Hausa

19 Hausa phrases for greetings and everyday courtesy, from Hello (Sannu) to Good luck (Allah ya taimaka).

Hello

Sannu, pronounced SAN-nu

Good morning

Barka da safe, pronounced BAR-ka da SA-fe

Good evening

Barka da yamma, pronounced BAR-ka da YAM-ma

Good night

Barka da dare, pronounced BAR-ka da DA-re

How are you?

Yaya kake?, pronounced ya-YA KA-ke

I'm fine, thank you

Ina lafia, nagode, pronounced i-NA la-FI-ya, na-GO-de

What is your name?

Menene sunanka?, pronounced me-NE-ne su-NAN-ka

My name is...

Sunana ne..., pronounced su-NA-na ne...

Nice to meet you

Ina farin cikin saduwa da kai, pronounced i-NA fa-RIN ci-KIN sa-DU-wa da KAI

Please

Don Allah, pronounced don AL-la

Thank you

Nagode, pronounced na-GO-de

You're welcome

Babu laifi, pronounced BA-bu LAI-fi

Yes

Ee, pronounced E

No

A'a, pronounced A-a

Excuse me

Yi hakuri, pronounced yi ha-KU-ri

Sorry

Yi hakuri, pronounced yi ha-KU-ri

Goodbye

Sai an jima, pronounced SAI an ji-MA

See you later

Sai mun sake haduwa, pronounced SAI mun SA-ke ha-DU-wa

Good luck

Allah ya taimaka, pronounced AL-la ya TAI-ma-ka

20 Hausa phrases for getting around, from Where is the hotel? (Ina otal yake?) to Ticket (Tikitin).

Where is the hotel?

Ina otal yake?, pronounced i-NA o-TAL ya-KE

How much does this cost?

Nawa ne wannan?, pronounced na-WA ne WAN-nan

Where is the airport?

Ina filin jirgi yake?, pronounced i-NA fi-LIN JIR-gi ya-KE

I need a taxi

Ina bukata taksi, pronounced i-NA bu-KA-ta TAK-si

How far is it?

Nawa ne nisa?, pronounced na-WA ne ni-SA

Turn left

Juya hagu, pronounced ju-YA HA-gu

Turn right

Juya dama, pronounced ju-YA DA-ma

Straight ahead

Ci gaba kai tsaye, pronounced ci GA-ba KAI tsa-YE

I'm lost

Na ɓace hanya, pronounced na BA-ce HAN-ya

Train station

Tasha jirgin ƙasa, pronounced TA-sha jir-GIN ka-SA

Bus stop

Tasha bas, pronounced TA-sha BAS

I want to go to...

Ina son tafiya..., pronounced i-NA son ta-FI-ya...

Do you speak English?

Kana magana da Turanci?, pronounced ka-NA ma-GA-na da tu-RAN-ci

I don't understand

Ban fahimta ba, pronounced ban fa-HIM-ta ba

Can you help me?

Zaka iya taimakana?, pronounced za-KA i-YA tai-ma-KA-na

Police

Yan sanda, pronounced yan SAN-da

Hospital

Asibiti, pronounced a-si-BI-ti

Pharmacy

Kantin magani, pronounced kan-TIN ma-GA-ni

Passport

Takardar biza, pronounced ta-KAR-dar BI-za

Ticket

Tikitin, pronounced ti-KI-tin

20 Hausa phrases for eating and drinking, from I'm hungry (Ina jin yunwa) to Fish (Kifi).

I'm hungry

Ina jin yunwa, pronounced i-NA jin YUN-wa

I'm thirsty

Ina jin ƙishirwa, pronounced i-NA jin ki-SHIR-wa

The menu please

Don Allah menu, pronounced don AL-la ME-nu

Water

Ruwa, pronounced RU-wa

Rice

Shinkafa, pronounced shin-KA-fa

Delicious

Mai dadi, pronounced MAI da-DI

I am vegetarian

Ina cin kayan lambu kawai, pronounced i-NA cin ka-YAN LAM-bu ka-WAI

Not spicy please

Don Allah ba tare da yaji ba, pronounced don AL-la ba ta-RE da ya-JI ba

The bill please

Don Allah lissafin, pronounced don AL-la lis-SA-fin

A table for two

Tebur ga mutum biyu, pronounced TE-bur ga mu-TUM bi-YU

Breakfast

Abincin safe, pronounced a-BIN-cin SA-fe

Lunch

Abincin rana, pronounced a-BIN-cin RA-na

Dinner

Abincin dare, pronounced a-BIN-cin DA-re

Coffee

Kofi, pronounced ko-FI

Tea

Shayi, pronounced SHA-yi

Bread

Burodin, pronounced bu-RO-din

Chicken

Naman kaza, pronounced na-MAN KA-za

Vegetables

Kayan lambu, pronounced ka-YAN LAM-bu

Fruit

Frutin, pronounced FRU-tin

Fish

Kifi, pronounced ki-FI

15 Hausa phrases for emergencies and health, from Help! (Taimako!) to I've been robbed (An yi mini fashi).

Help!

