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Welcome to Lesson 24 of the Hausa language course. This lesson introduces the third person plural pronoun “su” (سُ), one of the most essential words in Hausa. Understanding this pronoun opens the door to discussing groups, communities, and collective actions—central themes in Hausa culture, which places great emphasis on communal life and shared responsibility.
FAQ: What does “su” mean in Hausa?
The Hausa word “su” (سُ) means “they” and serves as the third person plural pronoun. Unlike English, where “they” remains constant across tenses, Hausa transforms “su” into different forms to indicate tense and aspect: “sun” (completive/past), “suna” (continuative/present progressive), “suka” (relative completive), “suke” (relative continuative), and “za su” (future). This pronoun-tense marking system is fundamental to Hausa grammar.
In this lesson, you will encounter “su” in various grammatical contexts across 30 examples, learning how Hausa speakers reference groups and collective actions. The pronoun appears in everyday conversations, marketplace exchanges, family discussions, and formal discourse. Both Boko (Latin) and Ajami (Arabic) scripts are provided to honor Hausa’s rich dual writing tradition.
Course Index:
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Key Takeaways
In Hausa, tense is marked through pronoun forms rather than verb conjugation—”su” becomes “sun” (past), “suna” (present), or “za su” (future). The pronoun “su” is gender-neutral, unlike second and third person singular pronouns which distinguish masculine and feminine. Understanding the “su” pronoun system unlocks the ability to discuss any group activity in Hausa. Both Boko and Ajami scripts represent living writing traditions used by over 70 million Hausa speakers.
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This lesson presents Hausa in two scripts that reflect the language’s cultural heritage:
Boko (meaning “deception” or “Western”)—the Latin-based alphabet standardized during British colonial administration in the 1930s. Today, Boko is the primary script for education, government, and media in Nigeria and Niger. It uses special characters including: ɓ (implosive b), ɗ (implosive d), ƙ (ejective k), and ‘y (glottalized y).
Ajami (from Arabic عجمي, meaning “foreign”)—the Arabic-derived script used since the 17th century. Hausa Ajami adapted Arabic letters to represent sounds not found in Arabic, adding diacritics and modified letters. It remains vital for Islamic poetry, religious texts, and traditional correspondence. Unlike Arabic, Hausa Ajami regularly marks all vowels since Hausa readers need full vowel information.
In Section A, line (a) presents Boko script with glosses, while line (b) presents Ajami script with glosses.
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24.1a Su (soo) they sun (soon) COMPL-3PL tafi (tah-fee) gone kasuwa (kah-soo-wah) market
24.1b سُ (soo) they سُن (soon) COMPL-3PL تَفِ (tah-fee) gone كَسُوَ (kah-soo-wah) market
24.2a Su (soo) they mutane (moo-tah-nay) people ne (nay) are-STAB
24.2b سُ (soo) they مُتَانِ (moo-tah-nay) people نِ (nay) are-STAB
24.3a Su (soo) they suna (soo-nah) CONT-3PL aiki (eye-kee) work
24.3b سُ (soo) they سُنَ (soo-nah) CONT-3PL أَيكِ (eye-kee) work
