Ilimi da Horaswa
Chapter Overview
Chapter 6 opens Unit II of Volume III and shifts the conversation toward education and training. You will learn to talk about schools, courses, exams, skills, and digital learning, while building four new grammar systems: expressions of location and possession, quantity expressions, routine clauses, and the early stages of the imperfective/habitual and future TAM frames. You will also begin tracking noun gender and plural forms as lexical facts attached to individual words, and you will learn a small set of repair formulas useful in market, registration-desk, and service settings. All personal-history, relationship, place, and health vocabulary from Chapters 1 through 5 remains active and should appear naturally in your speaking and writing.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Identify and use at least twelve new active vocabulary items related to education, training, and digital learning.
- Express where something or someone is located using basic locative clauses with a and akwai.
- Express possession and non-possession using ina da and ba ni da.
- Ask and answer questions about quantity using nawa and yawa.
- Describe a routine activity using a habitual clause pattern.
- Recognize and begin producing the imperfective/progressive frame with ina/kana/tana + verbal noun.
- Record the gender and plural form of a new noun as part of learning that noun.
- Use at least two repair formulas to ask a clerk, instructor, or vendor to repeat, slow down, or clarify.
- Read a short passage about a course or exam and answer factual and inferential questions.
- Write a short paragraph describing your own education, training, or a skill you are learning.
Communication Scenario
Halima has decided to register for a computer skills course at a training center near her neighborhood in Kaduna. At the registration desk, she asks about the location of the classroom, the cost, the schedule, and what she needs to bring. The clerk, Malam Bello, answers her questions and explains the daily routine of the course. Halima does not understand one instruction the first time and asks him to repeat it more slowly. Later, she tells her brother Sule about the course and what she does there every day.
- New vocabulary domain: education, training, skills, exams, and digital learning.
- New grammar: location and possession clauses, quantity expressions, routine/habitual clauses, and the early imperfective/progressive TAM frame.
- New system: noun gender and plural recorded as part of each vocabulary entry.
- New pragmatic system: market/service repair formulas for requesting repetition or slower speech.
- All Chapter 1-5 vocabulary and grammar remain active and should be recycled throughout this chapter's tasks.
Core Vocabulary
Each noun entry below records gender and plural form as required by this chapter's noun gender/plural system. m. = masculine, f. = feminine.
| Hausa | Gender/Plural | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| makaranta | f., pl. makarantu | school | Ina zuwa makaranta kowace rana. |
| ɗalibi | m., pl. ɗalibai | student | Shi ɗalibi ne a jami'a. |
| malami | m., pl. malamai | teacher, instructor | Malaminmu yana koyar da lissafi. |
| darasi | m., pl. darussa | lesson, class | Darasin yau yana da wahala. |
| jarrabawa | f., pl. jarrabawowi | exam | Jarrabawa za ta fara mako mai zuwa. |
| fasaha | f., no common plural | skill, technology | Ina koyon fasahar kwamfuta. |
| kwas | m., pl. kwasoshi | course | Wannan kwas yana ɗaukar wata uku. |
| takardar shaida | f., pl. takardun shaida | certificate | Zan sami takardar shaida bayan kwas. |
| rajista | f., no common plural | registration | Rajista ta ƙare a ranar Juma'a. |
| kuɗin makaranta | m. (compound) | school fees | Kuɗin makaranta ba su yi tsada ba. |
| tsarin darasi | m. (compound) | class schedule | Tsarin darasi yana nan a bango. |
| koyo ta yanar gizo | — | online learning | Muna koyo ta yanar gizo sau biyu a mako. |
Kumulative recycling: This chapter continues to require accurate production of personal-history, relationship, place, and health vocabulary from Chapters 1-5.
Pronunciation Focus
Several new words in this chapter contain vowel-length contrasts that affect meaning elsewhere in Hausa, even though this chapter does not assess a new tone or vowel-length rule. Practice darasi with a short first vowel, jarrabawa with careful attention to its four syllables, and rajista with a clear final syllable. Continue applying the tone and vowel-length control established in Chapters 1 through 5 as you produce these longer, multi-syllable education terms, since longer words make rhythm control more demanding.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter introduces four new systems: location/possession/quantity/routine clauses, the early imperfective/progressive TAM frame, noun gender/plural as lexical entries, and market/service repair formulas. Each is presented for communicative use at the Introduced (I) level, consistent with the Volume III scope for Chapter 6.
