English "get" is one of the busiest verbs in the language: get a letter, get a job, get permission, get tired, get home, get up. Hausa has no single verb that does all of this. The verb this lesson teaches is samu (Ajami سَمُ), the verb of obtaining: to get, receive, gain, earn, find. Ta sami aiki, "she got a job"; na sami wasiƙa daga Halima, "I got a letter from Halima"; za ku samu, "you will find".
samu covers both halves of English "get hold of": what comes to you (a letter, rain, a good harvest) and what you go after and find (work, knowledge, the thing you were looking for). The Hausa Bible puts it in six words in Matthew 7:8: mai nema yana tare da samu, "the one who seeks is together with getting" (Section F).
Unlike ko and ta of the last two lessons, samu changes its final vowel. It has four forms, and which one you use depends on what follows it:
- samu — with no object after it: Na samu, "I've got it"; za ku samu, "you will find" - sami — before a noun object: Sun sami izini, "they got permission" - same — before a pronoun object: Mun same shi, "we found it" - samun — the verbal noun with its linker, used in the continuous: Yana samun kuɗi, "he is earning money"
In everyday writing, and in much of the press, samu is also used before nouns (na samu wasiƙa). Both are correct Hausa. This lesson writes sami before a noun, as Kano grammars and school textbooks do, so that you learn the pattern; you will meet samu in that place too.
The other kind of English "get", "become" (get tired, get old, get dark), is not samu. Hausa uses a verb that already means the change: ya gaji, "he got tired"; ya tsufa, "he got old". Movement "gets" have their own verbs as well: get to = isa, get up = tashi, get on = hau, get off = sauka (Lesson 32). Section D sets these out.
FAQ: What does "samu" mean in Hausa? samu means "get, obtain, receive, gain, find": ya sami kuɗi, "he got money"; na same shi, "I found it"; ina fatan ka sami sauƙi, "I hope you get better". It is not used for "get tired" (gaji), "get to a place" (isa) or "get up" (tashi).
- samu = "get, obtain, find": the verb of coming to have something. - Four forms: samu (no object), sami (before a noun), same (before a pronoun), samun (verbal noun + linker in the continuous). - an sami … "there was / there has been …" is the news way of reporting that something happened (an sami ruwan sama, "there has been rain"). - "Get" = "become" is a different verb: gaji (get tired), tsufa (get old). - "Get to, get up, get on, get off" are isa, tashi, hau, sauka.
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samu is two syllables, /samu/: sa as in Italian sale, mu as in English moo cut short. The other forms change only the last vowel: sami /sami/, same /same/, samun /samun/. The e of same is a pure vowel, as in Italian re, never the English diphthong of "say".
As in the earlier lessons, line b of every example gives a segmental IPA guide: it shows consonants and vowel qualities and does not mark tone or vowel length, which standard spelling also leaves unmarked. Learn the melody of each phrase by ear from native speech (BBC Hausa, VOA Hausa).
Sounds in this lesson that do not exist in English:
- ƙ /kʼ/ — ejective k, a sharp popped k: wasiƙa (letter), sauƙi (ease, relief), haƙuri (patience), ƙauyuka (villages), ƙarin (more) - ƙw /kʷʼ/ — ejective k with lip-rounding: ƙwanƙwasawa (knocking) in Section F - ɗ /ɗ/ — implosive d, the air drawn inward: kuɗi (money), buɗe (open), waɗannan (these) - c /tʃ/ and j /dʒ/ — as in English church and judge: abinci (food), lokaci (time), jira (waiting), jihar (the state of) - sh /ʃ/ — as in English shoe: shi (him, it), shuka (sow) - ts /tsʼ/ — ejective ts: Katsina - r — Hausa has a rolled r and a flapped r. Both are written r and are shown here as /r/.
