genuine condition attached to a future update. Continue to use these connectors carefully, since they remain developing forms at this stage.
19.3 Continuing: Comparison with fiye da and kamar, and the closing formula da fatan
- Sabon wurin taron ya fi tsohon wurin sauƙi fiye da abin da muke tsammani.The new meeting place is easier than the old one, more than we expected.
- Da fatan kowa zai zo taron da kansa, kamar yadda muka tattauna a baya.It is hoped everyone will come to the meeting in person, as we discussed before.da fatan = "it is hoped," closes a message with a polite wish or reminder
Da fatan ("it is hoped that") is a new formulaic expression that closes a message politely, often just before a final request, reminder, or wish. It is introduced here as a formulaic closer, not as a fully analyzed grammar system, and pairs naturally with a following clause stating the hoped-for outcome.
19.4 Continuing: Reference tracking while reporting an update
When an event, place, or decision has already been named in an announcement, later sentences should continue with a pronoun, an omitted subject, or a short connector rather than restating the full name each time.
- Kwamitin gudanarwa ya yanke shawarar canza ranar taro. Ya bayyana cewa gyaran rufin har yanzu ba a kammala ba, kuma yana fatan kowa zai fahimta.The organizing committee decided to change the meeting date. It explained that the roof repair still hasn't been completed, and it hopes everyone will understand."Kwamitin gudanarwa" named once; "ya/yana" (it) tracks the reference afterward
Atisayen ƙa'ida — Grammar practice: Complete each sentence with the word or expression that fits.
- ___ (Ana sanar da/A takaice) cewa an canza ranar taro zuwa mako mai zuwa.
- An canza wurin taro ___ (tunda/idan) rufin zauren al'umma bai gama gyara ba.
- Sabon shirin ya fi tsohon ___ (kamar/fiye da) sauƙi.
- ___ (Da fatan/Watakila) kowa zai karɓi wannan sanarwa da kyau.
Model Dialogue
Yanayin hali: Bayan sun yanke shawara a kan matsalar rufin zauren al'umma, Amina, Bala, da Musa suna tattauna yadda za su sanar da al'umma game da canje-canjen da suka yi.
(Setting: After deciding what to do about the community hall roof problem, Amina, Bala, and Musa discuss how to inform the community about the changes they have made.)
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- What decision does the group need to inform the community about?
- Why has the venue been changed, and what is the condition under which they might change it back?
- How does Musa compare the new venue to the old one?
- What does Amina hope for at the end of the announcement?
- Where does Bala plan to post the announcement, and why?
Guided Practice
Aikin gane — Recognition: Underline every announcement-and-update expression (sanarwa, ana sanar da, canza, a sani cewa, da fatan), reason or condition connector, and comparison expression in the Model Dialogue.
Aikin zaɓi — Selection: Choose the correct word for each blank: (1) ___ (Ana sanar da/Akwai matsala) cewa an canza lokacin taro zuwa karfe hudu. (2) ___ (Da fatan/Watakila) kowa zai zo da wuri.
Aikin gyara maimaici — Reference-tracking correction: Rewrite the following short passage, replacing unnecessary name repetition with pronouns or omitted subjects where natural: Kwamitin gudanarwa ya rubuta sanarwa. Kwamitin gudanarwa ya buga sanarwar a kasuwa. Kwamitin gudanarwa ya jira martanin al'umma.
Aikin kwatanta — Comparison practice: Write two sentences comparing an old community arrangement with a new one, using fiye da in one and kamar in the other.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud, twice. Answer the questions after listening. This task assesses your comprehension of connected discourse about announcements, reasons, and comparisons.
