Learn Hausa ten words at a time
Hausa
Ten short games: the 102 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.
Greetings and politeness
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the eleven openers everything else builds on.
- SannuSAN-noo
- Hello
- Ina kwanaEE-nah KWAH-nah
- Good morning
- Barka da yammaBAR-kah dah YAM-mah
- Good evening
- Sai an jimasai an JEE-mah
- Goodbye
- Sai mun haɗusai moon HA-doo
- See you
- Don Allahdon AL-lah
- Please
- Na godenah GOH-deh
- Thank you
- Babu komaiBAH-boo KOH-mai
- You're welcome
- Yi hakuriyee hah-KOO-ree
- Sorry
- Gafara daigah-FAH-rah dai
- Excuse me
- Na ji daɗin haɗuwa da kainah jee dah-DEEN hah-JOO-wah dah kai
- Nice to meet you
Order anything by pointing
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu.
- Ina son...EE-nah son
- I would like...
- Wannanwan-NAN
- This one
- Nawa ne?NAH-wah neh
- How much is it?
- Lissafin kuɗi, don Allahlis-sah-FEEN koo-DEE, don AL-lah
- The bill, please
- Da katidah KAH-tee
- By card
- Da tsabar kuɗidah tsah-BAR koo-DEE
- In cash
- RuwaROO-wah
- Water
- KofiKOH-fee
- Coffee
- ShayiSHAH-yee
- Tea
- GiyaGEE-yah
- Beer
- Ba tare da...bah TAH-reh dah
- Without...
Yes, no and the essentials
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it.
- Eeeh
- Yes
- A'aAH-ah
- No
- Totoh
- Okay
- Ban gane baban GAH-neh bah
- I don't understand
- Kana jin Turanci?KAH-nah jeen too-RAN-chee
- Do you speak English?
- Sake faɗa, don AllahSAH-keh fah-JAH, don AL-lah
- Can you repeat that?
- A hankali, don Allahah han-KAH-lee, don AL-lah
- Slowly, please
- Mene ne wannan?MEH-neh neh wan-NAN
- What is this?
- Ina buƙatar...EE-nah boo-KAH-tar
- I need...
- Za ka taimake ni?zah kah tai-MAH-keh nee
- Can you help me?
Counting to ten
One to ten, for prices, platforms, rooms and how many beers.
- ƊayaDAH-yah
- One
- Biyubee-YOO
- Two
- UkuOO-koo
- Three
- HuɗuHOO-doo
- Four
- Biyarbee-YAR
- Five
- ShidaSHEE-dah
- Six
- Bakwaibah-KWAI
- Seven
- Takwastah-KWAS
- Eight
- TaraTAH-rah
- Nine
- GomaGOH-mah
- Ten
Shops and hotels
Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk.
- Akwai...?AH-kwai
- Do you have...?
- Ina...?EE-nah
- Where is...?
- A buɗeah boo-DEH
- Open
- A rufeah roo-FEH
- Closed
- Leda?LEH-dah
- A bag?
- Ya yi tsadayah yee TSAH-dah
- Too expensive
- Na yi ajiyar ɗakinah yee ah-jee-YAR DAH-kee
- I have a reservation
- Da karin kumallo?dah KAH-reen koo-MAL-loh
- Is breakfast included?
- Mene ne lambar sirrin wifi?MEH-neh neh lam-BAR sir-REEN WAI-fai
- What's the wifi password?
- Zan iya...?zan EE-yah
- Can I...?
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen.
- Tebur na mutum biyuteh-BOOR nah MOO-toom bee-YOO
- A table for two
- Jerin abinci, don Allahjeh-REEN ah-BEEN-chee, don AL-lah
- The menu, please
- Wane abinci ne mai daɗi?WAH-neh ah-BEEN-chee neh mai dah-DEE
- What do you recommend?
- Ba na cin...bah nah cheen
- I don't eat...
- ...ba ya karɓa tabah yah kar-BAH tah
- I'm allergic to...
- NamaNAH-mah
- Meat
- KazaKAH-zah
- Chicken
- KifiKEE-fee
- Fish
- Yana da daɗiYAH-nah dah dah-DEE
- It's delicious
- Lafiya!lah-FEE-yah
- Cheers
Meeting people
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes.
- Yaya lafiya?YAH-yah lah-FEE-yah
- How are you?
- Lafiya lau, na godelah-FEE-yah LOW, nah GOH-deh
- I'm fine, thanks
- Kai fa?kai fah
- And you?
- Yaya sunanka?YAH-yah soo-NAN-kah
- What's your name?
- Sunana...soo-NAH-nah
- My name is...
- Daga ina ka fito?DAH-gah EE-nah kah FEE-toh
- Where are you from?
- Daga ... na fitoDAH-gah ... nah FEE-toh
- I'm from...
- Ina son shiEE-nah son shee
- I like it
- Yana da kyauYAH-nah dah KYOW
- It's beautiful
- Barka da zuwaBAR-kah dah ZOO-wah
- Welcome
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- Ina banɗaki?EE-nah ban-DAH-kee
- Where is the toilet?
- Yaya zan je...?YAH-yah zan jeh
- How do I get to...?
- Zuwa haguZOO-wah HAH-goo
- To the left
- Zuwa damaZOO-wah DAH-mah
- To the right
- Sai gabasai GAH-bah
- Straight ahead
- Nannan
- Here
- Tashar jirgin ƙasatah-SHAR jir-GEEN KAH-sah
- Train station
- Basbas
- Bus
- Filin jirgin samafee-LEEN jir-GEEN SAH-mah
- Airport
- Tikiti ɗaya, don Allahtee-KEE-tee DAH-yah, don AL-lah
- One ticket, please
Time and days
Now, later, tomorrow, what time it opens and one moment please.
- YanzuYAN-zoo
- Now
- Anjimaan-JEE-mah
- Later
- Yauyow
- Today
- GobeGOH-beh
- Tomorrow
- Yau da dareyow dah DAH-reh
- Tonight
- Yaushe?YOW-sheh
- When?
- Da ƙarfe nawa ake buɗewa?dah KAR-feh NAH-wah AH-keh boo-DEH-wah
- What time does it open?
- Dakata kaɗandah-KAH-tah kah-DAN
- One moment, please
- Mintunamin-TOO-nah
- Minutes
- Awoyiah-WOH-yee
- Hours
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- Taimako!tai-MAH-koh
- Help!
- Kira likitaKEE-rah lee-KEE-tah
- Call a doctor
- 'Yan sandayan SAN-dah
- Police
- KemisKEH-mis
- Pharmacy
- Asibitiah-see-BEE-tee
- Hospital
- Na ɓatanah bah-TAH
- I'm lost
- Ba na jin daɗibah nah jeen dah-DEE
- I don't feel well
- An sace shian SAH-cheh shee
- It was stolen
- Gaggawa cegag-GAH-wah cheh
- It's an emergency
- Ka bar nikah BAR nee
- Leave me alone