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33.1a Na I-have samu got
33.1b Na /na/ 1SG.PERF samu /samu/ get
33.2a Ka you-have samu got
33.2b Ka /ka/ 2SG.M.PERF samu /samu/ get
33.3a Sun they-have sami got izini permission
33.3b Sun /sun/ 3PL.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN izini /izini/ permission
33.4a Mun we-have same found shi it
33.4b Mun /mun/ 1PL.PERF same /same/ get.PRE-PRON shi /ʃi/ 3SG.M.DO
33.5a Ta she-has sami got aiki work
33.5b Ta /ta/ 3SG.F.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN aiki /aiki/ work.M
33.6a Na I-have sami got wasiƙa letter daga from Halima Halima
33.6b Na /na/ 1SG.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN wasiƙa /wasikʼa/ letter.F daga /daɡa/ from.PREP Halima /halima/ Halima.NAME
33.7a Ina I-am fatan hoping ka you sami get sauƙi relief
33.7b Ina /ina/ 1SG.CONT fatan /fatan/ hope.VN-LNK ka /ka/ 2SG.M.SUBJ sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN sauƙi /saukʼi/ ease/relief
33.8a Yana he-is samun getting kuɗi money da with yawa abundance
33.8b Yana /jana/ 3SG.M.CONT samun /samun/ get.VN-LNK kuɗi /kuɗi/ money da /da/ with.PREP yawa /jawa/ abundance
33.9a Ban I-did-not sami get lokaci time ba not
33.9b Ban /ban/ NEG-1SG.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN lokaci /lokatʃi/ time.M ba /ba/ NEG
33.10a A at ina where ka you sami got wannan this rigar gown
33.10b A /a/ at.PREP ina /ina/ where.Q ka /ka/ 2SG.M.REL.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN wannan /wannan/ this.DEM rigar /riɡar/ gown.F-LNK
33.11a Yaran the-children suna they-are samun getting isasshen sufficient abinci food
33.11b Yaran /jaran/ child.PL-DEF suna /suna/ 3PL.CONT samun /samun/ get.VN-LNK isasshen /isaʃʃen/ sufficient-LNK abinci /abintʃi/ food.M
33.12a Idan if ka you yi do aiki work tuƙuru hard za will ka you sami get nasara success
33.12b Idan /idan/ if.CONJ ka /ka/ 2SG.M.PERF yi /ji/ do aiki /aiki/ work.M tuƙuru /tukʼuru/ diligently.ADV za /za/ FUT ka /ka/ 2SG.M sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN nasara /nasara/ success.F
33.13a Ba not a one-is samun getting ilimi knowledge sai except da with haƙuri patience
33.13b Ba /ba/ NEG a /a/ IMPERS.CONT samun /samun/ get.VN-LNK ilimi /ilimi/ knowledge sai /sai/ except da /da/ with.PREP haƙuri /hakʼuri/ patience
33.14a Manoma farmers sun they-have sami got amfanin benefit-of gona farm mai having yawa abundance a in bana this-year
33.14b Manoma /manoma/ farmer.PL sun /sun/ 3PL.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN amfanin /amfanin/ benefit-LNK gona /ɡona/ farm.F mai /mai/ having yawa /jawa/ abundance a /a/ in.PREP bana /bana/ this-year.ADV
33.15a Duk every wanda one-who ya he-has nemi sought ilimi knowledge zai he-will samu get
33.15b Duk /duk/ every wanda /wanda/ who.REL.M ya /ja/ 3SG.M.REL.PERF nemi /nemi/ seek.PRE-NOUN ilimi /ilimi/ knowledge zai /zai/ 3SG.M.FUT samu /samu/ get
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33.1 Na samu. → "I've got it."
