← Turanci: Tafiya Mai Ban Mamaki Ta Yare
"That" is a small word with four different jobs in English, and Hausa uses a different word for each.
- "That" pointing at something away from you: "That is my house." "That book is good." This is the demonstrative. Hausa says wancan (plural waɗancan): Wancan gidana ne. The near word is "this" = wannan. - "That" joining a noun to a clause: "The book that I bought is old." This is the relative "that". Hausa says da (or wanda, wadda, waɗanda): Littafin da na saya tsoho ne. - "That" after a verb of knowing, saying, hearing or thinking: "I know that he is here." This is the "that" of reported speech. Hausa says cewa: Na san cewa yana nan. - "That" for something just mentioned: "That is all." "That is too much." Hausa says hakan, or a fixed phrase: Shi ke nan. Hakan ya yi yawa.
The plural of the demonstrative "that" is "those": "that book", "those books". The relative "that" and the "that" of reported speech do not change: "the book that", "the books that".
English can often leave out "that" in the last two jobs: "The book I bought is old." "I know he is here." Both are correct; the short form is more usual in speech. The demonstrative "that" can never be left out.
What does "that" mean in Hausa? Pointing: wancan (that, away from the speaker), waɗancan (those). Joining: da, wanda, wadda, waɗanda. After a verb of saying or knowing: cewa. Something just mentioned: hakan.
Key Takeaways:
- Demonstrative: "that" is far, "this" is near. "That book", but "those books" for the plural. - Relative: "The man that came is my uncle." The verb after "that" stays as in any English sentence; Hausa changes it (da ya zo, da na saya, da kika saya). - Reported speech: "I know that he is here." Hausa: cewa. English may leave "that" out. - Do not repeat the object: "the book that I bought", never "the book that I bought it". - Hausa has no word for "is" in Wancan gidana ne. English must say it: "That is my house", never "That my house".
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that — strong form /ðæt/; weak form /ðət/ when "that" joins clauses (I know that he is here /aɪ ˈnəʊ ðət hi ɪz ˈhɪə/)
those — /ðəʊz/ (the plural of the demonstrative "that")
The first sound /ð/ does not exist in Hausa. Put the tip of the tongue lightly between the teeth and let the voice sound: do not say "dat" /dæt/ or "zat" /zæt/. The vowel /æ/ is between Hausa a and e: open the mouth, spread the lips. Say the final /t/ clearly.
When "that" joins clauses it is nearly always weak and short: "I think that it is good" /aɪ ˈθɪŋk ðət ɪt ɪz ˈɡʊd/. The stress falls on the verbs and nouns, not on "that". When "that" points at something it is strong: "THAT one, not this one".
Do not confuse "that" /ðæt/ with "what" /wɒt/: "What is that?" has both.
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In Section A each English word is followed by its Hausa word. (babu) means that Hausa has no word for this English word. 〃 means that the meaning is already carried by another Hausa word in the same sentence. The English words are in bold. Look at the Hausa word under "that" each time: wancan, da, cewa or hakan.
13.1 That wancan is (babu) my 〃 house gidana ne
13.2 That wancan book littafi is yana good da kyau
13.3 I ina like son that wancan
13.4 Not ba…ba that wancan one 〃 this wannan one 〃
13.5 That shi ke nan is 〃 all 〃
13.6 The (babu) book littafin that da I na bought saya is (babu) old tsoho ne
13.7 The (babu) man mutumin that da came ya zo is (babu) my 〃 uncle kawuna ne
13.8 The (babu) woman matar that da cooked ta yi girki is (babu) my 〃 mother mahaifiyata ce
13.9 This wannan is ne the (babu) food abincin that da she take likes so
13.10 The (babu) shoes takalman that da you ka bought saya are (babu) new sababbi ne
13.11 I na know san that cewa he yana is 〃 here nan
13.12 She ta said ce that cewa she ta is (babu) tired gaji
13.13 We mun heard ji that cewa Musa Musa has (babu) arrived ya iso
13.14 It (babu) is (babu) true gaskiya ne that cewa English Turanci is yana difficult da wuya
13.15 I na am (babu) happy yi murna that da you ka came zo
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13.1 That is my house. Wancan gidana ne.