6.1 Location: a and akwai
Use yana/tana a when the subject is a specific, already-identified noun. Use akwai to introduce the existence of something without emphasizing a specific identity, similar to English "there is/are."
6.2 Possession: ina da and ba ni da
- Ina da littafi da fensir don darasi.I have a book and a pencil for class.
- Ba ni da kuɗin rajista tukuna.I don't have the registration money yet.ba + pronoun + da = negative possession
These formulaic possessive patterns already appear in fixed form. This chapter asks you to control them productively across the education domain rather than as isolated phrases.
6.3 Quantity: nawa and yawa
- Nawa ne kuɗin kwas?How much is the course fee?
- Akwai ɗalibai da yawa a darasin.There are many students in the class.
Nawa asks for a specific quantity or price; da yawa expresses "many" or "a lot" following the noun it describes.
6.4 Routine clauses and the early imperfective/habitual frame
This chapter introduces the ina/kana/tana + verbal noun frame as your first productive TAM/aspect system beyond completive forms. It expresses both an action in progress and a habitual routine, depending on context and time expressions such as kowace rana ("every day") or yanzu ("now"). Full negative and future TAM forms remain scheduled for Chapters 7-9 and are not assessed here.
6.5 Noun gender and plural as lexical entries
Beginning with this chapter, record the gender (masculine or feminine) and plural form of every new noun as part of learning that noun, as shown in the Core Vocabulary table above. Do not guess a plural pattern from a rule; learn each plural as a fact about that specific word. Some nouns, such as fasaha and rajista, have no common plural in ordinary use at this level and should be learned as singular-only for now.
6.6 Market/service repair formulas
- Don Allah, ka/ki sake maimaita?Please, could you repeat that?
- Ban gane sosai ba. Za ka/ki iya yin sannu-sannu?I didn't understand well. Can you speak more slowly?
- Me ake nufi da "rajista"?What does "rajista" mean?
These formulas are useful whenever a clerk, vendor, or instructor speaks too quickly or uses an unfamiliar word. Use them at the registration desk in this chapter's scenario, and continue using them in later service and market contexts.
Atisayen ƙa'ida — Controlled practice: Complete each sentence with the correct word or phrase.
- ___ (Akwai/Ina da) kwamfutoci goma a ɗakin darasi.
- ___ (Nawa/Yawa) ne kuɗin rajista?
- Ina ___ (koyon/koya) fasahar kwamfuta a kwas.
- Don Allah, ka sake ___ (maimaita/koya)?
Model Dialogue
Yanayin hali: Halima ta je wurin rajista domin kwas na fasahar kwamfuta.
(Setting: Halima goes to the registration desk for a computer skills course.)
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- What course does Halima want to register for?
- Where is the classroom, and what is in it?
- What does Halima ask Malam Bello to do, and why?
- How often do students attend the course, and what do they receive after three months?
Guided Practice
Aikin gane — Recognition: Underline every location clause, possession clause, quantity expression, and imperfective/habitual verb form in the Model Dialogue.
Aikin zaɓi — Selection: Choose the correct word: (1) ___ (Akwai/Ina da) littafi don darasi. (2) Malami ___ (yana/ya) koyar da darasi kowace rana.
Aikin gyara — Repair practice: With a partner, role-play a short registration-desk exchange in which one person speaks too quickly and the other uses at least one repair formula from this chapter.
Aikin haɗawa — Combination practice: Write two sentences about your own education or training using a location clause and a habitual clause.
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.
Sauraro — Kwas na Sule (Listening: Sule's Course)
"Ina koyon fasahar gyaran waya a wani cibiyar horaswa kusa da gidanmu a Kaduna. Ɗakin darasin yana a ƙasa, kuma akwai kayan aiki da yawa a wajen. Ina zuwa sau biyu a mako, safe da yamma. Malaminmu yana koyar da mu yadda ake gyara wayoyi da kwamfutoci. Kuɗin kwas ba su yi tsada ba, kuma zan sami takardar shaida bayan wata huɗu."
Kula na sauraro — Questions: (1) What skill is Sule learning? (2) Where is the classroom, and what is in it? (3) How often does Sule attend? (4) What will Sule receive after four months?