33.2 Ka samu? → "Did you get it?"
33.3 Sun sami izini. → "They got permission."
33.4 Mun same shi. → "We found it."
33.5 Ta sami aiki. → "She got a job."
33.6 Na sami wasiƙa daga Halima. → "I got a letter from Halima."
33.7 Ina fatan ka sami sauƙi. → "I hope you get better."
33.8 Yana samun kuɗi da yawa. → "He earns a lot of money."
33.9 Ban sami lokaci ba. → "I didn't get the time."
33.10 A ina ka sami wannan rigar? → "Where did you get this gown?"
33.11 Yaran suna samun isasshen abinci. → "The children are getting enough food."
33.12 Idan ka yi aiki tuƙuru, za ka sami nasara. → "If you work hard, you will succeed."
33.13 Ba a samun ilimi sai da haƙuri. → "Knowledge is not gained without patience."
33.14 Manoma sun sami amfanin gona mai yawa a bana. → "The farmers have had a large harvest this year."
33.15 Duk wanda ya nemi ilimi zai samu. → "Whoever seeks knowledge will find it."
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33.1 Na samu.
33.2 Ka samu?
33.3 Sun sami izini.
33.4 Mun same shi.
33.5 Ta sami aiki.
33.6 Na sami wasiƙa daga Halima.
33.7 Ina fatan ka sami sauƙi.
33.8 Yana samun kuɗi da yawa.
33.9 Ban sami lokaci ba.
33.10 A ina ka sami wannan rigar?
33.11 Yaran suna samun isasshen abinci.
33.12 Idan ka yi aiki tuƙuru, za ka sami nasara.
33.13 Ba a samun ilimi sai da haƙuri.
33.14 Manoma sun sami amfanin gona mai yawa a bana.
33.15 Duk wanda ya nemi ilimi zai samu.
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These are the grammar rules for samu in Hausa:
1. The four forms. samu belongs to the large class of Hausa verbs whose last vowel changes with what follows. Learn the four forms together: - samu — no object follows (33.1, 33.2, 33.15, Section F): Na samu "I've got it" - sami — a noun object follows (33.3, 33.5, 33.6, 33.12): Sun sami izini "they got permission" - same — a pronoun object follows (33.4, 33.23): Mun same shi "we found it" - samun — the verbal noun + linker, in the continuous (33.8, 33.11, 33.13): Yana samun kuɗi "he is earning money"
The same pattern is followed by nema "seek": nema (no object), nemi before a noun (ya nemi ilimi, 33.15), neme before a pronoun (ya neme shi, "he looked for it").
2. Samu before a noun in modern writing. Many writers, newspapers and broadcasters use samu before nouns as well: na samu wasiƙa, an samu ruwan sama. You will read it constantly, and it is not a mistake. In your own writing, use one form consistently. This course writes sami.
3. When the object has moved: samu. If the thing got is not after the verb (it has been questioned, relativised or left understood), the verb takes the plain form samu: - ruwan da suka samu — the rain that they got (33.29) - Duk wanda ya nemi ilimi zai samu — whoever seeks knowledge will get (it) (33.15) - Ka samu? — did you get (it)? (33.2)
4. The continuous: suna samun. In the continuous tenses (ina, yana, suna, ana) the verb is replaced by the verbal noun samun, joined to its object by the linker -n: Yaran suna samun isasshen abinci (33.11). This is also the form after verbs like fara "begin" and in phrases such as samun nasara "success, achieving".
5. Impersonal an sami / ana samun / ba a sami … ba. With the impersonal pronoun (an, ana, a) samu reports that something occurred or exists. News Hausa uses it constantly: - An sami ruwan sama — there has been rain (33.18) - Ba a sami ruwa sosai ba — there has not been much rain (33.24) - Za a sami girbi mai kyau — there will be a good harvest (33.28) - Ba a samun ilimi sai da haƙuri — knowledge is not gained without patience (33.13)
6. Hoping to get: fata + subjunctive. Hope is expressed with fata and a subjunctive, which is how "I hope you get better" is said: Ina fatan ka sami sauƙi (33.7). Sauƙi "ease, relief" is the usual word for recovery from illness.
7. "Get" meaning "become": not samu. Hausa expresses a change of state with a verb that already contains it: - ya gaji — he got tired (gaji da jira, "tired of waiting", 33.19) - ya tsufa — he got old - ya warke — he got better, recovered To be sure of the verb for a particular state, look it up as a verb in its own right; do not build it from samu.