13.2 That book is good. Wancan littafi yana da kyau.
13.3 I like that. Ina son wancan.
13.4 Not that one, this one. Ba wancan ba, wannan.
13.5 That is all. Shi ke nan.
13.6 The book that I bought is old. Littafin da na saya tsoho ne.
13.7 The man that came is my uncle. Mutumin da ya zo kawuna ne.
13.8 The woman that cooked is my mother. Matar da ta yi girki mahaifiyata ce.
13.9 This is the food that she likes. Wannan ne abincin da take so.
13.10 The shoes that you bought are new. Takalman da ka saya sababbi ne.
13.11 I know that he is here. Na san cewa yana nan.
13.12 She said that she is tired. Ta ce cewa ta gaji.
13.13 We heard that Musa has arrived. Mun ji cewa Musa ya iso.
13.14 It is true that English is difficult. Gaskiya ne cewa Turanci yana da wuya.
13.15 I am happy that you came. Na yi murna da ka zo.
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13.1 That is my house.
13.2 That book is good.
13.3 I like that.
13.4 Not that one, this one.
13.5 That is all.
13.6 The book that I bought is old.
13.7 The man that came is my uncle.
13.8 The woman that cooked is my mother.
13.9 This is the food that she likes.
13.10 The shoes that you bought are new.
13.11 I know that he is here.
13.12 She said that she is tired.
13.13 We heard that Musa has arrived.
13.14 It is true that English is difficult.
13.15 I am happy that you came.
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These are the grammar rules for "that" in English:
1. Four jobs, four Hausa words. Look at what follows "that". A noun or nothing (that book, I like that) means the demonstrative: wancan (13.1–13.4). A clause after a noun (the book that I bought) means the relative: da (13.6–13.10). A clause after a verb of knowing or saying (I know that he is here) means reported speech: cewa (13.11–13.15). A thing already mentioned (that is too much) is hakan.
2. Demonstrative: that / those. "That" is for one thing away from the speaker; "this" is for one thing near. The plural of "that" is "those", and the plural of "this" is "these". "That book" = wancan littafi; "those books" = waɗancan littattafai; "this book" = wannan littafi. Never say "that books". In 13.4, "that one" and "this one" are set against each other: Ba wancan ba, wannan.
3. "That" as a pronoun needs "is". Hausa says Wancan gidana ne with no word for "is". English must say it: "That is my house" (13.1), "That is all" (13.5). The short form is "that's".
4. Relative "that" does not change. In Hausa the verb after da changes with the person: da na saya (I), da ka saya (you, a man), da kika saya (you, a woman), da ya zo (he), da ta zo (she), da muka saya (we), da kuka saya (you, several), da suka saya (they); and in the continuous, da nake so, da kake so, da kike so, da yake so, da take so, da muke so, da kuke so, da suke so. English has no such forms: "the book that I bought", "that you bought", "that she bought", "that they bought".
5. "That" for people and things. "The man that came" (13.7) and "the woman that cooked" (13.8) are correct; "who" is also correct for people: "the man who came". For things use "that" or "which": "the book that I bought". Hausa wanda, wadda, waɗanda match the noun in gender and number; English "that" does not.
6. Do not repeat the object. Hausa says kuɗin da nake da shi, with shi (it) at the end. English leaves it out: "the money that I have", never "the money that I have it". "The book that I bought", never "the book that I bought it".
7. "That" may be left out when it is the object. "The book I bought is old." "The shoes you bought are new." "I know he is here." "She said she is tired." But it cannot be left out when it is the subject of the relative clause: "The man that came is my uncle", not "The man came is my uncle" (13.7).
8. After verbs of saying and knowing. English says "She said that she is tired" (13.12). Hausa has ta ce cewa ta gaji. With "tell", English needs an object and then "that": "She told me that she is tired" (not "She said me"). Verbs like this: know, think, say, hear, believe, hope, tell someone, agree, see.
9. "It is true that…". With an adjective: "It is true that English is difficult" (13.14), "It is clear that…", "It is important that…". Hausa: Gaskiya ne cewa… In the feeling clause, Hausa often uses da: "I am happy that you came" = Na yi murna da ka zo (13.15). English keeps "that", and may leave it out: "I am happy you came".
10. Not "that" + infinitive. After want, English does not use "that": "I want you to come", never "I want that you come" (lesson 12). After know, say and hear, English does use a clause: "I know that you are here".
Common Mistakes:
- "That my house." (from Wancan gidana ne). Correct: That is my house. - "That books are new." Correct: Those books are new. - "The book that I bought it is old." Correct: The book that I bought is old. - "The man came is my uncle." Correct: The man that came is my uncle. - "She said me that she is tired." Correct: She told me that she is tired. Or: She said that she is tired. - "I want that you come." Correct: I want you to come. - "Who that man?" Correct: Who is that man? - "Dat" or "zat" for "that". Say /ðæt/, with the tongue between the teeth. - "The thing what I need." Correct: The thing that I need. "What" does not join a noun to a clause.