24.4a Su (soo) they waye (wah-yay) who ne (nay) are-STAB
24.4b سُ (soo) they وَيِ (wah-yay) who نِ (nay) are-STAB
24.5a Sun (soon) COMPL-3PL ci (chee) eaten abinci (ah-been-chee) food
24.5b سُن (soon) COMPL-3PL چِ (chee) eaten أَبِنچِ (ah-been-chee) food
24.6a Suna (soo-nah) CONT-3PL magana (mah-gah-nah) speech Hausa (how-sah) Hausa
24.6b سُنَ (soo-nah) CONT-3PL مَگَنَ (mah-gah-nah) speech هَوسَ (how-sah) Hausa
24.7a Za (zah) will su (soo) they zo (zoh) come gobe (goh-bay) tomorrow
24.7b زَ (zah) will سُ (soo) they زُو (zoh) come گُوبِ (goh-bay) tomorrow
24.8a Su (soo) they Hausawa (how-sah-wah) Hausa-people ne (nay) are-STAB
24.8b سُ (soo) they هَوسَاوَ (how-sah-wah) Hausa-people نِ (nay) are-STAB
24.9a Sun (soon) COMPL-3PL gama (gah-mah) finished aikinsu (eye-keen-soo) their-work
24.9b سُن (soon) COMPL-3PL گَمَ (gah-mah) finished أَيكِنسُ (eye-keen-soo) their-work
24.10a Suna (soo-nah) CONT-3PL da (dah) with hankali (han-kah-lee) wisdom
24.10b سُنَ (soo-nah) CONT-3PL دَ (dah) with هَنكَلِ (han-kah-lee) wisdom
24.11a Ba (bah) NEG su (soo) they sani (sah-nee) know ba (bah) NEG
24.11b بَ (bah) NEG سُ (soo) they سَنِ (sah-nee) know بَ (bah) NEG
24.12a Suka (soo-kah) REL.COMPL-3PL taru (tah-roo) gathered a (ah) at gida (gee-dah) house
24.12b سُكَ (soo-kah) REL.COMPL-3PL تَرُ (tah-roo) gathered أ (ah) at گِدَ (gee-dah) house
24.13a Idan (ee-dahn) if sun (soon) COMPL-3PL dawo (dah-woh) returned mun (moon) COMPL-1PL ga (gah) see su (soo) them
24.13b إدَن (ee-dahn) if سُن (soon) COMPL-3PL دَوُو (dah-woh) returned مُن (moon) COMPL-1PL گَ (gah) see سُ (soo) them
24.14a Su (soo) they mata (mah-tah) women ne (nay) are-STAB ba (bah) not maza (mah-zah) men ba (bah) not
24.14b سُ (soo) they مَتَ (mah-tah) women نِ (nay) are-STAB بَ (bah) not مَزَ (mah-zah) men بَ (bah) not
24.15a Suke (soo-kay) REL.CONT-3PL cin (cheen) eating-of tuwo (too-woh) tuwo da (dah) with miya (mee-yah) soup
24.15b سُكِ (soo-kay) REL.CONT-3PL چِن (cheen) eating-of تُوُو (too-woh) tuwo دَ (dah) with مِيَ (mee-yah) soup
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24.1 Su sun tafi kasuwa. Soo soon tah-fee kah-soo-wah. “They have gone to the market.”
24.2 Su mutane ne. Soo moo-tah-nay nay. “They are people.”
24.3 Su suna aiki. Soo soo-nah eye-kee. “They are working.”
24.4 Su waye ne? Soo wah-yay nay? “Who are they?”
24.5 Sun ci abinci. Soon chee ah-been-chee. “They have eaten food.”
24.6 Suna magana Hausa. Soo-nah mah-gah-nah how-sah. “They are speaking Hausa.”
24.7 Za su zo gobe. Zah soo zoh goh-bay. “They will come tomorrow.”
24.8 Su Hausawa ne. Soo how-sah-wah nay. “They are Hausa people.”
24.9 Sun gama aikinsu. Soon gah-mah eye-keen-soo. “They have finished their work.”
24.10 Suna da hankali. Soo-nah dah han-kah-lee. “They have wisdom.” (lit. “They are with wisdom”)
24.11 Ba su sani ba. Bah soo sah-nee bah. “They don’t know.”
24.12 Suka taru a gida. Soo-kah tah-roo ah gee-dah. “They who gathered at the house.”
24.13 Idan sun dawo, mun ga su. Ee-dahn soon dah-woh, moon gah soo. “If they have returned, we have seen them.”
24.14 Su mata ne, ba maza ba. Soo mah-tah nay, bah mah-zah bah. “They are women, not men.”
24.15 Suke cin tuwo da miya. Soo-kay cheen too-woh dah mee-yah. “They who are eating tuwo with soup.”
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24.1 Su sun tafi kasuwa. Soo soon tah-fee kah-soo-wah.