Sauraro — Sanarwar Asibitin Unguwa (Announcement: The Neighborhood Clinic)
"Ana sanar da al'umma cewa asibitin unguwa zai canza lokacin buɗewa daga mako mai zuwa. A baya, asibitin yana buɗewa da karfe takwas, amma yanzu zai buɗe da karfe bakwai, tunda mutane da yawa suna zuwa da wuri fiye da yadda ake tsammani. Idan wannan sabon lokacin bai dace da mutane da yawa ba, hukumar asibitin za ta sake duba shirin bayan wata guda. A sani cewa asibitin zai kasance a rufe ranar Lahadi, kamar yadda aka saba a baya. Da fatan al'umma za ta yi haƙuri da kowane canji da za a yi a nan gaba."
Kula na sauraro — Questions: (1) What change is being announced about the neighborhood clinic? (2) Why is the opening time being changed? (3) What will happen if the new time does not suit many people? (4) What day remains closed, as before?
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.)
Speaking Practice
Atisayen ƙa'ida — Controlled substitution drill
With a partner, take turns announcing a familiar change (a meeting time, a location, a schedule) and giving a reason with domin or tunda.
Tattaunawa — Communicative task
Role-play a short community meeting in which two partners announce an update to a shared plan, give a reason and a comparison between the old and new arrangement, use da fatan at least once to close the message politely, and include one moment of communication repair.
Madadin karatu kai tsaye — Solo alternative
Record yourself announcing a personal, family, or community update in at least six connected sentences, including one reason, one condition, and one comparison between an old and new arrangement, while tracking the event or a named group across the sentences without repeating names unnecessarily.
Reading Practice
Read the short community message below. Underline every announcement-and-update expression, circle every reason or condition connector, and put a box around every comparison expression.
Saƙo — Sanarwar Kasuwar Mata (Message: The Women's Market Announcement)
Ana sanar da mata kasuwar unguwarmu cewa an canza ranar bude kasuwa ta wata-wata daga Asabar zuwa Jumma'a, tunda mutane da yawa sun ce Jumma'a ta fi Asabar dacewa fiye da yadda ake zato. Idan wannan sabon ranar bai dace da yawancin mata ba, kwamitin kasuwa za ta sake tattaunawa a taro na gaba. A sani cewa farashin wurin sayarwa bai canza ba, kamar yadda ya kasance a baya. Da fatan duk mata masu sha'awar sayarwa za su zo taro na gaba domin bayar da gudummawarsu wajen shirya kasuwar.
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- What change is announced about the women's market?
- Why was Friday chosen over Saturday?
- What will happen if the new date does not suit most of the women?
- What has not changed, according to the message?
Writing Workshop
- Karanta saƙon da hankali. Reread the women's market message and notice how it links an announced change, a reason, a comparison, and a condition around a community update.
- Tsarawa. Plan a short community announcement or update you know about (personal, family, or community), with at least one change, one reason, and one comparison between the old and new arrangement.
- Rubuta. Write 120–150 words in Hausa. Include an announcement opener with ana sanar da or a sani cewa, a reported change with an canza, one reason with domin or tunda, one comparison with fiye da or kamar, one condition with idan, a closing wish with da fatan, and at least one instance of reference tracking.
- Duba jerin bincike. Check your draft against the checklist below.
- Rubuta siffa ta ƙarshe. Produce a clean final version.
Jerin binciken gyara — Editing checklist:
- An announcement is clearly opened with ana sanar da or a sani cewa.
- A change is reported using an canza or a related expression.
- A reason is expressed with domin or tunda.
- A comparison is expressed with fiye da or kamar.
- A condition is expressed with idan.
- The message closes politely with da fatan.
- At least one named event, place, or group is tracked afterward with a pronoun or omitted subject, not repeated by name.
- Prior systems from Units I–III remain accurate where they appear.
- No grammar beyond Chapter 19 appears.
- Special characters (ɓ, ɗ, ƙ) and the apostrophe/glottal convention are used accurately.
Culture and Communication
Community announcements are often shared through multiple channels at once, including notice boards at a mosque, church, market, or school, word of mouth through respected community members, and increasingly through phone messaging groups. Many communities favor closing a message with a polite wish such as da fatan, even when the announced change is routine, though the level of formality can vary with the setting, the group's relationship to the reader, and the seriousness of the update.