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"That" is among the most frequent words of English, and in speech it is often not said at all. Learners who keep "that" in every sentence are understood and are correct; learners who hear native speakers say "I know he is here" should know that nothing has been lost.
Fixed phrases with "that": - that's right — Haka ne. Said to agree or to confirm. - that's all — Shi ke nan. Said to end a request or a list. - that's why — saboda haka. Said before the result of what has just been told. - that's good — Hakan yana da kyau. Said as praise or approval.
Pointing. "That" and "this" depend on the speaker's position: "this" for what is near, "that" for what is away. On the telephone, English says "This is Musa" for yourself and "Who is this?" for the other person, not "that". In a shop, as in the dialogue below, the buyer points and says "I like that bag".
Politeness. "What is that?" is natural between friends. With a stranger, "Excuse me, what is that?" is better, and in a shop "Could I see that bag?" is polite.
British and American English use "that" in the same way, and Nigerian English follows the same rules.
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Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2: Juliet on the balcony, saying that a name is not the thing. The Hausa below is the rendering of this course, made to show the grammar. It is not a published translation.
"That abin which da we muke call kira a (babu) rose wardi by da any wani other 〃 name suna would zai smell yi ƙamshi as iri ɗaya sweet 〃" - Romeo and Juliet 2.2
"That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet." "Abin da muke kira wardi, da wani suna ma, zai yi ƙamshi iri ɗaya." (Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2)
Juliet's "that which" means "the thing that": "that" stands alone as a pronoun, and the clause "which we call a rose" tells which thing. Hausa has the same pattern in abin da muke kira wardi, "the thing that we call a rose". Her argument is that the flower is the same whatever its name is. The Hausa rendering says "would smell the same" (iri ɗaya) where Shakespeare says "as sweet", because Hausa has no short way to say "as sweet" here.
- "That which" is a literary way of saying "what" or "the thing that". Today we say "what we call a rose". - "By any other name" means "with any other name". "Any" here means "whichever". - "Would smell" is the conditional: if the rose had another name, it would still smell sweet. - The two lines are one sentence, and the line break after "rose" is the poet's, not a pause in the meaning.
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13.16 Hauwa: What mene is ne that wancan
13.17 Ibrahim: That wancan is (babu) a (babu) bag jaka ce
13.18 Hauwa: I ina like son that wancan bag jaka
13.19 Ibrahim: Is (babu) that wancan ce the (babu) bag jakar that da you kike want so
13.20 Hauwa: Yes eh that wancan one ce
13.21 Ibrahim: I na know san that cewa it tana is 〃 good da kyau
13.22 Hauwa: How nawa much 〃 is ne that wancan
13.23 Ibrahim: I ina tell gaya you miki that cewa it (babu) is (babu) two dubu biyu ne thousand 〃
13.24 Hauwa: That hakan is (babu) too 〃 much ya yi yawa
13.25 Ibrahim: The (babu) price farashin that da I na gave ba you ki is yana good da kyau
13.26 Hauwa: I ina think ganin that cewa one dubu ɗaya thousand 〃 five da ɗari biyar hundred 〃 is (babu) right daidai ne
13.27 Ibrahim: All to right 〃 I na agree yarda that cewa it (babu) is (babu) a (babu) good farashi mai kyau ne price 〃
13.28 Hauwa: Here ga is 〃 the (babu) money kuɗin that da I nake have da shi
13.29 Ibrahim: The (babu) bag jakar that da you kika bought saya is tana very 〃 beautiful da kyau sosai
13.30 Hauwa: Thank na gode you 〃 I zan will 〃 tell gaya wa my 〃 sister 'yar'uwata that cewa I na found same it ta here a nan
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13.16 Hauwa: What is that? Hauwa: Mene ne wancan?