24.2 Su mutane ne. Soo moo-tah-nay nay.
24.3 Su suna aiki. Soo soo-nah eye-kee.
24.4 Su waye ne? Soo wah-yay nay?
24.5 Sun ci abinci. Soon chee ah-been-chee.
24.6 Suna magana Hausa. Soo-nah mah-gah-nah how-sah.
24.7 Za su zo gobe. Zah soo zoh goh-bay.
24.8 Su Hausawa ne. Soo how-sah-wah nay.
24.9 Sun gama aikinsu. Soon gah-mah eye-keen-soo.
24.10 Suna da hankali. Soo-nah dah han-kah-lee.
24.11 Ba su sani ba. Bah soo sah-nee bah.
24.12 Suka taru a gida. Soo-kah tah-roo ah gee-dah.
24.13 Idan sun dawo, mun ga su. Ee-dahn soon dah-woh, moon gah soo.
24.14 Su mata ne, ba maza ba. Soo mah-tah nay, bah mah-zah bah.
24.15 Suke cin tuwo da miya. Soo-kay cheen too-woh dah mee-yah.
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These are the grammar rules for “su” (they) in Hausa:
The Pronoun-Tense System
Hausa marks tense and aspect through changes in the subject pronoun, not through verb conjugation. The base pronoun “su” (they) transforms into several forms:
Completive (completed action, typically past): “sun” — Sun tafi. (They went/have gone.)
Continuative (ongoing action, present progressive): “suna” — Suna aiki. (They are working.)
Relative Completive (in relative clauses, past): “suka” — Mutanen da suka zo... (The people who came...)
Relative Continuative (in relative clauses, ongoing): “suke” — Yara suke wasa... (Children who are playing...)
Future: “za su” — Za su zo. (They will come.)
Subjunctive: “su” — Bari su tafi. (Let them go.)
Identificational Sentences
When identifying what “they” are, Hausa uses the copula “ne” (for masculine or plural) placed at the end of the sentence. The copula “ne” agrees with the plural, regardless of the gender of the individuals: Su mata ne. (They are women.) — Note that “ne” is used, not “ce” (feminine singular copula).
Negation
Hausa negates sentences using a double “ba...ba” construction. The pronoun appears between these markers: Ba su sani ba. (They don’t know.) For future negation: Ba za su zo ba. (They will not come.)
Object Pronoun
When “they/them” is the object of a verb, the same form “su” is used but in object position: Mun ga su. (We saw them.)
Possessive Forms
The possessive (their) is formed by adding “-su” to nouns: gidansu (their house), aikinsu (their work), littafinsu (their book).
Gender Neutrality
Unlike second and third person singular pronouns (which distinguish ka/ki for “you” masculine/feminine and ya/ta for “he/she”), the plural “su” is completely gender-neutral. Whether referring to a group of men, women, or mixed gender, “su” and its forms remain unchanged.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting that tense changes the pronoun form, not the verb—learners often try to conjugate the verb instead of changing “su” to “sun” or “suna.”
Using “ce” instead of “ne” with plural subjects—”ne” is required for all plurals regardless of the gender of individuals in the group.
Omitting the second “ba” in negative constructions—both markers are required in standard Hausa.
Confusing “suna” (they are doing) with “suna” (name/noun)—context and tone distinguish these homophones.
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Collectivism in Hausa Society
The pronoun “su” carries cultural weight in Hausa-speaking communities. Hausa society traditionally emphasizes collective identity over individualism. The concept of “dangantaka” (relationship/kinship) means that people are defined by their connections to others—family, clan, village, and religious community. When Hausas speak of “su,” they often invoke this web of social relationships.
Formal vs. Informal Usage
In formal Hausa, the full pronoun forms are maintained. In casual speech among friends and family, pronouns may be contracted or dropped when context makes the subject clear. However, “su” remains essential in clear communication, especially when distinguishing groups.
Regional Variations
Between Nigerian Hausa (Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna) and Nigerien Hausa, minor pronunciation differences exist, but “su” remains consistent. Some Western dialects use slightly different tense markers, but the basic pronoun system is remarkably uniform across the vast Hausa-speaking area.
