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Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
Welcome to Lesson 12 of the Hausa language course. In English, we use the particle “to” as an infinitive marker—appearing in phrases like “to go,” “to eat,” “to read.” However, Hausa does not have a direct infinitive marker equivalent to English “to.” Instead, Hausa employs a sophisticated system of verbal nouns (called masdar in Arabic linguistic tradition) and purpose particles to express these concepts.
This lesson introduces two essential structures: the purpose particle domin (or its shorter form don), meaning “in order to” or “for the purpose of,” and the system of verbal nouns that function where English would use infinitives. Understanding these structures is crucial for expressing purpose, intention, and verbal concepts in Hausa.
Frequently Asked Question: What is the Hausa equivalent of “to” as in “to go” or “to eat”?
In Hausa, the concept expressed by English “to” + verb is rendered through verbal nouns (e.g., tafiya “going,” ci “eating”) often combined with the purpose particle domin or don. For example, “I want to go” becomes Ina so in tafi (literally “I want I go” using subjunctive) or Ina son tafiya (”I want going” using verbal noun).
Key Takeaways -
Hausa lacks a direct infinitive marker like English “to” -
Domin/don expresses purpose (”in order to,” “for,” “because”) -
Verbal nouns (-wa forms and irregular forms) replace English infinitives -
Purpose clauses often use subjunctive mood after domin -
The verbal noun is also required in the continuous tense
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Domin [dòmín] - LOW-HIGH tone; the “o” is short and open like in “pot”
Don [dôn] - falling tone; shortened colloquial form of domin
Tafiya [tàfíyáː] - “traveling/going” - verbal noun of tafi
Zuwa [zùwáː] - “coming” - verbal noun of zo
Karatu [kàràtúː] - “reading/studying” - verbal noun of karanta
Cin [ʧín] - “eating” - verbal noun of ci; the “c” is pronounced like English “ch”
Koyo [kóːyóː] - “learning” - verbal noun of koya
Saye [sàyéː] - “buying” - verbal noun of saya
Hausa Special Characters: -
ɓ (ɓ) - implosive b, produced with inward airstream -
ɗ (ɗ) - implosive d, produced with inward airstream -
ƙ (ƙ) - ejective k, produced with a popping sound -
‘y - glottalized y (sometimes written as ƴ)
Tone is phonemic in Hausa: High tone (´), Low tone (`), Falling tone (ˆ). Tone patterns can distinguish meaning.
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12.1 Na I-PERF zo come domin in-order-to in I-SUBJ ga see ka you-MASC
12.2 Muna we-CONT son wanting tafiya traveling zuwa to kasuwa market
12.3 Yara children suna they-CONT koyon learning Hausa Hausa
12.4 Don for me what ka you-MASC-PERF zo come nan? here
12.5 Ina I-CONT buƙatar needing kuɗi money domin for saye buying
12.6 Ta she-PERF tafi go kasuwa market don in-order-to ta she-SUBJ saya buy nama meat
12.7 Mun we-PERF zo come domin for taimakon helping ku you-PL
12.8 Yana he-CONT karatu reading don in-order-to ya he-SUBJ koya learn
12.9 Na I-PERF ɗauki take wannan this littafi book domin for karatu reading
12.10 Sun they-PERF tashi rise da with safe morning don in-order-to su they-SUBJ yi do aiki work
12.11 Ba NEG ni I da have lokaci time domin for wasa playing
12.12 Domin because haka thus ne COP muka we-REL.PERF zo come
12.13 Ina I-CONT neman seeking aiki work don in-order-to in I-SUBJ samu get kuɗi money
12.14 Yaron boy-the ya he-PERF fita go-out domin for cin eating abinci food
12.15 Domin for Allah God ka you-MASC-SUBJ taimake help ni me
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12.1 Na zo domin in ga ka. → “I came in order to see you.”
12.2 Muna son tafiya zuwa kasuwa. → “We want to go to the market.”
12.3 Yara suna koyon Hausa. → “The children are learning Hausa.”
12.4 Don me ka zo nan? → “Why did you come here?” (Literally: “For what did you come here?”)
12.5 Ina buƙatar kuɗi domin saye. → “I need money for buying / in order to buy.”
12.6 Ta tafi kasuwa don ta saya nama. → “She went to the market to buy meat.”
12.7 Mun zo domin taimakon ku. → “We came to help you.” (Literally: “We came for helping you.”)
12.8 Yana karatu don ya koya. → “He is reading in order to learn.”
12.9 Na ɗauki wannan littafi domin karatu. → “I took this book for reading / to read.”
12.10 Sun tashi da safe don su yi aiki. → “They got up early to work.”
12.11 Ba ni da lokaci domin wasa. → “I don’t have time to play.”
12.12 Domin haka ne muka zo. → “That is why we came.” (Literally: “Because of that is why we came.”)
12.13 Ina neman aiki don in samu kuɗi. → “I am looking for work to get money.”
12.14 Yaron ya fita domin cin abinci. → “The boy went out to eat.”
12.15 Domin Allah ka taimake ni. → “For God’s sake, help me.” / “Please help me.”
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12.1 Na zo domin in ga ka.
