The Hausa course
Learn Hausa ten words at a time
Hausa
Ten games of ten words: the hundred most useful Hausa words and expressions you could live on for years, from greetings and ordering food to numbers, small talk and getting around. Play a lesson in the box beside its words, and the next one starts itself.
Hausa challenge
Do you know the essentials? 25 quick questions from across the course. Score high and you are ready for the trip.
Hausa · Lesson 1 of 10
Greetings and politeness
Hello, thanks, please: the ten openers everything else builds on.
- SannuSAN-noo
- Hello
- SannuSAN-noo
- Hi
- Ina kwanaEE-na KWA-na
- Good morning
- Sai da safesai da SA-feh
- Good night
- Na gode sosaina GO-deh SO-sai
- Thank you very much
- Na godena GO-deh
- Thanks
- Babu laifiBA-boo LAI-fi
- You're welcome
- Don Allahdon AL-lah
- Please
- Yi hakuriyee ha-KU-ri
- Excuse me
- Sai anjimasai an-JI-ma
- Goodbye
Hausa · Lesson 2 of 10
Order anything by pointing
One beer please, one of these please, the bill: survive any menu.
- Gida daya, don AllahGI-da DA-ya, don AL-lah
- One beer, please
- Aro nan, don AllahAH-roh nan, don AL-lah
- One of these, please
- Kofi daya, don AllahKO-fi DA-ya, don AL-lah
- One coffee, please
- Biyu, don AllahBI-yu, don AL-lah
- Two, please
- Aro gida, don AllahAH-roh GI-da, don AL-lah
- One more, please
- Nawa ne?na-WAH neh
- How much is it?
- Kudin jiya, don AllahKU-din JI-ya, don AL-lah
- The bill, please
- Zan iya...?zan I-ya
- May I...?
- Sannu!SAN-noo
- Cheers!
- Allah ya tsira kaAL-lah ya TSEE-ra ka
- Bless you
Hausa · Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials
The tiny words that carry half of every conversation.
- Eeeh
- Yes
- A'aah-ah
- No
- Daidaidai-DAI
- Okay
- Lafiya nela-FEE-ya neh
- Sure, no problem
- Ban sani baban SAH-ni ba
- I don't know
- Ban gane baban GAH-neh ba
- I don't understand
- Kana magana Turanci?KA-na ma-GA-na tu-RAN-ci
- Do you speak English?
- Kadanka-DAN
- A little
- I mazii MA-zi
- Of course
- Lafiya laula-FEE-ya lau
- Everything is fine
Hausa · Lesson 4 of 10
Numbers and money
Counting, prices, paying by card or cash.
- DayaDA-ya
- One
- BiyuBI-yu
- Two
- UkuU-ku
- Three
- HuduHU-du
- Four
- GomaGO-ma
- Ten
- HamsinHAM-sin
- Fifty
- DariDA-ri
- One hundred
- Nairanai-RA
- Naira
- Ta kadita KA-di
- By card
- Ta kudin kasuata KU-din KA-sua
- In cash
Hausa · Lesson 5 of 10
At the supermarket
Bread, milk, a bag, nothing else thanks: the checkout routine.
- BabaBA-ba
- Bread
- NonoNO-no
- Milk
- Kasidaka-SI-da
- Cheese
- RuwaRU-wa
- Water
- Jakara?ja-KA-ra
- A bag?
- Kana da...?KA-na da
- Do you have...?
- Ina ne...?I-na neh
- Where is...?
- Wannanwan-NAN
- This one
- Ba abu maiba AH-bu mai
- Nothing else
- Sai da safesai da SA-feh
- Have a nice day
Hausa · Lesson 6 of 10
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, a compliment to the kitchen.
- Teburin biyuteh-BU-rin BI-yu
- A table for two
- Jerin abubuwas, don AllahJEH-rin ah-buh-BU-was, don AL-lah
- The menu, please
- Kofi dayaKO-fi DA-ya
- One espresso
- Gida daya na ruwaGI-da DA-ya na RU-wa
- A glass of wine
- Gida sannuGI-da SAN-noo
- Draft beer
- Tuwo da miyaTU-wo da MI-ya
- Tuwo da miya
- Yana da dadiYA-na da DA-di
- It's delicious
- Ba da iceba da AI-se
- Without ice
- Na kawo dana KA-wo da
- To take away
- Ka dauki sauran kudinka DAU-ki SAU-ran KU-din
- Keep the change
Hausa · Lesson 7 of 10
Small talk and neighbors
How are you, nice day, see you soon: superficial and proud of it.
- Sannu kina lafiya?SAN-noo KI-na la-FEE-ya
- How are you? (polite)
- Yaya ke?YA-ya keh
- How are you? (casual)
- Lafiya nela-FEE-ya neh
- I'm fine
- Kaina?KAI-na
- And you?
- Menene saba?meh-NEH-neh SA-ba
- What's new?
- Iska yake da kyau, ba haka ba?IS-ka YA-keh da KYAU, ba HA-ka ba
- Nice weather, huh?
- Sai gidasai GI-da
- See you soon
- Allah ya ba ka sannuAL-lah ya ba ka SAN-noo
- Have a nice evening
- Taba aiki gidaTA-ba AI-ki GI-da
- Say hi to the family
- Allah ya ba ka abuAL-lah ya ba ka AH-bu
- All the best
Hausa · Lesson 8 of 10
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- Ina ne baje?I-na neh BA-jeh
- Where is the toilet?
- HaguHA-gu
- Left
- DamaDA-ma
- Right
- GidaGI-da
- Straight ahead
- Nannan
- Here
- Cancan
- There
- Mota kayaMO-ta KA-ya
- Bus
- Gidan jirgin kasaGI-dan JIR-gin KA-sa
- Train station
- Tikiti daya, don Allahti-KI-ti DA-ya, don AL-lah
- One ticket, please
- Tsaya nan, don Allahtsa-YA nan, don AL-lah
- Stop here, please
Hausa · Lesson 9 of 10
Time and days
Today, tomorrow, later, the weekend.
- JiyaJI-ya
- Today
- GidaGI-da
- Tomorrow
- Jiya daJI-ya da
- Yesterday
- Yanzuyan-ZU
- Now
- GidaGI-da
- Later
- Asar me ne?a-SAR meh neh
- What time is it?
- Litinili-TI-ni
- Monday
- Asabara-sa-BAR
- Saturday
- Lahadila-HA-di
- Sunday
- Aljumat da Lahadial-JU-mat da la-HA-di
- The weekend
Hausa · Lesson 10 of 10
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- Taimaka!tai-MA-ka
- Help!
- Kira likitaKI-ra li-KI-ta
- Call a doctor
- JiyaJI-ya
- Police
- Famasiyyafa-ma-SI-ya
- Pharmacy
- Asibitia-si-BI-ti
- Hospital
- Na baci hanyana BA-ci HA-nya
- I'm lost
- Ban yi jiyaban yi JI-ya
- I don't feel well
- Tarihar nita-RI-har ni
- My phone
- An saci taan SA-ci ta
- It was stolen
- Yana da gaggawaYA-na da gag-GA-wa
- It's urgent