Taimako!, pronounced tai-MA-ko

Call the police!

Kira yan sanda!, pronounced ki-RA yan SAN-da

I need a doctor

Ina bukata likita, pronounced i-NA bu-KA-ta li-KI-ta

Fire!

Wuta!, pronounced WU-ta

Thief!

Barawo!, pronounced ba-RA-wo

I'm sick

Ina rashin lafiya, pronounced i-NA ra-SHIN la-FI-ya

I'm injured

An ji ni rauni, pronounced an ji ni RAU-ni

Emergency

Gaggawa, pronounced gag-GA-wa

Ambulance

Motar asibiti, pronounced mo-TAR a-si-BI-ti

I've lost my wallet

Na rasa jakata, pronounced na RA-sa ja-KA-ta

I need help

Ina bukata taimako, pronounced i-NA bu-KA-ta tai-MA-ko

Where is the hospital?

Ina asibiti yake?, pronounced i-NA a-si-BI-ti ya-KE

It's urgent

Gaggawa ne, pronounced gag-GA-wa ne

Leave me alone

Ka bar ni, pronounced ka BAR ni

I've been robbed

An yi mini fashi, pronounced an yi mi-NI FA-shi

14 Hausa phrases for work and money, from I have a meeting (Ina da taro) to Let's sign the contract (Mu sanya hannu a kwantiragin).

I have a meeting

Ina da taro, pronounced i-NA da TA-ro

Nice to meet you

Ina farin cikin saduwa da kai, pronounced i-NA fa-RIN ci-KIN sa-DU-wa da KAI

Here is my business card

Ga kaatin kasuwancina, pronounced ga KA-tin ka-su-WAN-ci-na

Let's schedule a meeting

Mu shirya taro, pronounced mu SHIR-ya TA-ro

I'll send you an email

Zan aiko maka imel, pronounced zan AI-ko ma-KA i-MEL

What is your budget?

Nawa ne kasafin kudin ka?, pronounced na-WA ne ka-SA-fin ku-DIN ka

Invoice

Takardar kuɗi, pronounced ta-KAR-dar ku-DI

Contract

Kwantiragi, pronounced kwan-ti-RA-gi

Deadline

Lokacin ƙarshe, pronounced lo-KA-cin KAR-she

Partnership

Haɗin gwiwa, pronounced ha-DIN gwi-WA

Thank you for your time

Nagode da lokacinka, pronounced na-GO-de da lo-KA-cin-ka

I'll get back to you

Zan sake tuntuɓar ka, pronounced zan SA-ke tun-tu-BAR ka

Can we negotiate?

Za mu iya tattaunawa?, pronounced za mu i-YA tat-tau-NA-wa

Let's sign the contract

Mu sanya hannu a kwantiragin, pronounced mu SAN-ya HAN-nu a kwan-ti-RA-gin

29 Hausa phrases for numbers, days and time, from One (Ɗaya) to Friday (Jumma'a).

One

Ɗaya, pronounced da-YA

Two

Biyu, pronounced bi-YU

Three

Uku, pronounced u-KU

Four

Huɗu, pronounced hu-DU

Five

Biyar, pronounced bi-YAR

Six

Shida, pronounced SHI-da

Seven

Bakwai, pronounced BAK-wai

Eight

Takwas, pronounced TAK-was

Nine

Tara, pronounced ta-RA

Ten

Goma, pronounced go-MA

Eleven

Goma sha ɗaya, pronounced GO-ma sha DA-ya

Twelve

Goma sha biyu, pronounced GO-ma sha BI-yu

Thirteen

Goma sha uku, pronounced GO-ma sha U-ku

Fourteen

Goma sha huɗu, pronounced GO-ma sha HU-du

Fifteen

Goma sha biyar, pronounced GO-ma sha BI-yar

Sixteen

Goma sha shida, pronounced GO-ma sha SHI-da

Seventeen

Goma sha bakwai, pronounced GO-ma sha BAK-wai

Eighteen

Goma sha takwas, pronounced GO-ma sha TAK-was

Nineteen

Goma sha tara, pronounced GO-ma sha TA-ra

Twenty

Ashirin, pronounced a-SHI-rin

Fifty

Hamsin, pronounced HAM-sin

One hundred

Ɗari, pronounced da-RI

One thousand

Dubu, pronounced du-BU

What time is it?