12.2 Muna son tafiya zuwa kasuwa.
12.3 Yara suna koyon Hausa.
12.4 Don me ka zo nan?
12.5 Ina buƙatar kuɗi domin saye.
12.6 Ta tafi kasuwa don ta saya nama.
12.7 Mun zo domin taimakon ku.
12.8 Yana karatu don ya koya.
12.9 Na ɗauki wannan littafi domin karatu.
12.10 Sun tashi da safe don su yi aiki.
12.11 Ba ni da lokaci domin wasa.
12.12 Domin haka ne muka zo.
12.13 Ina neman aiki don in samu kuɗi.
12.14 Yaron ya fita domin cin abinci.
12.15 Domin Allah ka taimake ni.
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Grammar Rules for Expressing Purpose in Hausa
1. The Purpose Particle: Domin / Don
Domin (and its shorter form don) is the primary purpose marker in Hausa. It serves multiple functions:
As “in order to” / “for the purpose of”: Domin introduces purpose clauses, similar to English “to” in infinitive constructions. It can be followed by either a subjunctive clause or a verbal noun.
As “because”: Domin can also express causation, as in Domin haka ne muka zo (”Because of that we came”).
As “for” in requests: In the idiomatic phrase Domin Allah (”For God’s sake” / “Please”).
2. Purpose Clauses with Subjunctive
When expressing purpose, Hausa often uses domin + subjunctive pronoun + verb:
Subject pronouns in the subjunctive mood: in (I), ka (you masc), ki (you fem), ya (he), ta (she), mu (we), ku (you pl), su (they)
Example structure: Main verb + domin + subjunctive pronoun + verb -
Na zo domin in ga ka - “I came to see you” -
Ta tafi don ta saya - “She went to buy”
3. Purpose Clauses with Verbal Nouns
Alternatively, domin + verbal noun expresses purpose: -
Ina buƙatar kuɗi domin saye - “I need money for buying” -
Na ɗauki littafi domin karatu - “I took a book for reading”
4. Verbal Noun Formation
Hausa verbal nouns (masdar) come in two types:
-wa Verbal Nouns: The majority of Hausa verbs form verbal nouns by adding -wa: -
saya → sayawa (buying) -
karanta → karantawa (reading - alternative to karatu) -
taimaka → taimakawa (helping)
Non-wa Verbal Nouns: Many common verbs have irregular verbal nouns: -
tafi → tafiya (going) -
zo → zuwa (coming) -
ci → ci / cin (eating) -
sha → sha / shan (drinking) -
yi → yi (doing) -
koya → koyo (learning)
5. Verbal Nouns in Continuous Tense
The continuous aspect (ina, kana, yana, etc.) requires verbal nouns: -
Ina tafiya - “I am going” (literally: “I am at going”) -
Yana karatu - “He is reading” -
Suna koyon Hausa - “They are learning Hausa”
Common Mistakes for English Speakers -
Trying to use a direct “to” + verb construction (Hausa requires verbal noun or subjunctive) -
Forgetting that continuous tense needs verbal nouns, not base verbs -
Using the wrong verbal noun form (memorize common irregular forms) -
Omitting the subjunctive pronoun after domin in purpose clauses
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Domin Allah - The Sacred Request
The phrase Domin Allah (”For God’s sake” or “In God’s name”) is one of the most culturally significant expressions in Hausa. In the predominantly Muslim Hausa-speaking regions of Northern Nigeria and Niger, invoking Allah’s name adds solemnity and urgency to any request. When someone says Domin Allah, ka taimake ni (”Please, help me”), they are not merely asking—they are making a request that carries religious and social weight. Refusing such a request without good reason is considered socially inappropriate.
Verbal Nouns in Daily Greetings
Hausa greetings frequently incorporate verbal nouns. When you greet someone at work, you say Sannu da aiki (”Greetings on your work”). When welcoming someone, you say Sannu da zuwa or Barka da zuwa (”Greetings on your coming”). These phrases demonstrate how verbal nouns permeate everyday Hausa speech.