8. "Get" with movement: other verbs. - get to, arrive at — isa: mun isa Kano "we got to Kano" - get up — tashi - get on (a vehicle) — hau (Lesson 32, 32.17) - get off — sauka (Lesson 32, 32.19)
9. Subject pronouns used in this lesson (the pronoun carries tense and aspect; the verb changes only for its object): - Perfective (completed): na, ka, ya, ta, mun, sun; impersonal an - Relative perfective (after a question word or relative): ka (33.10), ya (33.15), suka (33.29) - Negative perfective: ban … ba, ba su … ba, ba a … ba - Continuous: ina, yana, suna; impersonal ana; negative ba a - Future: za ka, zai, za su, za a - Subjunctive: ka, ku, su - Impersonal habitual: akan (Section F)
Mistake 1: the wrong form before a pronoun. Mun sami shi is wrong. Before a pronoun object the form is same: Mun same shi.
Mistake 2: the verb instead of the verbal noun in the continuous. Yana sami kuɗi is wrong. After yana, suna, ana use samun: Yana samun kuɗi.
Mistake 3: samu for "become". English "I got tired" is na gaji, not a sentence with samu. "It got dark" and "he got old" likewise have their own verbs.
Mistake 4: samu for "arrive". "When did you get to Kano?" is Yaushe ka isa Kano? Samu is getting a thing, not getting to a place.
Mistake 5: dropping the hooks. wasiƙa, sauƙi, haƙuri, kuɗi need their hooked letters. Wasika and kudi are spelling errors.
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Frequency and register. samu is among the most frequent verbs in Hausa. It belongs to every register: the market (a ina ka sami wannan rigar?), the household (yaran suna samun abinci), the newsroom (an sami ruwan sama) and scripture (Section F). Its verbal noun is also used as a noun, "getting, gain", as in Section F and in the phrase samun nasara "success".
Greetings and good wishes. Many Hausa wishes are built on getting. To someone who is unwell one says Allah ya ba ka sauƙi, "May God give you relief", and one hopes they sami sauƙi (33.7). Such wishes are a large part of everyday courtesy.
The farming year. Most of the Hausa-speaking north of Nigeria and south of Niger farms in a single rainy season. Millet (gero), sorghum (dawa), maize and groundnuts are sown when the rains come. Whether farmers get rain, get fertilizer (taki) and finally get a harvest (amfanin gona, literally "the benefit of the farm") is the subject of a large share of Hausa radio news. The Genre Section is a news report of this kind. It is pedagogical; the farmer and the agency are not real.
Varieties. This lesson follows the Kano standard used in schools: sami before a noun, same before a pronoun. In much modern writing, and widely in Niger, samu is used before nouns too (Section D, rule 2). The meaning is the same everywhere.
Ajami. In Ajami the verb is written سَمُ, and sami is written سَمِ, as in the earlier lessons of this course. The examples in this lesson are given in Boko only.
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Matthew 7:7–8 (Matiyu 7:7–8), Littafi Mai Tsarki, the Hausa Bible (Bible Society of Nigeria, 1979 edition).
