Tarihin Kai da Ci Gaba
Chapter Overview
Chapter 1 opens Volume III: Independent Communication and Connected Discourse. This chapter does not begin from zero. It carries forward the pronouns, TAM/aspect, negation, focus, and reference-tracking systems consolidated at the end of Volume II and puts them to work on a new communicative task: narrating a personal history. You will describe where you are from, how your life has changed, your education and work background, and your plans for continued growth, linking these ideas into connected paragraphs rather than isolated sentences. This chapter also reviews and consolidates independent pronouns and identity clauses at a fuller, more independent level, and begins the Unit I sequence that will be formally assessed in Chapter 5.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Introduce yourself with a connected account of background, origin, and current situation.
- Narrate change over time using completive forms together with the connectors sa'an nan, sannan, and daga baya.
- Describe your education and work history using consolidated TAM/aspect forms carried forward from Volume II.
- State plans for continued development using the future/intention expressions consolidated since Volume II.
- Ask and answer personal-history questions with a partner or instructor.
- Track reference to yourself and other people across a multi-sentence personal narration without unnecessary repetition.
- Ask for clarification or repetition when a personal-history conversation is not understood.
- Read and interpret a short written self-introduction or biographical note.
- Write a short, organized paragraph narrating personal background and development.
- Self-assess readiness to expand this narration into fuller connected discourse later in Unit I.
Communication Scenario
Halima has just joined a community adult-education program in her town. On the first evening, the instructor asks each new student to introduce themselves to the group: where they are from, what they have done so far in life, and what they hope to do next. Halima's classmate Sule, who joined the program the previous term, introduces himself first as a model, and then the instructor invites the new students, including Halima, to do the same. This chapter follows their introductions and asks you to prepare and deliver a similar one of your own.
- No new vocabulary domain beyond personal-history and education/work terms is introduced in this chapter; core greetings, identity clauses, and pronouns are carried forward from Volume II and expanded for independent use.
- No new grammar system is introduced. This chapter consolidates independent pronouns, subject-reference patterns, completive/perfective narration, and the future/intention expressions already active since Volume II, and begins scheduling reference tracking at the fuller Volume III level.
- This chapter opens Unit I, which will be formally assessed in Chapter 5.
- Vocabulary and grammar from Volume I and Volume II remain fully active and are expected to appear accurately throughout this chapter's tasks.
Core Vocabulary
The table below presents the highest-value personal-history, education, and work vocabulary this chapter's narration depends on. All greetings, pronouns, and basic identity vocabulary from Volume II remain active and are not repeated here.
| Boko | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| tarihin kai | personal history | compound noun; tarihi (history) + kai (self) |
| haihuwa | birth | verbal noun of haifa, to give birth |
| girma / girma yi | to grow up | used with place: na girma a..., "I grew up in..." |
| makaranta | school | feminine noun; plural makarantu |
| digiri | degree (academic) | borrowed from English; masculine noun |
| sana'a | trade, profession | feminine noun; plural sana'o'i |
| gogewa | experience | verbal noun of gogayya-related root; feminine |
| ci gaba | progress, development | used both as a noun and in the verb phrase ci gaba da, "to continue" |
| burin rayuwa | life goal, ambition | buri (wish, goal) + rayuwa (life) |
| canji / canza | change (noun) / to change | recycled from Volume II Chapter 19; active here for personal change |
Pronunciation Focus
This chapter's pronunciation focus consolidates tone and vowel-length control in a new but recycled-pattern vocabulary set. Pay particular attention to the long vowel in sana'a (trade, profession) and the falling tone on the second syllable of gogewa (experience), both of which affect intelligibility in a longer spoken introduction. As in Chapter 20 of Volume II, keep an even syllable rhythm across full sentences, and do not let tone or vowel length flatten toward the end of a long spoken self-introduction. Practice saying your name, place of origin, and one life event aloud as a single connected unit before moving to a full introduction.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter introduces no new grammar system. It consolidates independent pronouns, subject-reference patterns, and completive narration at a fuller level of independence, and applies the future/intention expressions and connectors already active since Volume II to a new communicative task: connected personal narration.