Regional Variations
While both domin and don are widely understood, usage varies by region: -
In formal speech and writing, domin is preferred -
In casual Nigerian Hausa, don is common -
In Niger, domin may be heard more frequently -
Saboda is another synonym meaning “because of” or “for the sake of”
The Question of “Why”
The phrase Don me? or Domin me? literally means “For what?” and is the standard way to ask “Why?” in Hausa. This construction reveals the instrumental logic of the Hausa language—rather than asking abstractly “why,” Hausa asks for the purpose or cause: “For what (reason)?”
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From Hausa Oral Tradition - A Proverb on Purpose
Part F-A: Interleaved Text
Aiki work ba NEG tare together da with wahala difficulty ba, NEG ba NEG shi it ke REL-CONT kawo bringing nasara success ba. NEG
Domin because haka thus ne COP ake one-REL-CONT cewa: saying “Ƙoƙari effort ya it-PERF fi surpass ƙarfi.” strength
Part F-B: Full Text with Translation
Aiki ba tare da wahala ba, ba shi ke kawo nasara ba. Domin haka ne ake cewa: “Ƙoƙari ya fi ƙarfi.”
→ “Work without difficulty does not bring success. That is why it is said: ‘Effort surpasses strength.’”
Part F-C: Original Hausa Only
Aiki ba tare da wahala ba, ba shi ke kawo nasara ba. Domin haka ne ake cewa: “Ƙoƙari ya fi ƙarfi.”
Part F-D: Grammar Commentary
This proverb beautifully illustrates the causal use of domin haka (”because of that” / “that is why”). The structure domin haka ne emphasizes the logical connection between the first statement and the quoted wisdom that follows.
Note the double negative construction ba...ba which negates the entire clause: ba shi ke kawo nasara ba - “it does not bring success.”
The impersonal construction ake cewa (”it is said” / “one says”) uses the relative continuous form with an implicit subject, a common feature in Hausa proverbs.
The quoted proverb Ƙoƙari ya fi ƙarfi uses the comparative verb fi (”to surpass”) - literally “Effort surpasses strength,” teaching that persistent effort achieves more than raw power.
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Setting: A visitor asks a local woman for directions to the market and her reasons for going there.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