The Dual Script Tradition
Historically, Islamic scholars and poets used Ajami to write Hausa, creating a rich literary tradition of religious verse, historical chronicles, and correspondence. The Latin-based Boko script became dominant after British colonization, but Ajami persists in Quranic schools, Islamic publications, and traditional poetry circles. Many older Hausa speakers read both scripts, while younger generations typically learn only Boko in secular schools. The Nigerian naira banknotes feature Hausa in Ajami script, recognizing this living tradition.
Proverbs and Sayings
Hausa proverbs frequently use “su” to express collective wisdom: “Kowa ya yi na gaskiya, su kan san shi” (Whoever does what is true, they [people] will know him)—emphasizing that the community (”su”) serves as the ultimate judge of character.
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From Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Hausa version):
“Su dai yan-adam, ana haifuwarsu ne duka yantattu, kuma kowannensu na da mutunci da hakkoki daidai da na kowa. Suna da hankali da tunani, saboda haka duk abin da za su aikata wa juna, ya kamata su yi shi a cikin yan-uwanci.”
F-A: Interlinear Analysis
Su (soo) they dai (die) indeed yan-adam (yan-ah-dahm) children-of-Adam/humans
ana (ah-nah) IMPERS-CONT haifuwarsu (hi-foo-war-soo) their-birth ne (nay) STAB duka (doo-kah) all yantattu (yan-taht-too) free
kuma (koo-mah) and kowannensu (koh-wahn-nen-soo) each-of-them na (nah) POSS da (dah) with mutunci (moo-toon-chee) dignity da (dah) and hakkoki (hahk-koh-kee) rights daidai (die-die) equal da (dah) with na (nah) that-of kowa (koh-wah) everyone
Suna (soo-nah) CONT-3PL da (dah) with hankali (han-kah-lee) reason da (dah) and tunani (too-nah-nee) conscience
saboda (sah-boh-dah) because-of haka (hah-kah) that duk (dook) all abin (ah-been) thing da (dah) REL za (zah) will su (soo) they aikata (eye-kah-tah) do wa (wah) to juna (joo-nah) one-another
ya (yah) it kamata (kah-mah-tah) fitting su (soo) they yi (yee) do shi (shee) it a (ah) in cikin (chee-keen) inside-of yan-uwanci (yan-oo-wahn-chee) brotherhood
F-B: Natural Text with Translation
Su dai yan-adam, ana haifuwarsu ne duka yantattu, kuma kowannensu na da mutunci da hakkoki daidai da na kowa. Suna da hankali da tunani, saboda haka duk abin da za su aikata wa juna, ya kamata su yi shi a cikin yan-uwanci.
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
F-C: Original Script Only
Su dai yan-adam, ana haifuwarsu ne duka yantattu, kuma kowannensu na da mutunci da hakkoki daidai da na kowa. Suna da hankali da tunani, saboda haka duk abin da za su aikata wa juna, ya kamata su yi shi a cikin yan-uwanci.
سُ دَي يَنَادَم، أنَ هَيفُوَرسُ نِ دُكَ يَنتَتُّ، كُمَ كُوَننِنسُ نَ دَ مُتُنچِ دَ حَقُّوقِ دَيدَي دَ نَ كُوَ. سُنَ دَ هَنكَلِ دَ تُنَانِ، سَبُودَ هَكَ دُك أَبِن دَ زَ سُ أَيكَتَ وَ جُونَ، يَ كَمَتَ سُ يِ شِ أ چِكِن يَنُوَنچِ.
F-D: Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
This passage demonstrates several uses of “su”:
“Su dai” — The independent pronoun “su” begins the text, emphasized by “dai” (indeed/as for). This fronted pronoun position adds emphasis.
“Suna da” — The continuative form “suna” + “da” (with) is an idiomatic way to express possession in Hausa. “Suna da hankali” literally means “They are with reason” but translates as “They have/possess reason.”
“Za su aikata” — The future construction: “za” (will) + “su” (they) + verb. Note how “su” remains in its base form after “za.”
“Ya kamata su yi” — The subjunctive construction: “it is fitting” + “su” (that they) + “yi” (do). Here “su” introduces obligation or expectation.