Some communities and registers use additional formal openers or closers for announcements beyond ana sanar da and da fatan, particularly in official, religious, or media contexts. This course presents the productive default forms for this level; further formal-register and regional announcement vocabulary is introduced for recognition in later volumes.
Common Mistakes
Error: *Muna son bayani game da taro, don haka sai mu buga bayani a kan katin sanarwa. (using bayani where a formal announcement is meant)
Correction: Muna son sanar da mutane game da taro, don haka sai mu buga sanarwa a kan katin sanarwa. — Sanarwa refers to a formal announcement meant to inform many people at once, while bayani refers to information or an explanation more generally; the two should not be substituted for each other in this domain.
Error: *Kwamitin gudanarwa ya rubuta sanarwa. Kwamitin gudanarwa ya buga sanarwar. Kwamitin gudanarwa ya jira martani. (repeating the full committee name in every sentence)
Correction: Kwamitin gudanarwa ya rubuta sanarwa. Ya buga sanarwar a kasuwa, sa'an nan ya jira martani. — Once a group or event has been named, continue with a pronoun, an omitted subject, or a connector, as is natural in connected Hausa narration.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter you learned to open an announcement with ana sanar da and a sani cewa, report a change with an canza, and close a message politely with the new formulaic expression da fatan. You continued developing reason and condition with tunda and idan, comparison with fiye da and kamar, and reference tracking across connected sentences. You applied these systems to understanding and producing community announcements and updates, while continuing to recycle vocabulary and grammar from Units I through III.
Chapter Review
Sashi na A — Kalmomi (Vocabulary)
1. Give the Hausa for: announcement, change, to change, update, information, meeting, contribution, it is hoped that.
Sashi na B — Nahawu (Grammar)
1. Write one sentence using ana sanar da cewa and one using a sani cewa, both announcing a familiar change.
2. Write one sentence reporting a change with domin as the reason, and one sentence closing with da fatan.
3. Rewrite this passage to correct unnecessary name repetition: Kwamitin makaranta ya rubuta sanarwa. Kwamitin makaranta ya sanar wa iyaye. Kwamitin makaranta ya jira amsa.
Sashi na C — Karatu da Rubutu
1. Reread the women's market message and summarize it in two to three English sentences.
2. Write your 120–150-word paragraph, following the Writing Workshop instructions.
Sashi na D — Magana
1. With a partner or instructor, perform the communicative announcement task from the Speaking Practice section.
Practical Performance Task
Aikin Aiwatarwa
Labarai daga Al'umma — My Community Announcement Project
Complete all four components:
- Listening: Listen to the Neighborhood Clinic announcement read aloud and answer the comprehension questions.
- Speaking: With a partner, role-play a short community meeting in which you announce an update, give a reason and a comparison, and close politely with da fatan, including one instance of communication repair.
- Reading: Read the women's market message and answer the comprehension questions.
- Writing: Submit your 120–150-word community announcement or update.
Evaluation criteria: clear announcement opener with ana sanar da or a sani cewa; a reported change with an canza; accurate use of tunda and idan in appropriate contexts; accurate comparison with fiye da or kamar; natural use of the formulaic da fatan; natural reference tracking across sentences; natural use of communication repair; accurate ordinary Boko spelling and special characters; successful integration of announcement vocabulary with recycled Unit I–III material. Consistent with A2–B1 expectations, comprehensible and task-fulfilling communication should not be penalized as though produced by an advanced speaker.
Independent Study Tools
Self-check: Can you open an announcement, report a change and a reason for it, compare it to the previous arrangement, name a condition that would change it again, and close politely — all while tracking a named event or group across two or three sentences without repeating the name — without looking back at this chapter? If not, review Sections 19.1–19.4 before attempting the performance task.