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
With a partner, take turns asking and answering: "Nawa ne kuɗin ___?" and "Ina/Akwai ___ a ___?" substituting different education-related nouns from this chapter's vocabulary.
Tattaunawa — Communicative assessment task
With a partner or instructor, role-play a registration-desk conversation in which you ask about a course's location, cost, and schedule, describe your routine using a habitual clause, and use at least one repair formula when you do not understand something.
Madadin karatu kai tsaye — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing a course, class, or skill you are learning (real or invented), including at least one location clause, one possession clause, one quantity expression, and one habitual clause.
Reading Practice
Read the short passage below. Underline every location, possession, and quantity expression, and circle every habitual/imperfective verb form.
Karatu — Cibiyar Horaswa ta Zainab (Reading: Zainab's Training Center)
Zainab tana koyo a wata cibiyar horaswa da take a tsakiyar gari. Akwai ɗalibai kusan talatin a cibiyar, kuma malamai biyu ne suke koyarwa. Zainab ba ta da kwamfutar kanta, amma cibiyar tana da kwamfutoci goma sha biyar don ɗalibai. Tana zuwa kwas kowace safiya, sannan tana yin aikin gida da yamma. Bayan wata shida, ɗalibai suna yin jarrabawa, sannan suna samun takardar shaida idan sun ci nasara.
Tambayoyin fahimta — Comprehension questions:
- Where does Zainab study, and how many students are there?
- Does Zainab have her own computer? What does the center provide?
- What is Zainab's daily routine?
- What happens after six months?
Writing Workshop
- Karanta labarin da hankali. Reread Zainab's passage and notice how it combines location, possession, quantity, and routine information about her training.
- Tsarawa. Plan a short paragraph about your own education, training, or a skill you are learning, noting at least one location fact, one possession fact, one quantity fact, and one routine.
- Rubuta. Write 80–120 words in Hausa describing your course, class, or skill, using at least one location clause, one possession clause, one quantity expression, and one habitual clause.
- 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 location clause with a or akwai appears.
- At least one possession clause with ina da or ba ni da appears.
- At least one quantity expression with nawa or da yawa appears.
- At least one habitual/imperfective clause with ina/kana/tana + verbal noun appears.
- New education vocabulary is used accurately, including correct gender/plural where relevant.
- No grammar or vocabulary beyond the cumulative Chapter 1-6 scope appears.
- Special characters (ɓ, ɗ, ƙ, ƴ) and apostrophe/glottal conventions are used accurately.
Culture and Communication
Short-term training centers offering skills such as computer use, phone repair, tailoring, and trades are common in many Hausa-speaking urban and semi-urban areas, but the cost, format, and availability of such centers vary widely by city, region, and household resources. Halima's and Zainab's experiences represent individual, plausible situations rather than a description of how all learners in Hausa-speaking communities access training.
Vocabulary and administrative procedures around school fees, registration, and certificates can differ between Nigerian and Nigerien educational contexts, and even between institutions within the same country. This chapter's vocabulary reflects a common, general pattern and should be treated as a starting point rather than a fixed nationwide standard.
Common Mistakes
Error: *Kwamfuta akwai a ɗakin darasi. (placing the specific subject before akwai)
Correction: Kwamfutar tana a ɗakin darasi. or Akwai kwamfuta a ɗakin darasi. — Use yana/tana a for a specific, already-identified noun, and place akwai at the start of the clause when introducing existence.
Error: *Ina fasahar kwamfuta kowace rana. (missing the verbal noun "koyo")
Correction: Ina koyon fasahar kwamfuta kowace rana. — The imperfective/habitual frame requires a verbal noun after ina/kana/tana; the activity noun alone is not sufficient.
Chapter Summary
This chapter opened Unit II with the domain of education, training, and digital learning. It introduced location clauses with a and akwai, possession clauses with ina da and ba ni da, quantity expressions with nawa and da yawa, the early imperfective/progressive/habitual TAM frame with ina/kana/tana + verbal noun, noun gender and plural as lexical entries, and market/service repair formulas. All Chapter 1-5 vocabulary and grammar remained active throughout.