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds…" Where English uses two verbs, receive and find, the Hausa uses samu for the finding. The citation runs to the end of the first sentence of verse 8.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a Ku you yi do ta keep-on roƙo asking za will a one ba give ku you
F.1b Ku /ku/ 2PL.SUBJ yi /ji/ do ta /ta/ CONTINUATIVE roƙo /rokʼo/ ask.VN za /za/ FUT a /a/ IMPERS ba /ba/ give ku /ku/ 2PL
F.2a Ku you yi do ta keep-on nema seeking za will ku you samu get
F.2b Ku /ku/ 2PL.SUBJ yi /ji/ do ta /ta/ CONTINUATIVE nema /nema/ seek.VN za /za/ FUT ku /ku/ 2PL samu /samu/ get
F.3a Ku you yi do ta keep-on ƙwanƙwasawa knocking za will a one kuwa indeed buɗe open muku for-you
F.3b Ku /ku/ 2PL.SUBJ yi /ji/ do ta /ta/ CONTINUATIVE ƙwanƙwasawa /kʷʼankʷʼasawa/ knock.VN za /za/ FUT a /a/ IMPERS kuwa /kuwa/ indeed.PTCL buɗe /buɗe/ open muku /muku/ 2PL.IO
F.4a Duk every wanda one-who ya he-has roƙa asked akan one-usually ba give shi him
F.4b Duk /duk/ every wanda /wanda/ who.REL.M ya /ja/ 3SG.M.REL.PERF roƙa /rokʼa/ ask akan /akan/ IMPERS.HAB ba /ba/ give shi /ʃi/ 3SG.M
F.5a mai one-having nema seeking yana he-is tare together da with samu getting
F.5b mai /mai/ having/owner-of nema /nema/ seek.VN yana /jana/ 3SG.M.CONT tare /tare/ together.ADV da /da/ with.PREP samu /samu/ get.VN
F-B: Original → Translation
Ku yi ta roƙo, za a ba ku. Ku yi ta nema, za ku samu. Ku yi ta ƙwanƙwasawa, za a kuwa buɗe muku. Duk wanda ya roƙa, akan ba shi, mai nema yana tare da samu.
→ "Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. Whoever asks is given, and the one who seeks is sure to find."
F-C: Original Only
Ku yi ta roƙo, za a ba ku. Ku yi ta nema, za ku samu. Ku yi ta ƙwanƙwasawa, za a kuwa buɗe muku. Duk wanda ya roƙa, akan ba shi, mai nema yana tare da samu.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
- za ku samu "you will find": samu with no object, because what is found is left unsaid (Section D, rule 3). Compare 33.15, zai samu. - mai nema yana tare da samu "the seeker is together with getting": here samu is the verbal noun, "getting, finding". Mai nema is "one who has seeking", the usual Hausa way of making a doer from a verbal noun (mai + noun). The whole clause says that seeking and finding go together. - yi ta + verbal noun "keep on doing": ku yi ta roƙo "keep asking", ku yi ta nema "keep seeking". This ta is yet another ta, different from the preposition of Lesson 32: it marks continued, repeated action. - za a ba ku, za a kuwa buɗe muku: the impersonal future, "one will give you", "one will open for you". As in Lesson 32 (Section F), Hausa uses an active impersonal clause where English has a passive. Kuwa adds emphasis: "indeed". - akan ba shi "one (always) gives him": akan is the impersonal habitual, used for what happens as a rule. - roƙo / roƙa: the verbal noun "asking" and the verb "ask" (ya roƙa "he asked").
The verse is a good model for learners: short clauses, each with a plain subject pronoun and a verb, joined without conjunctions. ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
A short radio news bulletin from Kano at the start of the planting season. News is the natural home of samu: who got rain, who got fertilizer, who did not, and what harvest the year will bring. The report is pedagogical; the farmer and the agency in it are invented.