Vocabulary review method: Sort your flashcards from this chapter with your Chapter 16, 17, and 18 cards and quiz yourself on which words open an announcement, report a change, or close a message politely.
Extra practice: Write three additional short announcements about changes you or people you know have experienced, giving a different reason and comparison in each, and read them aloud checking your tone and rhythm against a listening model when available.
Answer Key / Amsoshi
Aikin zaɓi (Word selection)
- Ana sanar da cewa an canza lokacin taro zuwa karfe hudu.
- Da fatan kowa zai zo da wuri.
Aikin gyara maimaici (Reference-tracking correction)
Sample: Kwamitin gudanarwa ya rubuta sanarwa. Ya buga sanarwar a kasuwa, sa'an nan ya jira martanin al'umma. (Other natural revisions that reduce repetition are acceptable.)
Aikin kwatanta (Comparison practice)
Sample: Sabon wurin taron ya fi tsohon wurin girma fiye da yadda muke tsammani. / Sabon lokacin bude kasuwa ya fi dacewa kamar yadda mutane suka roƙa. (Other accurate comparisons are acceptable.)
Atisayen ƙa'ida (Grammar practice, Section 19)
- Ana sanar da cewa an canza ranar taro zuwa mako mai zuwa.
- An canza wurin taro tunda rufin zauren al'umma bai gama gyara ba. (idan also acceptable depending on intended meaning)
- Sabon shirin ya fi tsohon fiye da sauƙi. (kamar acceptable in a different sentence frame)
- Da fatan kowa zai karɓi wannan sanarwa da kyau.
Tambayoyin fahimta na tattaunawa (Dialogue comprehension)
- The group needs to inform the community that the venue for the celebration has been changed.
- The venue was changed because the hall roof repair wasn't finished; they might change it back if the repair finishes early.
- Musa says the community school is bigger than the hall, more than they expected.
- Amina hopes everyone will come to the final meeting before the celebration.
- Bala plans to post the announcement at the mosque and market notice boards, so many people can see it.
Kula na sauraro (Listening responses)
(1) The neighborhood clinic's opening time is being changed. (2) It is being changed because many people arrive earlier than expected. (3) If the new time doesn't suit many people, the clinic authority will review the plan again after a month. (4) The clinic remains closed on Sundays, as before.
Tambayoyin karatu (Reading comprehension)
- The monthly market opening day is being changed from Saturday to Friday.
- Friday was chosen because many people said it suits them better than Saturday, more than expected.
- If the new date doesn't suit most of the women, the market committee will discuss it again at the next meeting.
- The price of a selling space has not changed.
Sashi na B (Chapter Review grammar)
- Sample: Ana sanar da cewa an canza lokacin makaranta zuwa karfe takwas. / A sani cewa za a rufe ofishi ranar Juma'a. (Other accurate sentences are acceptable.)
- Sample: An canza ranar biki domin ruwan sama ya kawo cikas. / Da fatan kowa zai fahimci wannan canji.
- Kwamitin makaranta ya rubuta sanarwa. Ya sanar wa iyaye, kuma ya jira amsa.
Sashi na C (Sample writing)
Ana sanar da al'umma cewa an canza ranar taron unguwarmu daga Asabar zuwa Lahadi, tunda mutane da yawa suna aiki ranar Asabar fiye da yadda ake zato. Idan wannan sabon ranar bai dace da yawancin mutane ba, kwamitin unguwa za ta sake tattaunawa bayan wata guda. A sani cewa wurin taro bai canza ba, kamar yadda ya kasance a baya, wanda shine makarantar unguwa. Da fatan kowa zai zo taron domin tattauna shirye-shiryen bikin bana.
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 added announcement-and-update expressions, including the formulaic da fatan, and continued developing reason, condition, comparison, and reference-tracking systems in the domain of community news and messages, while continuing to recycle vocabulary and grammar from Units I through III.