1.1 Reviewing: Independent pronouns in extended self-reference
A personal introduction relies heavily on first-person reference, but a full introduction also refers to other people — parents, teachers, classmates — and must distinguish clearly between them. Review the independent pronouns and subject-reference forms before narrating your own history.
- Ni Halima ce, kuma ina zaune a nan tun ƙuruciyata.I am Halima, and I have lived here since my childhood.
- Iyayena sun yi ƙaura zuwa wannan gari kafin a haife ni.My parents moved to this town before I was born.
1.2 Reviewing: Narrating change with completive forms and connectors
As in Volume II, sa'an nan and sannan link two completed events in sequence, and daga baya introduces a further, later stage. These connectors are consolidated, not new, and are expected to appear accurately throughout this chapter's narration tasks.
1.3 Reviewing: Stating plans for continued development
- Yanzu ina son ci gaba da karatuna, domin na sami ƙarin sana'a.Now I want to continue my studies, in order to gain further skills.
- Watakila zan koma makaranta shekara mai zuwa, idan na sami kuɗi.Perhaps I will return to school next year, if I get the money.
The future/intention marker zan/za ta, the hedging expression watakila, and the condition connector idan are all recycled from Volume II and are used here to project a personal history forward into stated plans.
1.4 Introducing: Reference tracking in a personal narration
As your personal narration grows longer, avoid repeating your own name or another person's name in every sentence. Once you have been identified, continue with a pronoun or an omitted subject, exactly as practiced with the community group's name in Volume II.
- Sule ya girma a wani ƙauye kusa da Kano. Ya yi karatun firamare a can, sa'an nan ya koma birni domin sana'a.Sule grew up in a village near Kano. He did primary school there, then he moved to the city for work."Sule" named once; "ya" (he) tracks the reference across two following clauses
Atisayen ƙa'ida — Grammar practice: Complete each sentence with the word or expression that fits.
- Na yi karatun firamare a garinmu, ___ (sa'an nan/domin) na koma birni.
- ___ (Daga baya/Idan) na koma gida, na fara sana'ata.
- ___ (Watakila/Tunda) zan ci gaba da karatu, idan na sami kuɗi.
- Aminu ya girma a birni. ___ (Aminu/Ya) yi karatun sakandare a can.
Model Dialogue
Yanayin hali: Dare na farko a wani shirin ilimin manya, malami ya tambayi ɗalibai sabbi da kansu su gabatar da tarihinsu ga ƙungiyar.
(Setting: The first evening of an adult-education program, the instructor asks the new students to introduce their personal history to the group.)
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- Where did Sule grow up, and what did he move to the city to do?
- Did Sule's family move with him or after him?
- Where did Halima do her schooling?
- Why did Halima start tailoring instead of continuing school?
- What condition does Halima attach to her plan to return to school?
Guided Practice
Aikin gane — Recognition: Underline every completive verb, sequencing connector, and future/intention expression in the Model Dialogue.
Aikin zaɓi — Selection: Choose the correct word for each blank: (1) Na yi karatu a nan, ___ (sa'an nan/idan) na koma birni. (2) ___ (Watakila/Domin) zan ci gaba da karatu shekara mai zuwa.
Aikin gyara maimaici — Reference-tracking correction: Rewrite the following short passage, replacing unnecessary name repetition with pronouns or omitted subjects where natural: Aminu ya girma a birni. Aminu ya yi karatun sakandare a can. Aminu ya fara sana'ar kasuwanci bayan makaranta.
Aikin haɗawa — Sentence-combination practice: Combine each pair of short sentences into one connected sentence using sa'an nan, daga baya, or domin: (a) Na yi karatun firamare a ƙauye. Na koma birni domin sakandare. (b) Ban gama makaranta ba. Na fara sana'ar ɗinki.