13.17 Ibrahim: That is a bag. Ibrahim: Wancan jaka ce.
13.18 Hauwa: I like that bag. Hauwa: Ina son wancan jaka.
13.19 Ibrahim: Is that the bag that you want? Ibrahim: Wancan ce jakar da kike so?
13.20 Hauwa: Yes, that one. Hauwa: Eh, wancan ce.
13.21 Ibrahim: I know that it is good. Ibrahim: Na san cewa tana da kyau.
13.22 Hauwa: How much is that? Hauwa: Nawa ne wancan?
13.23 Ibrahim: I tell you that it is two thousand. Ibrahim: Ina gaya miki cewa dubu biyu ne.
13.24 Hauwa: That is too much. Hauwa: Hakan ya yi yawa.
13.25 Ibrahim: The price that I gave you is good. Ibrahim: Farashin da na ba ki yana da kyau.
13.26 Hauwa: I think that one thousand five hundred is right. Hauwa: Ina ganin cewa dubu ɗaya da ɗari biyar daidai ne.
13.27 Ibrahim: All right. I agree that it is a good price. Ibrahim: To, na yarda cewa farashi mai kyau ne.
13.28 Hauwa: Here is the money that I have. Hauwa: Ga kuɗin da nake da shi.
13.29 Ibrahim: The bag that you bought is very beautiful. Ibrahim: Jakar da kika saya tana da kyau sosai.
13.30 Hauwa: Thank you. I will tell my sister that I found it here. Hauwa: Na gode. Zan gaya wa 'yar'uwata cewa na same ta a nan.
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13.16 Hauwa: What is that?
13.17 Ibrahim: That is a bag.
13.18 Hauwa: I like that bag.
13.19 Ibrahim: Is that the bag that you want?
13.20 Hauwa: Yes, that one.
13.21 Ibrahim: I know that it is good.
13.22 Hauwa: How much is that?
13.23 Ibrahim: I tell you that it is two thousand.
13.24 Hauwa: That is too much.
13.25 Ibrahim: The price that I gave you is good.
13.26 Hauwa: I think that one thousand five hundred is right.
13.27 Ibrahim: All right. I agree that it is a good price.
13.28 Hauwa: Here is the money that I have.
13.29 Ibrahim: The bag that you bought is very beautiful.
13.30 Hauwa: Thank you. I will tell my sister that I found it here.
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The dialogue uses "that" in each of its four jobs:
- Demonstrative: "What is that?" (13.16), "That is a bag" (13.17), "I like that bag" (13.18), "Yes, that one" (13.20), "How much is that?" (13.22). Hauwa points; the Hausa is wancan each time. A reply to a question with "that" repeats it: "That is a bag". - Relative: "the bag that you want" (13.19), "The price that I gave you" (13.25), "the money that I have" (13.28), "The bag that you bought" (13.29). In each the Hausa has da, and the verb takes the person of the doer (kike, na, nake, kika). In English the object is not repeated: "the money that I have", not "the money that I have it" (da nake da shi). - Reported speech: "I know that it is good" (13.21), "I tell you that it is two thousand" (13.23), "I think that one thousand five hundred is right" (13.26), "I agree that it is a good price" (13.27), "I will tell my sister that I found it here" (13.30). Hausa: cewa each time. In speech, English would often leave "that" out: "I think one thousand five hundred is right." - Something just mentioned: "That is too much" (13.24) = Hakan ya yi yawa. Here "that" is the price Ibrahim has just said. - Pronoun "that" needs "is": "That is a bag" (13.17), "That is too much" (13.24). In speech: "That's a bag", "That's too much". - "It" and "that". "It is good" (13.21) speaks of the bag already named; "That is too much" (13.24) speaks of the price just heard. Use "that" for what someone has just said or shown, and "it" for the thing you are both already talking about.
Politeness. A buyer who says "That is too much" is bargaining, and in a market this is expected. A stranger in a shop in England or the United States would more often say "That's a bit expensive" or "Could you do it for less?".
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- Strong "that" (pointing): /ðæt/. "What is THAT?" /ˈwɒt ɪz ˈðæt/. - Weak "that" (joining clauses): /ðət/. "I know that he is here" /aɪ ˈnəʊ ðət hi ɪz ˈhɪə/. - "That's" /ðæts/ is "that is": That's all, That's right. Write the apostrophe: thats is wrong. - "Those" /ðəʊz/ is the plural of the demonstrative. The sound /ð/ is the same as in "that"; the last sound is /z/. - Spelling: that (pointing or joining), than (in comparisons: taller than me), then (at that time). Say them differently: /ðæt/, /ðæn/, /ðen/. - English has no hooked letters like ɓ, ɗ and ƙ, and no tone marks. Write "that", not "dat". - Contractions: that's (that is), that'll (that will), that'd (that would or that had). Learn to hear them; in an essay, write the full words.
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