“Ana haifuwarsu” — The impersonal “ana” (one is/people are) + “haifuwa” (birth) + “-rsu” (their). The possessive suffix “-su” derives from the pronoun.
The text beautifully illustrates how “su” permeates Hausa discourse when discussing humanity collectively, appearing in various grammatical positions throughout a single paragraph.
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The following dialogue takes place at a kasuwa (market) in Kano, where a group of traders discuss their business while a customer seeks goods. This context showcases “su” in natural conversation about commerce, community, and daily life.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
24.16a Su (soo) they ‘yan (yan) children-of kasuwa (kah-soo-wah) market sun (soon) COMPL-3PL buɗe (boo-day) opened kantunansu (kahn-too-nahn-soo) their-shops da (dah) at safe (sah-fay) morning
24.16b سُ (soo) they يَن (yan) children-of كَسُوَ (kah-soo-wah) market سُن (soon) COMPL-3PL بُدِ (boo-day) opened كَنتُونَنسُ (kahn-too-nahn-soo) their-shops دَ (dah) at صَفِ (sah-fay) morning
24.17a Ina (ee-nah) where su (soo) they masu (mah-soo) owners-of sayar (sah-yar) selling da (dah) of tufafi (too-fah-fee) cloth
24.17b إنَ (ee-nah) where سُ (soo) they مَسُ (mah-soo) owners-of سَيَر (sah-yar) selling دَ (dah) of تُفَافِ (too-fah-fee) cloth
24.18a Suna (soo-nah) CONT-3PL can (chahn) there kusa (koo-sah) near da (dah) with babban (bahb-bahn) big ƙofa (koh-fah) gate
24.18b سُنَ (soo-nah) CONT-3PL چَن (chahn) there كُسَ (koo-sah) near دَ (dah) with بَبَّن (bahb-bahn) big قُوفَ (koh-fah) gate
24.19a Sun (soon) COMPL-3PL kawo (kah-woh) brought sababbin (sah-bahb-been) new kaya (kah-yah) goods daga (dah-gah) from Lagos (lah-gohs) Lagos
24.19b سُن (soon) COMPL-3PL كَوُو (kah-woh) brought سَبَبِّن (sah-bahb-been) new كَيَ (kah-yah) goods دَگَ (dah-gah) from لَاگُس (lah-gohs) Lagos
24.20a Nawa (nah-wah) how-much su (soo) they ke (kay) CONT sayarwa (sah-yar-wah) selling
24.20b نَوَ (nah-wah) how-much سُ (soo) they كِ (kay) CONT سَيَروَ (sah-yar-wah) selling
24.21a Ba (bah) NEG su (soo) they yi (yee) do tsada (tsah-dah) expensive ba (bah) NEG kwata-kwata (kwah-tah-kwah-tah) at-all
24.21b بَ (bah) NEG سُ (soo) they يِ (yee) do صَدَ (tsah-dah) expensive بَ (bah) NEG كوَتَكوَتَ (kwah-tah-kwah-tah) at-all
24.22a Suka (soo-kah) REL.COMPL-3PL ba (bah) give ni (nee) me farashin (fah-rah-sheen) price-of naira (nigh-rah) naira dubu (doo-boo) thousand biyu (bee-yoo) two
24.22b سُكَ (soo-kah) REL.COMPL-3PL بَ (bah) give نِ (nee) me فَرَشِن (fah-rah-sheen) price-of نَيرَ (nigh-rah) naira دُبُ (doo-boo) thousand بِيُ (bee-yoo) two
24.23a Su (soo) they ‘yan (yan) children-of ciniki (chee-nee-kee) trade masu (mah-soo) ones-with gaskiya (gahs-kee-yah) truth ne (nay) are-STAB
24.23b سُ (soo) they يَن (yan) children-of چِنِكِ (chee-nee-kee) trade مَسُ (mah-soo) ones-with گَسكِيَ (gahs-kee-yah) truth نِ (nay) are-STAB