33.16a Barka blessing da with safiya morning Ga here-is labarai news daga from Kano Kano
33.16b Barka /barka/ blessing da /da/ with.PREP safiya /safija/ morning.F Ga /ɡa/ PRESENTATIVE labarai /labarai/ news.PL daga /daɡa/ from.PREP Kano /kano/ Kano.NAME
33.17a Manoma farmers a in jihar state-of Kano Kano sun they-have sami got ruwan water-of sama sky mai having yawa abundance a in makon the-week nan this
33.17b Manoma /manoma/ farmer.PL a /a/ in.PREP jihar /dʒihar/ state.F-LNK Kano /kano/ Kano.NAME sun /sun/ 3PL.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN ruwan /ruwan/ water-LNK sama /sama/ sky mai /mai/ having yawa /jawa/ abundance a /a/ in.PREP makon /makon/ week-DEF nan /nan/ this.DEM
33.18a An one-has sami got ruwan water-of sama sky tun since ranar day-of Litinin Monday
33.18b An /an/ IMPERS.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN ruwan /ruwan/ water-LNK sama /sama/ sky tun /tun/ since.PREP ranar /ranar/ day.F-LNK Litinin /litinin/ Monday
33.19a Malam Mr Sani Sani wani a-certain manomi farmer a at Bichi Bichi ya he-has ce said ya he-has gaji got-tired da with jira waiting
33.19b Malam /malam/ Mr/teacher Sani /sani/ Sani.NAME wani /wani/ some.M manomi /manomi/ farmer.M a /a/ at.PREP Bichi /bitʃi/ Bichi.NAME ya /ja/ 3SG.M.PERF ce /tʃe/ say ya /ja/ 3SG.M.PERF gaji /ɡadʒi/ become-tired da /da/ with.PREP jira /dʒira/ wait.VN
33.20a Yanzu now mun we-have sami got ruwa water za will mu we shuka sow gero millet da and dawa sorghum in says ji hear shi he
33.20b Yanzu /janzu/ now.ADV mun /mun/ 1PL.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN ruwa /ruwa/ water za /za/ FUT mu /mu/ 1PL shuka /ʃuka/ sow gero /ɡero/ millet da /da/ and.CONJ dawa /dawa/ sorghum in /in/ QUOT ji /dʒi/ hear shi /ʃi/ 3SG.M
33.21a Gwamnati government ta she-has ce said manoma farmers za will su they sami get taki fertilizer a at farashi price mai having sauƙi ease
33.21b Gwamnati /ɡwamnati/ government.F ta /ta/ 3SG.F.PERF ce /tʃe/ say manoma /manoma/ farmer.PL za /za/ FUT su /su/ 3PL sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN taki /taki/ fertilizer.M a /a/ at.PREP farashi /faraʃi/ price.M mai /mai/ having sauƙi /saukʼi/ ease
33.22a Amma but wasu some manoma farmers sun they-have ce said bara last-year ba not su they sami got taki fertilizer ba not
33.22b Amma /amma/ but.CONJ wasu /wasu/ some.PL manoma /manoma/ farmer.PL sun /sun/ 3PL.PERF ce /tʃe/ say bara /bara/ last-year.ADV ba /ba/ NEG su /su/ 3PL.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN taki /taki/ fertilizer.M ba /ba/ NEG
33.23a Hukumar the-agency ta she-has ce said a in bana this-year kowa everyone zai he-will same get shi it
33.23b Hukumar /hukumar/ agency.F-DEF ta /ta/ 3SG.F.PERF ce /tʃe/ say a /a/ in.PREP bana /bana/ this-year.ADV kowa /kowa/ everyone zai /zai/ 3SG.M.FUT same /same/ get.PRE-PRON shi /ʃi/ 3SG.M.DO
33.24a A in Katsina Katsina kuwa however ba not a one sami got ruwa water sosai much ba not
33.24b A /a/ in.PREP Katsina /katsʼina/ Katsina.NAME kuwa /kuwa/ however.PTCL ba /ba/ NEG a /a/ IMPERS.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN ruwa /ruwa/ water sosai /sosai/ very-much.ADV ba /ba/ NEG
33.25a Masana experts sun they-have ce said yankin the-area zai it-will sami get ƙarin more-of ruwa water a in mako week mai having zuwa coming
33.25b Masana /masana/ expert.PL sun /sun/ 3PL.PERF ce /tʃe/ say yankin /jankin/ area-DEF zai /zai/ 3SG.M.FUT sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN ƙarin /kʼarin/ addition-LNK ruwa /ruwa/ water a /a/ in.PREP mako /mako/ week.M mai /mai/ having zuwa /zuwa/ come.VN
33.26a Manoma farmers suna they-are fatan hoping su they sami get amfanin benefit-of gona farm mai having kyau goodness