Awa nawa ce yanzu?, pronounced a-WA na-WA ce yan-ZU

Today

Yau, pronounced YAU

Tomorrow

Gobe, pronounced go-BE

Yesterday

Jiya, pronounced ji-YA

Monday

Litinin, pronounced li-ti-NIN

Friday

Jumma'a, pronounced jum-MA-a

house

gida, pronounced GI-da

water

ruwa, pronounced RU-wa

bread

burodi, pronounced bu-RO-di

time

lokaci, pronounced lo-KA-ci

person

mutum, pronounced MU-tum

day / sun

rana, pronounced RA-na

road / way

hanya, pronounced HAN-ya

work

aiki, pronounced AI-ki

money

kudi, pronounced KU-di

city

birni, pronounced BIR-ni

school

makaranta, pronounced ma-ka-RAN-ta

book

littafi, pronounced lit-TA-fi

name

suna, pronounced SU-na

child

yaro, pronounced YA-ro

friend

aboki, pronounced a-BO-ki

food

abinci, pronounced a-BIN-ci

language

harshe, pronounced HAR-she

earth / land

kasa, pronounced KA-sa

hand

hannu, pronounced HAN-nu

dog

kare, pronounced KA-re

to be

kasance, pronounced ka-SAN-ce

to go

tafi, pronounced TA-fi

to come

zo, pronounced zo

to speak

yi magana, pronounced yi ma-GA-na

to eat

ci, pronounced ci

to drink

sha, pronounced sha

to see

gani, pronounced GA-ni

to know

sani, pronounced SA-ni

to want / love

so, pronounced so

to give

bai wa, pronounced bai wa

to take

dauko, pronounced DAU-ko

to do

yi, pronounced yi

to think

yi tunani, pronounced yi tu-NA-ni

to live

rayu, pronounced RA-yu

to read

karanta, pronounced ka-RAN-ta

to write

rubuta, pronounced ru-BU-ta

to work

yi aiki, pronounced yi AI-ki

to help

taimaka, pronounced tai-MA-ka

to find

samo, pronounced SA-mo

to hold

riƙe, pronounced RI-ke

good

kyau, pronounced kyau

bad

mara kyau, pronounced MA-ra kyau

big

babba, pronounced BAB-ba

small

ƙarami, pronounced ka-RA-mi

new

sabo, pronounced SA-bo

old

tsoho, pronounced TSO-ho

beautiful

kyakkyawa, pronounced kyak-KYA-wa

fast

sauri, pronounced SAU-ri

slow

a hankali, pronounced a HAN-ka-li

long / tall

tsawo, pronounced TSA-wo

short

gajere, pronounced ga-JE-re

warm

dumi-dumi, pronounced DU-mi DU-mi

cold

sanyi, pronounced SAN-yi

strong

mai ƙarfi, pronounced mai KAR-fi

easy

sauƙi, pronounced SAU-ki

difficult

wuya, pronounced WU-ya

important

muhimmi, pronounced mu-HIM-mi

interesting

mai ban sha'awa, pronounced mai ban SHA-wa

happy

farin ciki, pronounced FA-rin CI-ki

expensive

tsada, pronounced TSA-da

now

yanzu, pronounced YAN-zu

today

yau, pronounced YAU

tomorrow

gobe, pronounced go-BE

yesterday

jiya, pronounced ji-YA

here

anan, pronounced A-nan

there

can, pronounced can

quickly

da sauri, pronounced da SAU-ri

slowly

a hankali, pronounced a HAN-ka-li

well

da kyau, pronounced da kyau

very / a lot

sosai, pronounced SO-sai

also / too

kuma, pronounced KU-ma

not / no

ba, pronounced ba

yes

eh / i, pronounced eh / i

already

riga, pronounced RI-ga

still / yet

har yanzu, pronounced har YAN-zu

only / just

kawai, pronounced KA-wai

really

lalle, pronounced LAL-le

a lot

da yawa, pronounced da YA-wa

a little

kaɗan, pronounced KA-dan

immediately

nan take, pronounced nan TA-ke