24.24a Za (zah) will su (soo) they rage (rah-gay) reduce maka (mah-kah) for-you-M idan (ee-dahn) if ka (kah) you-M nema (nay-mah) ask
24.24b زَ (zah) will سُ (soo) they رَگِ (rah-gay) reduce مَكَ (mah-kah) for-you-M إدَن (ee-dahn) if كَ (kah) you-M نِمَ (nay-mah) ask
24.25a Suke (soo-kay) REL.CONT-3PL ciniki (chee-nee-kee) trading a (ah) at nan (nahn) here tun (toon) since shekarun (shay-kah-roon) years-of da (dah) past
24.25b سُكِ (soo-kay) REL.CONT-3PL چِنِكِ (chee-nee-kee) trading أ (ah) at نَن (nahn) here تُون (toon) since شِكَرُن (shay-kah-roon) years-of دَ (dah) past
24.26a Sun (soon) COMPL-3PL koyi (koh-yee) learned yadda (yahd-dah) how za (zah) will su (soo) they faranta (fah-rahn-tah) make-white wa (wah) for abokan (ah-boh-kahn) friends-of ciniki (chee-nee-kee) trade rai (rye) life
24.26b سُن (soon) COMPL-3PL كُويِ (koh-yee) learned يَدَّ (yahd-dah) how زَ (zah) will سُ (soo) they فَرَنتَ (fah-rahn-tah) make-white وَ (wah) for أَبُوكَن (ah-boh-kahn) friends-of چِنِكِ (chee-nee-kee) trade رَي (rye) life
24.27a Suna (soo-nah) CONT-3PL sayar (sah-yar) selling da (dah) of atamfa (ah-tahm-fah) ankara da (dah) and leshi (lay-shee) lace da (dah) and shadda (shahd-dah) damask
24.27b سُنَ (soo-nah) CONT-3PL سَيَر (sah-yar) selling دَ (dah) of أَتَمفَ (ah-tahm-fah) ankara دَ (dah) and لِشِ (lay-shee) lace دَ (dah) and شَدَّ (shahd-dah) damask
24.28a Idan (ee-dahn) if sun (soon) COMPL-3PL rufe (roo-fay) closed ana (ah-nah) IMPERS-CONT jira (jee-rah) waiting har (har) until su (soo) they buɗe (boo-day) open
24.28b إدَن (ee-dahn) if سُن (soon) COMPL-3PL رُفِ (roo-fay) closed أنَ (ah-nah) IMPERS-CONT جِرَ (jee-rah) waiting هَر (har) until سُ (soo) they بُدِ (boo-day) open
24.29a Mutane (moo-tah-nay) people suna (soo-nah) CONT-3PL yaba (yah-bah) praising musu (moo-soo) to-them don (dohn) because-of kyautatawa (kyow-tah-tah-wah) generosity
24.29b مُتَانِ (moo-tah-nay) people سُنَ (soo-nah) CONT-3PL يَابَ (yah-bah) praising مُسُ (moo-soo) to-them دُون (dohn) because-of كيَوتَتَاوَ (kyow-tah-tah-wah) generosity
24.30a Allah (ahl-lah) God ya (yah) may-He albarkaci (ahl-bar-kah-chee) bless su (soo) them da (dah) with ciniki (chee-nee-kee) trade mai (my) having nasara (nah-sah-rah) success
24.30b اللّٰه (ahl-lah) God يَ (yah) may-He أَلبَركَچِ (ahl-bar-kah-chee) bless سُ (soo) them دَ (dah) with چِنِكِ (chee-nee-kee) trade مَي (my) having نَصَرَ (nah-sah-rah) success
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Part B: Natural Sentences
24.16 Su ‘yan kasuwa sun buɗe kantunansu da safe. Soo yan kah-soo-wah soon boo-day kahn-too-nahn-soo dah sah-fay. “The market traders have opened their shops in the morning.”
24.17 Ina su masu sayar da tufafi? Ee-nah soo mah-soo sah-yar dah too-fah-fee? “Where are those who sell cloth?”
24.18 Suna can kusa da babban ƙofa. Soo-nah chahn koo-sah dah bahb-bahn koh-fah. “They are over there near the big gate.”
24.19 Sun kawo sababbin kaya daga Lagos. Soon kah-woh sah-bahb-been kah-yah dah-gah lah-gohs. “They have brought new goods from Lagos.”
