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Hausa phrasebook Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Hausa is a Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 24 million people, and as a second language by about 15 million more. Native speakers of Hausa are mostly to be found in the African country of Niger and in the north of Nigeria (wherer it is an official language in the north), but the language is widely used as a lingua franca(similar to Wolof in Senegal) in a much larger swathe of West Africa.
Contents |
Pronunciation guide
Vowels
- a
- like 'a' in "cat"
Consonants
- b
- like 'b' in "bat" but there is also an implosive b, a sound not in English
Phrase list
Basics
- Hello.
- Sannu, but the commonest polite greeting is Salama alaikum, peace be upon you.
- How are you?
- ا نا لافييا /A na lafiya?
- Fine, thank you.
- Eh lafiya lau.
- What is your name?
- Ya ya sunan ka?
- My name is ______ .
- suna na _____
- Nice to meet you.
- I na farin cikin haduwa da kai( an English greeting, not a Hausa one)
- Please.
- Don Allah
- Thank you.
- Na gode.
- You're welcome.
- Marhaba (In the sense of welcoming someone, but in response to someone thanking you, Ba kome)
- Yes.
- Eh
- No.
- A'a
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- Don Allah ji mana!
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- gafara
- I'm sorry.
- Yi hakuri
- Goodbye
- Sai an jima.
- I can't speak 'Swedish' [well].
- Ba na jin harshen Swedish
- Do you speak English?
- Ka na jin harshen turanci kuwa?
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- Akwai mai jin harshen turanci kusa?
- Help!
- Taimaka!
- Look out!
- A lura sosai!
- Good morning.
- Ina kwana?
- Good evening.
- Barka da yamma
- Good night.
- Allah ya ba mu alheri
- Good night (to sleep)
- Mu kwana lafiya
- I don't understand.
- Ban Gane ba
- Where is the toilet?
- I na makewayi ya ke?
Learning more
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Sannu: Sorry
Na Gode: Thank You
Ina Jin Yunwa: I'm Hungry
Ina son ruwa: I want water