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 a connected personal-history narration.
Sauraro — Tarihin Bala (Listening: Bala's History)
"Ni Bala ne. An haife ni a wani ƙaramin gari a arewacin ƙasar, kuma na girma a can tare da iyayena da ƴan uwana. Na yi karatun firamare a garinmu, sa'an nan iyalina suka yi ƙaura zuwa babban birni domin aiki. A can, na gama sakandare, sa'an nan na sami aikin dinki na wani ɗan lokaci. Daga baya, na fahimci cewa ina son koyon fasahar kwamfuta maimakon ci gaba da dinki, don haka na fara wani gajeren horo. Yanzu ina son ci gaba da wannan fasaha, kuma watakila zan nemi aiki a wata kamfani ta fasaha idan na gama horon."
Kula na sauraro — Questions: (1) Where was Bala born, and where did he grow up? (2) Why did his family move to the big city? (3) What work did Bala do after secondary school? (4) What does Bala want to do now, and what condition does he attach to his plan?
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 stating where you grew up, one thing you did in school, and one plan for the future, using the sentence patterns from Sections 1.2 and 1.3.
Tattaunawa — Communicative task
With a partner, role-play the introduction scene from the Model Dialogue, but use your own real or invented personal history. Include at least one completive narration sequence, one plan for the future, and one moment where your partner asks you to repeat or clarify something.
Madadin karatu kai tsaye — Solo alternative
Record yourself introducing your personal history in at least eight connected sentences: where you are from, one important change in your life, your education or work background, and one plan for continued development, tracking yourself and any other people you mention without repeating names unnecessarily.
Reading Practice
Read the short biographical note below. Underline every sequencing connector, circle every future/intention expression, and put a box around every instance of pronoun reference tracking.
Karatu — Gajeriyar Tarihin Amina (Reading: Amina's Short Biography)
Amina 'yar shekara ashirin da biyar ce. An haife ta a wani gari kusa da Sakkwato, kuma ta girma a can tare da danginta. Ta yi karatun firamare da sakandare a garinsu, sa'an nan ta koma babban birni domin neman aiki. A can, ta sami aikin koyarwa a wata makarantar firamare, kuma tana son ci gaba da wannan sana'a. Daga baya, ta yanke shawarar komawa makaranta don samun digiri, domin tana son koyar da manyan ɗalibai a nan gaba. Yanzu tana shirin fara karatunta na jami'a shekara mai zuwa, idan ta sami tallafin karatu.
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- Where was Amina born and raised?
- What did she do after finishing school in her hometown?
- What job does she currently have, and what does she want to continue doing?
- What is Amina's plan for next year, and what condition does she attach to it?
Writing Workshop
- Karanta labarin da hankali. Reread Amina's biography and notice how it links birthplace, schooling, work, and future plans into one connected narration.
- Tsarawa. Plan a short narration of your own personal history (real or invented), from birthplace and upbringing through schooling, work, and one plan for continued development.
- Rubuta. Write 100–130 words in Hausa. Include a clear opening identifying yourself, at least one completive-narration sequence with sa'an nan or daga baya, a description of your education or work background, one plan for the future with zan/za ta or watakila, and at least one instance of reference tracking if you mention another person.
- Duba jerin bincike. Check your draft against the checklist below.
- Rubuta siffa ta ƙarshe. Produce a clean final version.
Jerin binciken gyara — Editing checklist:
- The narration opens with a clear self-identification.
- At least one completive-narration sequence uses sa'an nan or daga baya.
- Education or work background is described accurately.
- A future plan is expressed with zan/za ta or watakila.
- Any second person named is tracked afterward with a pronoun or omitted subject, not repeated by name.
- Prior systems from Volume II (TAM/aspect, negation, focus, prepositions) remain accurate where they appear.
- No grammar or vocabulary beyond the cumulative Volume II and Chapter 1 scope appears.