24.20 Nawa su ke sayarwa? Nah-wah soo kay sah-yar-wah? “How much are they selling it for?”
24.21 Ba su yi tsada ba kwata-kwata. Bah soo yee tsah-dah bah kwah-tah-kwah-tah. “They are not expensive at all.”
24.22 Suka ba ni farashin naira dubu biyu. Soo-kah bah nee fah-rah-sheen nigh-rah doo-boo bee-yoo. “They gave me a price of two thousand naira.”
24.23 Su ‘yan ciniki masu gaskiya ne. Soo yan chee-nee-kee mah-soo gahs-kee-yah nay. “They are honest traders.”
24.24 Za su rage maka idan ka nema. Zah soo rah-gay mah-kah ee-dahn kah nay-mah. “They will reduce it for you if you ask.”
24.25 Suke ciniki a nan tun shekarun da. Soo-kay chee-nee-kee ah nahn toon shay-kah-roon dah. “They have been trading here since years past.”
24.26 Sun koyi yadda za su faranta wa abokan ciniki rai. Soon koh-yee yahd-dah zah soo fah-rahn-tah wah ah-boh-kahn chee-nee-kee rye. “They have learned how to please their customers.” (lit. “make life white for trading friends”)
24.27 Suna sayar da atamfa da leshi da shadda. Soo-nah sah-yar dah ah-tahm-fah dah lay-shee dah shahd-dah. “They are selling ankara, lace, and damask.”
24.28 Idan sun rufe, ana jira har su buɗe. Ee-dahn soon roo-fay, ah-nah jee-rah har soo boo-day. “If they have closed, one waits until they open.”
24.29 Mutane suna yaba musu don kyautatawa. Moo-tah-nay soo-nah yah-bah moo-soo dohn kyow-tah-tah-wah. “People are praising them for their generosity.”
24.30 Allah ya albarkaci su da ciniki mai nasara. Ahl-lah yah ahl-bar-kah-chee soo dah chee-nee-kee my nah-sah-rah. “May God bless them with successful trade.”
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Part C: Target Language Only
24.16 Su ‘yan kasuwa sun buɗe kantunansu da safe. Soo yan kah-soo-wah soon boo-day kahn-too-nahn-soo dah sah-fay.
24.17 Ina su masu sayar da tufafi? Ee-nah soo mah-soo sah-yar dah too-fah-fee?
24.18 Suna can kusa da babban ƙofa. Soo-nah chahn koo-sah dah bahb-bahn koh-fah.
24.19 Sun kawo sababbin kaya daga Lagos. Soon kah-woh sah-bahb-been kah-yah dah-gah lah-gohs.
24.20 Nawa su ke sayarwa? Nah-wah soo kay sah-yar-wah?
24.21 Ba su yi tsada ba kwata-kwata. Bah soo yee tsah-dah bah kwah-tah-kwah-tah.
24.22 Suka ba ni farashin naira dubu biyu. Soo-kah bah nee fah-rah-sheen nigh-rah doo-boo bee-yoo.
24.23 Su ‘yan ciniki masu gaskiya ne. Soo yan chee-nee-kee mah-soo gahs-kee-yah nay.
24.24 Za su rage maka idan ka nema. Zah soo rah-gay mah-kah ee-dahn kah nay-mah.
24.25 Suke ciniki a nan tun shekarun da. Soo-kay chee-nee-kee ah nahn toon shay-kah-roon dah.
24.26 Sun koyi yadda za su faranta wa abokan ciniki rai. Soon koh-yee yahd-dah zah soo fah-rahn-tah wah ah-boh-kahn chee-nee-kee rye.