12.16 Sannu greetings da with zuwa! coming Yaya how dai? indeed
12.17 Lafiya health lau. only Ina where kasuwa? market
12.18 Kasuwa market tana it-CONT can. there Domin for me what za FUT ka you-MASC je? go
12.19 Ina I-CONT son wanting tafiya traveling domin in-order-to in I-SUBJ saya buy kayan things abinci. food
12.20 To, well ni I ma also zan I-FUT je. go Za FUT mu we tafi go tare. together
12.21 Madalla! excellent Don for me what kike you-FEM-REL-CONT tafiya going kasuwa? market
12.22 Ina I-CONT buƙatar needing sayar selling da with kayan things lambu. garden
12.23 To, well muna we-CONT da with dalili reason ɗaya one na of zuwa. coming
12.24 I, yes domin for saye buying da and sayarwa selling ne COP muke we-REL-CONT zuwa. coming
12.25 Yaushe when kasuwa market take it-CONT budewa? opening
12.26 Tana it-CONT budewa opening da at ƙarfe hour bakwai seven na of safe. morning
12.27 Muna we-CONT da have lokaci time domin for cin eating abincin food safe. morning
12.28 A’a, no ba NEG mu we da have lokaci time ba. NEG Sai until mu we-SUBJ yi do sauri. hurry
12.29 To, well mu we-SUBJ tafi go yanzu now domin in-order-to mu we-SUBJ isa arrive da at wuri. time
12.30 Na I-PERF gode. thank Domin for Allah God ki you-FEM-SUBJ nuna show mini me hanya. road
Part B: Natural Sentences
12.16 Sannu da zuwa! Yaya dai? → “Welcome! How are you?”
12.17 Lafiya lau. Ina kasuwa? → “Fine indeed. Where is the market?”
12.18 Kasuwa tana can. Domin me za ka je? → “The market is over there. Why are you going?”
12.19 Ina son tafiya domin in saya kayan abinci. → “I want to go to buy food items.”
12.20 To, ni ma zan je. Za mu tafi tare. → “Well, I will go too. We will go together.”
12.21 Madalla! Don me kike tafiya kasuwa? → “Excellent! Why are you going to the market?”
12.22 Ina buƙatar sayar da kayan lambu. → “I need to sell garden produce.”
12.23 To, muna da dalili ɗaya na zuwa. → “Well, we have one reason for going.”
12.24 I, domin saye da sayarwa ne muke zuwa. → “Yes, it is for buying and selling that we are going.”
12.25 Yaushe kasuwa take budewa? → “When does the market open?”
12.26 Tana budewa da ƙarfe bakwai na safe. → “It opens at seven in the morning.”
12.27 Muna da lokaci domin cin abincin safe. → “We have time for eating breakfast.”
12.28 A’a, ba mu da lokaci ba. Sai mu yi sauri. → “No, we don’t have time. We must hurry.”
12.29 To, mu tafi yanzu domin mu isa da wuri. → “Well, let’s go now to arrive on time.”
12.30 Na gode. Domin Allah ki nuna mini hanya. → “Thank you. Please show me the way.”
Part C: Hausa Text Only
12.16 Sannu da zuwa! Yaya dai?
12.17 Lafiya lau. Ina kasuwa?
12.18 Kasuwa tana can. Domin me za ka je?
12.19 Ina son tafiya domin in saya kayan abinci.
12.20 To, ni ma zan je. Za mu tafi tare.
12.21 Madalla! Don me kike tafiya kasuwa?
12.22 Ina buƙatar sayar da kayan lambu.
12.23 To, muna da dalili ɗaya na zuwa.
12.24 I, domin saye da sayarwa ne muke zuwa.
12.25 Yaushe kasuwa take budewa?
12.26 Tana budewa da ƙarfe bakwai na safe.
12.27 Muna da lokaci domin cin abincin safe.
12.28 A’a, ba mu da lokaci ba. Sai mu yi sauri.
12.29 To, mu tafi yanzu domin mu isa da wuri.
12.30 Na gode. Domin Allah ki nuna mini hanya.
Part D: Grammar Notes for Dialogue Section
This dialogue demonstrates several key purpose constructions:
Purpose questions: Domin me za ka je? and Don me kike tafiya? - both ask “why” using the “for what” structure.
Purpose with subjunctive: domin in saya (to buy), domin mu isa (to arrive) - subjunctive pronouns follow domin.
Purpose with verbal noun: domin cin abincin safe (for eating breakfast), domin saye da sayarwa (for buying and selling).
Verbal nouns in continuous: kike tafiya (you are going), take budewa (it opens), muke zuwa (we are going).
The formal request: Domin Allah ki nuna mini hanya uses the feminine subjunctive ki because the speaker addresses a woman.
Note the focus construction in 12.24: domin saye da sayarwa ne muke zuwa - “It is for buying and selling that we are going” - where ne marks focus.
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The Hausa Alphabet and Special Characters
Standard Hausa uses Latin script with several special characters:
Implosive consonants (produced with inward airstream): -
ɓ - implosive b; sounds like a “popped” b -
ɗ - implosive d; sounds like a “popped” d
Ejective consonant: -
ƙ - ejective k; produced with a sharp “pop”
Glottalized y: -
‘y or ƴ - glottalized y
Long Vowels: In linguistic transcription, long vowels are marked with a macron (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) or doubled. In everyday writing, length is often unmarked but is phonemically significant.
Tone Patterns in This Lesson: -
domin [dòmín] - Low-High -
don [dôn] - Falling tone -
tafiya [tàfíyáː] - Low-High-High with final length -
zuwa [zùwáː] - Low-High with final length -
karatu [kàràtúː] - Low-Low-High with final length
Common Sound Changes:
When verbal nouns attach to objects, the final vowel often becomes short or changes: -
karatu (reading) but karatun Hausa (reading of Hausa) -
tafiya (going) but tafiyar kasuwa (going to market)
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This lesson is part of a frequency-based Hausa language course following the methodology developed by the Latinum Institute. The course teaches the most commonly used words in systematic order, enabling learners to build practical communication skills efficiently.
Course Philosophy: By learning the 1,000 most frequent words through contextual examples, students can comprehend approximately 80% of everyday Hausa speech and writing. Each lesson focuses on one high-frequency vocabulary item with 30 example sentences demonstrating authentic usage patterns.
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About Hausa: Hausa is a Chadic language of the Afroasiatic family, spoken by approximately 70-80 million people across West Africa, primarily in Northern Nigeria and Niger. It serves as a lingua franca throughout much of the Sahel region and is one of Africa’s most widely spoken languages. Hausa has a rich literary tradition and is written in both Latin script (called boko) and an Arabic-based script (called ajami).
Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
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◊ᴺᵉˣᵃˡ | Hausa | Lesson 12 | Domin | Purpose | Infinitive Concept | Verbal Nouns | Latinum Institute
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