33.26b Manoma /manoma/ farmer.PL suna /suna/ 3PL.CONT fatan /fatan/ hope.VN-LNK su /su/ 3PL.SUBJ sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN amfanin /amfanin/ benefit-LNK gona /ɡona/ farm.F mai /mai/ having kyau /kjau/ goodness
33.27a Bara last-year wasu some ƙauyuka villages ba not su they sami got isasshen sufficient abinci food ba not saboda because-of fari drought
33.27b Bara /bara/ last-year.ADV wasu /wasu/ some.PL ƙauyuka /kʼaujuka/ village.PL ba /ba/ NEG su /su/ 3PL.PERF sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN isasshen /isaʃʃen/ sufficient-LNK abinci /abintʃi/ food.M ba /ba/ NEG saboda /saboda/ because-of.PREP fari /fari/ drought
33.28a A in bana this-year kuwa however ana one-is sa putting ran hope za will a one sami get girbi harvest mai having kyau goodness
33.28b A /a/ in.PREP bana /bana/ this-year.ADV kuwa /kuwa/ however.PTCL ana /ana/ IMPERS.CONT sa /sa/ put ran /ran/ soul/hope-LNK za /za/ FUT a /a/ IMPERS sami /sami/ get.PRE-NOUN girbi /ɡirbi/ harvest mai /mai/ having kyau /kjau/ goodness
33.29a Manoman the-farmers sun they-have gode thanked wa to Allah God saboda because-of ruwan the-water da that suka they-have samu got
33.29b Manoman /manoman/ farmer.PL-DEF sun /sun/ 3PL.PERF gode /ɡode/ thank wa /wa/ to.IO Allah /allah/ God saboda /saboda/ because-of.PREP ruwan /ruwan/ water-DEF da /da/ REL suka /suka/ 3PL.REL.PERF samu /samu/ get
33.30a Waɗannan these su they ne are labaran the-news yau today Sai until gobe tomorrow
33.30b Waɗannan /waɗannan/ these.DEM su /su/ 3PL ne /ne/ COP labaran /labaran/ news.PL-LNK yau /jau/ today.ADV Sai /sai/ until.PREP gobe /ɡobe/ tomorrow.ADV
33.16 Barka da safiya. Ga labarai daga Kano. → "Good morning. Here is the news from Kano."
33.17 Manoma a jihar Kano sun sami ruwan sama mai yawa a makon nan. → "Farmers in Kano State have had plenty of rain this week."
33.18 An sami ruwan sama tun ranar Litinin. → "It has been raining since Monday."
33.19 Malam Sani, wani manomi a Bichi, ya ce ya gaji da jira. → "Malam Sani, a farmer in Bichi, said he had got tired of waiting."
33.20 "Yanzu mun sami ruwa; za mu shuka gero da dawa," in ji shi. → "'Now we have got water, we will sow millet and sorghum,' he said."
33.21 Gwamnati ta ce manoma za su sami taki a farashi mai sauƙi. → "The government has said that farmers will get fertilizer at a low price."
33.22 Amma wasu manoma sun ce bara ba su sami taki ba. → "But some farmers say that last year they did not get any fertilizer."
33.23 Hukumar ta ce a bana kowa zai same shi. → "The agency says that this year everyone will get it."
33.24 A Katsina kuwa, ba a sami ruwa sosai ba. → "In Katsina, however, there has not been much rain."
33.25 Masana sun ce yankin zai sami ƙarin ruwa a mako mai zuwa. → "Experts say the area will get more rain next week."
33.26 Manoma suna fatan su sami amfanin gona mai kyau. → "Farmers are hoping for a good harvest."
33.27 Bara wasu ƙauyuka ba su sami isasshen abinci ba saboda fari. → "Last year some villages did not get enough food because of drought."
33.28 A bana kuwa, ana sa ran za a sami girbi mai kyau. → "This year, however, a good harvest is expected."
33.29 Manoman sun gode wa Allah saboda ruwan da suka samu. → "The farmers have thanked God for the rain they have had."
33.30 Waɗannan su ne labaran yau. Sai gobe! → "That is today's news. Until tomorrow!"
33.16 Barka da safiya. Ga labarai daga Kano.
33.17 Manoma a jihar Kano sun sami ruwan sama mai yawa a makon nan.
33.18 An sami ruwan sama tun ranar Litinin.
33.19 Malam Sani, wani manomi a Bichi, ya ce ya gaji da jira.
33.20 "Yanzu mun sami ruwa; za mu shuka gero da dawa," in ji shi.