24.27 Suna sayar da atamfa da leshi da shadda. Soo-nah sah-yar dah ah-tahm-fah dah lay-shee dah shahd-dah.
24.28 Idan sun rufe, ana jira har su buɗe. Ee-dahn soon roo-fay, ah-nah jee-rah har soo boo-day.
24.29 Mutane suna yaba musu don kyautatawa. Moo-tah-nay soo-nah yah-bah moo-soo dohn kyow-tah-tah-wah.
24.30 Allah ya albarkaci su da ciniki mai nasara. Ahl-lah yah ahl-bar-kah-chee soo dah chee-nee-kee my nah-sah-rah.
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Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
‘Yan (Children of) Construction
The phrase “’yan kasuwa” (market traders) uses “’yan” (plural of “ɗan” = son/child of) to indicate people associated with something. Combined with “su,” it creates “Su ‘yan kasuwa” (They, the market traders). This is a productive word-formation pattern in Hausa.
Indirect Questions with “Ina su”
“Ina su masu...?” (Where are those who...?) shows “su” functioning as a demonstrative/identifier meaning “those” or “they.” This construction is common when seeking specific vendors or service providers.
“Nawa su ke” Construction
“Nawa su ke sayarwa?” uses the relative continuative “su ke” (they who are) in a price inquiry. This is the standard way to ask about prices when the sellers are plural.
Object Pronouns: “musu”
“Suna yaba musu” shows the indirect object form: “mu-” (to/for) + “-su” (them) = “musu” (to them). Compare with “maka” (to you-M), “mata” (to her), “mana” (to us).
Blessings and Prayers
The final sentence “Allah ya albarkaci su” demonstrates the subjunctive in religious context. “Ya” here is the subjunctive 3rd person singular (may He), followed by “su” as the direct object (them). Such blessings are integral to Hausa marketplace culture.
The Idiom “faranta rai”
“Faranta wa abokan ciniki rai” (make life white for customers) is an idiomatic expression meaning “to please” or “to satisfy.” This shows how “su” appears in embedded clauses: “za su faranta” (they will please).
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Vowels:
a (short) — as in “father” but shorter
aa (long) — as in “father,” held longer
e (short) — as in “bed”
ee (long) — as in “bay”
i (short) — as in “bit”
ii (long) — as in “see”
o (short) — as in British “pot”
oo (long) — as in “go”
u (short) — as in “put”
uu (long) — as in “food”
Special Consonants:
ɓ — implosive bilabial stop (like ‘b’ but with air drawn inward)
ɗ — implosive alveolar stop (like ‘d’ with air drawn inward)
ƙ — ejective velar stop (like ‘k’ with a popping release)
‘y — glottalized palatal (rare)
ts — affricate, as in “tsunami”
Tone:
Hausa is a tonal language with high, low, and falling tones. Tone can distinguish both lexical meaning and grammatical function. In standard orthography (both Boko and Ajami), tones are not marked. Learners must acquire tonal patterns through exposure and practice.
The Pronoun “Su”:
The basic pronoun “su” carries a high tone. In compound forms, the tonal pattern varies: “sun” (high-low), “suna” (high-low-high), “suka” (high-low), “suke” (high-low).
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The Latinum Institute has been creating language learning materials since 2006, serving autodidact learners worldwide. Our methodology emphasizes the construed text approach—where every word is glossed individually—allowing learners to absorb vocabulary and grammar simultaneously through context rather than isolated memorization.
The interlinear format used in Section A provides direct access to meaning without requiring prior knowledge of grammar rules. By seeing each word with its English equivalent, learners naturally internalize patterns before studying formal rules. This approach has proven effective for languages with complex morphology and unfamiliar script systems.
This Hausa course draws from a frequency-ranked vocabulary list, ensuring that learners acquire the most useful words first. The pronoun “su” ranks among the most common words in the language, appearing in virtually every conversation that discusses groups or collective actions.
Both Boko and Ajami scripts are presented to honor Hausa’s dual literary tradition and to serve learners who may encounter either writing system. The Ajami examples follow the Kano-region conventions, though learners should be aware that variations exist.
For more lessons and resources, visit: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
Read reviews of Latinum Institute courses at: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
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Lesson 24 Hausa complete. ✓
nexal-code: hausa, harshen-hausa, they-pronoun, su-pronoun, third-person-plural, boko-script, ajami-script, arabic-script, hausa-grammar, pronoun-tense-system, west-african-languages, chadic-languages, nigerian-languages, niger-languages, latinum-institute, language-learning, interlinear-text, construed-text-method
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