- Special characters (ɓ, ɗ, ƙ, ƴ) and the apostrophe/glottal convention are used accurately.
Culture and Communication
Introducing oneself with a brief personal history is common in classroom, workplace, and community settings, but the level of detail considered appropriate varies. Some speakers readily mention family background and place of origin; others prefer to keep such details brief in a first meeting. Following the lead of the group or instructor, as Sule and Halima do in this chapter's dialogue, is a reasonable general strategy, though practices differ by community, setting, and relationship.
Terms for school stages, trades, and qualifications can vary between Nigerian and Nigerien educational systems and between rural and urban contexts. This chapter uses widely understood general vocabulary; more specific institutional or regional terms are introduced for recognition in later chapters when the topic requires them.
Common Mistakes
Error: *Aminu ya girma a birni. Aminu ya yi karatun sakandare a can. Aminu ya fara sana'ar kasuwanci. (repeating the full name in every sentence of a personal narration)
Correction: Aminu ya girma a birni, sa'an nan ya yi karatun sakandare a can, kuma daga baya ya fara sana'ar kasuwanci. — Once a person has been named, continue with a pronoun or an omitted subject, exactly as practiced with group and event names in Volume II.
Error: *Zan yi karatun firamare a garinmu, sa'an nan zan koma birni. (using the future marker zan to narrate events that have already happened)
Correction: Na yi karatun firamare a garinmu, sa'an nan na koma birni. — A personal-history narration about the past uses completive forms; the future/intention marker zan/za ta is reserved for genuinely future plans, such as returning to school next year.
Chapter Summary
This chapter introduced personal-history and education/work vocabulary and applied the completive narration forms, sequencing connectors sa'an nan and daga baya, and future/intention expressions already consolidated in Volume II to a new communicative task: introducing oneself with a connected personal history. It also began scheduling reference tracking at the fuller Volume III level, extending the pattern first practiced with group and event names in Volume II to personal narration. This chapter opens Unit I, which will be formally assessed in Chapter 5.
Chapter Review
Sashi na A — Kalmomi (Vocabulary)
1. Give the Hausa for: personal history, to grow up, school, trade/profession, experience, progress/development, life goal, change (noun).
Sashi na B — Nahawu (Grammar)
1. Write two sentences narrating a school history, linked with sa'an nan.
2. Write one sentence stating a future plan with watakila and idan.
3. Rewrite this passage to correct unnecessary name repetition: Halima ta yi karatun firamare a nan. Halima ta yi karatun sakandare a nan. Halima ta fara sana'ar ɗinki.
Sashi na C — Karatu da Rubutu
1. Reread Amina's biography and summarize it in three to four English sentences.
2. Write your 100–130-word personal narration, following the Writing Workshop instructions.
Sashi na D — Magana
1. With a partner or instructor, perform the communicative introduction task from the Speaking Practice section.
Practical Performance Task
Aikin Aiwatarwa — Chapter 1 Performance
Gabatarwa Ta Kai — My Personal Introduction
Complete all four components, drawing on vocabulary and grammar from this chapter and Volume II:
- Listening: Listen to Bala's History narration and answer the comprehension questions.
- Speaking: With a partner, role-play a group introduction scene, including your background, education or work history, one plan for the future, and one instance of communication repair.
- Reading: Read Amina's biography and answer the comprehension questions.
- Writing: Submit your 100–130-word connected personal narration.
Evaluation criteria: a clear self-identification; accurate completive narration with sa'an nan or daga baya; accurate description of education or work background; a natural future plan with zan/za ta or watakila; reference tracking when another person is named; accurate integration of TAM/aspect, negation, and focus forms carried forward from Volume II; natural use of communication repair; accurate ordinary Boko spelling and special characters. Consistent with B1 entry-level expectations, comprehensible and task-fulfilling communication should not be penalized as though produced by an advanced speaker.