Chapter Review
Sashi na A — Kalmomi (Vocabulary)
1. Give the Hausa word, gender, and plural for four education-related nouns from this chapter.
Sashi na B — Nahawu (Grammar)
1. Write one location sentence using akwai and one using yana/tana a.
2. Write one possession sentence and one negative possession sentence about school supplies.
3. Write one sentence with a quantity expression and one with a habitual/imperfective verb form.
Sashi na C — Karatu da Rubutu
1. Reread Zainab's passage and summarize it in three to four English sentences.
2. Write your 80–120-word paragraph about your own education or training, following the Writing Workshop instructions.
Sashi na D — Magana
1. With a partner or instructor, role-play the registration-desk conversation from the Speaking Practice section, including at least one repair formula.
Practical Performance Task
Aikin Aiwatarwa — Chapter 6
Rajista da Ni — Registration and Me
Complete all four components, drawing on new Chapter 6 vocabulary and grammar as well as cumulative Chapter 1-5 material:
- Listening: Listen to Sule's course description and answer the comprehension questions.
- Speaking: Role-play a registration-desk conversation covering location, cost, schedule, and routine, with at least one repair formula.
- Reading: Read Zainab's passage and answer the comprehension questions.
- Writing: Submit your 80–120-word paragraph about your own education, training, or skill.
Evaluation criteria: accurate use of location, possession, and quantity expressions; accurate habitual/imperfective verb forms; correct gender/plural for education vocabulary where relevant; at least one repair formula used naturally; accurate ordinary Boko spelling and special characters; comprehensible, task-fulfilling communication appropriate to B1 development, without penalty for the natural limitations of this proficiency stage.
Independent Study Tools
Self-check: Can you describe where a classroom is, what you have or don't have for a course, how much something costs, and what your routine is, using a repair formula if needed, without looking back at this chapter? If not, review the relevant grammar section before submitting your final performance task.
Vocabulary review method: Add this chapter's education vocabulary to your flashcard set, recording gender and plural for each noun as shown in the Core Vocabulary table.
Extra practice: Write two additional short passages describing courses or skills, one your own and one belonging to someone you know, checking each against this chapter's writing checklist before moving to Chapter 7.
Answer Key / Amsoshi
Atisayen ƙa'ida (Grammar review, Section 6)
- Akwai kwamfutoci goma a ɗakin darasi.
- Nawa ne kuɗin rajista?
- Ina koyon fasahar kwamfuta a kwas.
- Don Allah, ka sake maimaita?
Tambayoyin fahimta na tattaunawa (Dialogue comprehension)
- Halima wants to register for a computer skills course.
- The classroom is on the second floor and has ten computers.
- Halima asks Malam Bello to speak more slowly because she did not understand the fee information well.
- Students attend three times a week and receive a certificate after three months.
Kula na sauraro (Listening responses)
(1) Sule is learning phone and computer repair. (2) The classroom is on the ground floor and has a lot of equipment. (3) Sule attends twice a week, morning and evening. (4) Sule will receive a certificate after four months.
Tambayoyin karatu (Reading comprehension)
- Zainab studies at a training center in the middle of town, with about thirty students.
- Zainab does not have her own computer; the center provides fifteen computers for students.
- She attends the course every morning and does homework in the evening.
- After six months, students take an exam and receive a certificate if they pass.
Sashi na B (Chapter Review grammar)
- Sample: Akwai littattafai a kantin sayar da littafi. Malaminmu yana a ɗakin darasi.
- Sample: Ina da littafi da fensir. Ba ni da kwamfutar kaina.
- Sample: Akwai ɗalibai da yawa a kwas. Ina koyon fasahar kwamfuta kowace rana.
Sashi na C (Sample writing)
Ina koyon fasahar kwamfuta a wata cibiyar horaswa kusa da gidanmu. Cibiyar tana da kwamfutoci goma, amma ba ni da kwamfutar kaina, don haka ina amfani da nata cibiyar. Ina zuwa kwas sau uku a mako, safe da rana. Kuɗin rajista ba su yi tsada ba, kuma bayan wata uku, zan sami takardar shaida. Malaminmu yana koyar da mu abubuwa da yawa game da kwamfuta kowace rana.
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 opened Unit II with the education and training domain, introducing location, possession, quantity, and routine clauses, the early imperfective/habitual TAM frame, noun gender/plural as lexical entries, and market/service repair formulas, while continuing to recycle Unit I vocabulary and grammar.