33.21 Gwamnati ta ce manoma za su sami taki a farashi mai sauƙi.
33.22 Amma wasu manoma sun ce bara ba su sami taki ba.
33.23 Hukumar ta ce a bana kowa zai same shi.
33.24 A Katsina kuwa, ba a sami ruwa sosai ba.
33.25 Masana sun ce yankin zai sami ƙarin ruwa a mako mai zuwa.
33.26 Manoma suna fatan su sami amfanin gona mai kyau.
33.27 Bara wasu ƙauyuka ba su sami isasshen abinci ba saboda fari.
33.28 A bana kuwa, ana sa ran za a sami girbi mai kyau.
33.29 Manoman sun gode wa Allah saboda ruwan da suka samu.
33.30 Waɗannan su ne labaran yau. Sai gobe!
- An sami, ba a sami … ba, za a sami. The impersonal forms of samu carry the news: an sami ruwan sama "there has been rain" (33.18), ba a sami ruwa sosai ba "there has not been much rain" (33.24), za a sami girbi "there will be a harvest" (33.28). No one in particular "gets"; the rain or the harvest simply comes. - The four forms in one bulletin. sami before nouns (33.17, 33.21, 33.25 and others), same before the pronoun shi (33.23, where shi refers back to taki, masculine), samu where the object has moved into a relative clause (ruwan da suka samu, 33.29). - Reported speech with ce. ya ce …, ta ce …, sun ce … "said that …" (33.19, 33.21, 33.22, 33.23, 33.25). Hausa needs no word for "that": the reported clause follows ce directly. - Direct quotation with in ji. "…," in ji shi "…, he said" (33.20). In ji follows the quotation, like English "said he". - "Get" = become: gaji. ya gaji da jira "he got tired of waiting" (33.19) uses its own verb, not samu (Section D, rule 7). - Negative perfective ba … ba. ba su sami taki ba (33.22), ba su sami isasshen abinci ba (33.27): the plural pronoun is su, not sun, inside the negative frame. - Subjunctive after fata. suna fatan su sami "they hope to get" (33.26), as ina fatan ka sami in 33.7. - Time words. bana "this year", bara "last year", makon nan "this week", mako mai zuwa "next week" (literally "the week that is coming"), tun ranar Litinin "since Monday". - Gode wa. "Thank" is gode, and the person thanked is introduced by wa: sun gode wa Allah (33.29). - Kuwa of contrast. A Katsina kuwa "in Katsina, however" (33.24), A bana kuwa "this year, however" (33.28). In Section F the same particle adds emphasis.
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- samu, sami, same, samun: only the last vowel changes. Say each final vowel clearly. Same /same/ ends in a pure e, and it is not the English word "same". - Hooked letters are separate letters of the alphabet and must always be written: ƙ in wasiƙa, sauƙi, haƙuri, tuƙuru, ƙauyuka, ƙarin, roƙo, ƙwanƙwasawa; ɗ in kuɗi, buɗe, waɗannan. - The linker is written joined to its noun: samun, fatan, ruwan, amfanin, jihar, ranar, isasshen, ƙarin. - The definite suffix is written joined: yaran "the children", manoman "the farmers", hukumar "the agency", yankin "the area", makon "the week". - ss in isasshen is a double consonant /ʃʃ/ before e: hold it slightly longer. - c is always /tʃ/ (abinci, lokaci, Bichi); j is /dʒ/ (jira, jihar, ji); ts in Katsina is an ejective, shown here as /tsʼ/ (many Kano speakers say /sʼ/). - Place names take Hausa spellings: Kano, Katsina, Bichi. - Punctuation. Quotations take ordinary quotation marks, followed by a comma and in ji (33.20).
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Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)