How to say hello, thank you and more in Hausa

Quick answers

First words

Greet someone and be polite

• SannuHello/SAN-noo/
• Na godeThank you/na GO-deh/
• Barka da zuwaWelcome/BAR-ka da ZOO-wa/
• Sai an jimaGoodbye/sigh an-JEE-ma/
• IiYes/EE/
• A'aNo/AH-ah/
• Don AllahPlease/don al-LAH/
• Yi haƙuriSorry/yee ha-KOO-ree/

Meeting people

Say who you are and ask after someone

• Kana lafiya?How are you?/KA-na la-FEE-ya/
• Lafiya lauI am fine/la-FEE-ya LAU/
• Mene ne sunanka?What is your name?/MEH-neh neh soo-NAN-ka/
• Sunana...My name is.../soo-NA-na/
• RuwaWater/ROO-wa/
• AbinciFood/a-BEEN-chee/
• AbokiFriend/a-BO-kee/
• KuɗiMoney/KOO-dee/

Counting

Numbers and asking a price

• ƊayaOne/DA-ya/
• BiyuTwo/BEE-yoo/
• UkuThree/OO-koo/
• HuɗuFour/HOO-doo/
• BiyarFive/BEE-yar/
• GomaTen/GO-ma/
• Nawa ne?How much is it?/NA-wa neh/
• KasuwaMarket/ka-SOO-wa/
• Ina son sayiI want to buy/EE-na son SA-yee/

Family

The people closest to you

• UwaMother/OO-wa/
• UbaFather/OO-ba/
• Ɗan uwaBrother/dan OO-wa/
• 'Yar uwaSister/yar OO-wa/
• YaroChild/YA-ro/
• IyaliFamily/ee-YA-lee/
• MataWife/MA-ta/
• MijiHusband/MEE-jee/

Days and times

Say when something happens

• YauToday/YOW/
• GobeTomorrow/GO-beh/
• JiyaYesterday/JEE-ya/
• YanzuNow/YAN-zoo/
• Da safeIn the morning/da SA-feh/
• Da ranaIn the afternoon/da RA-na/
• Da yammaIn the evening/da YAM-ma/
• Da dareAt night/da DA-reh/

Food and drink

Order and share a meal

• RuwaWater/ROO-wa/
• AbinciFood/a-BEEN-chee/
• NamaMeat/NA-ma/
• ShinkafaRice/shin-KA-fa/
• BurodiBread/boo-RO-dee/
• MadaraMilk/ma-DA-ra/
• Ina jin yunwaI am hungry/EE-na jin YOON-wa/
• Yana da dadiIt is delicious/YA-na da DA-dee/

Getting around town

Directions and travel words

• MotaCar/MO-ta/
• KasuwaMarket/ka-SOO-wa/
• GidaHouse/GEE-da/
• HanyaRoad/HAN-ya/
• HaguLeft/HA-goo/
• DamaRight/DA-ma/
• Kai tsayeStraight ahead/kai TSA-yeh/
• TsayaStop/TSA-ya/

Colours and describing

Say what something looks like

• JaRed/JAH/
• BaƙiBlack/BA-kee/
• FariWhite/FA-ree/
• LauniColour/LOW-nee/
• BabbaBig/BAB-ba/
• ƘaramiSmall/ka-RA-mee/
• Mai kyauGood/my KYOW/
• MummunaBad/moom-MOO-na/

At home

Name the things around you

• GidaHouse/GEE-da/
• ƘofaDoor/KOH-fa/
• GadoBed/GA-doh/
• KujeraChair/koo-JEH-ra/
• TeburTable/TEH-boor/
• TagaWindow/TA-ga/
• ƊakiRoom/DA-kee/
• MabuɗiKey/ma-BOO-dee/

Body and health

Say what hurts and ask for help

• KaiHead/KY/
• HannuHand/HAN-noo/
• IdoEye/EE-doh/
• CikiStomach/CHEE-kee/
• Ina rashin lafiyaI am sick/EE-na RA-shin la-FEE-ya/
• LikitaDoctor/lee-KEE-ta/
• AsibitiHospital/a-see-BEE-tee/
• MaganiMedicine/ma-GA-nee/

Work and school

Talk about what you do

• AikiWork/AY-kee/
• MakarantaSchool/ma-ka-RAN-ta/
• MalamiTeacher/ma-LA-mee/
• ƊalibiStudent/DA-lee-bee/
• LittafiBook/leet-TA-fee/
• Ina koyon HausaI am learning Hausa/EE-na KOH-yon HOW-sa/
• TambayaQuestion/tam-BA-ya/
• KalmaWord/KAL-ma/

Feelings

Say how you feel

• Ina farin cikiI am happy/EE-na FA-rin CHEE-kee/
• Na gajiI am tired/na GA-jee/
• Ina son kaI love you/EE-na son KA/
• AbokiFriend/a-BOH-kee/
• Ina jin yunwaI am hungry/EE-na jin YOON-wa/
• Ina jin ƙishirwaI am thirsty/EE-na jin kee-SHEER-wa/
• Yi haƙuriSorry/yee ha-KOO-ree/
• MadallaWell done/ma-DAL-la/

Small talk

Keep a short conversation going

• Daga ina ka fito?Where are you from?/DA-ga EE-na ka FEE-toh/
• Na fito daga AmurkaI am from America/na FEE-toh DA-ga a-MOOR-ka/
• Kana jin Turanci?Do you speak English?/KA-na jin too-RAN-chee/
• KaɗanA little/KA-dan/
• Sai gobeSee you tomorrow/sy GOH-beh/
• Mu kwana lafiyaGood night/moo KWA-na la-FEE-ya/
• BarkaCongratulations/BAR-ka/
• Babu matsalaNo problem/BA-boo mat-SA-la/