Independent Study Tools
Self-check: Can you introduce yourself with a connected account of where you are from, one important change in your life, your education or work background, and one plan for the future, tracking yourself and any other named person across the whole narration, without looking back at this chapter? If not, review Sections 1.1–1.4 before submitting your final performance task.
Vocabulary review method: Start a new Volume III flashcard set with this chapter's personal-history, education, and work vocabulary, and quiz yourself on which words describe background, schooling, work, and future plans.
Extra practice: Write or record two additional short personal-history narrations, one about yourself and one about a family member or friend, and check your work against this chapter's checklist before moving to Chapter 2.
Answer Key / Amsoshi
Aikin zaɓi (Word selection)
- Na yi karatu a nan, sa'an nan na koma birni.
- Watakila zan ci gaba da karatu shekara mai zuwa.
Aikin gyara maimaici (Reference-tracking correction)
Sample: Aminu ya girma a birni, sa'an nan ya yi karatun sakandare a can, kuma daga baya ya fara sana'ar kasuwanci. (Other natural revisions that reduce repetition are acceptable.)
Aikin haɗawa (Sentence-combination practice)
Sample: (a) Na yi karatun firamare a ƙauye, sa'an nan na koma birni domin sakandare. (b) Ban gama makaranta ba, don haka na fara sana'ar ɗinki. (Other accurate combinations are acceptable.)
Atisayen ƙa'ida (Grammar practice, Section 1)
- Na yi karatun firamare a garinmu, sa'an nan na koma birni.
- Daga baya na koma gida, na fara sana'ata.
- Watakila zan ci gaba da karatu, idan na sami kuɗi.
- Aminu ya girma a birni. Ya yi karatun sakandare a can.
Tambayoyin fahimta na tattaunawa (Dialogue comprehension)
- Sule grew up in a village near Kano and moved to the city for the building trade.
- He moved alone first, and his family followed later.
- Halima did both primary and secondary school in her hometown.
- She did not finish school, so she started tailoring instead.
- She will return to school next year only if she gets the money.
Kula na sauraro (Listening responses)
(1) Bala was born and grew up in a small town in the north of the country. (2) His family moved to the big city for work. (3) He worked in tailoring for a while after secondary school. (4) He wants to continue learning computer skills now, and hopes to look for work at a technology company once he finishes his training, if that training is completed successfully.
Tambayoyin karatu (Reading comprehension)
- Amina was born and raised in a town near Sokoto.
- After finishing school there, she moved to the big city to look for work.
- She currently works as a teacher at a primary school and wants to continue teaching.
- She plans to begin university study next year, if she receives a scholarship.
Sashi na B (Chapter Review grammar)
- Sample: Na yi karatun firamare a garinmu, sa'an nan na koma birni domin sakandare. (Other accurate sentences are acceptable.)
- Sample: Watakila zan koma makaranta shekara mai zuwa, idan na sami kuɗi.
- Halima ta yi karatun firamare a nan, sa'an nan ta yi karatun sakandare, kuma daga baya ta fara sana'ar ɗinki.
Sashi na C (Sample writing)
Ni Yakubu ne. An haife ni a wani gari kusa da Zaria, kuma na girma a can tare da iyayena. Na yi karatun firamare da sakandare a garinmu, sa'an nan na koma babban birni domin neman aiki. A can, na sami aikin dinki na wani lokaci, amma yanzu ina son ci gaba da koyon fasahar kwamfuta. Watakila zan fara wani gajeren horo shekara mai zuwa, idan na sami kuɗin biyan makaranta. Ina fatan wannan sana'a za ta taimaka mini in ci gaba a rayuwa.
Other accurate, well-formed passages meeting the stated requirements are equally acceptable.
Looking Ahead
Abin da ka/ki koya — What you have learned
This chapter carried forward pronouns, completive narration, sequencing connectors, and future/intention expressions from Volume II and applied them to a new task: connected personal-history narration. It also extended reference tracking from group and event names to personal reference, beginning the fuller connected-discourse work of Volume III.