English "can" is a small helping word. It always stands before another verb and cannot stand alone: I can speak, she can drive. It has no infinitive (there is no "to can") and it borrows "could" and "be able to" for the other times. Hausa has no such helping word. Its "can" is a full verb, iya, "be able (to)", and it is conjugated like any other verb: it takes the same personal markers as ina, zan and ba na, and the thing the person is able to do follows it as a verbal noun, "speaking", "going", "reading":
- Ina iya magana. "I can speak." Literally: I-am able speaking. - Zan iya zuwa. "I can come / I shall be able to come." Literally: I-will able coming. - Ba na iya tafiya. "I can't walk." Literally: not I-am able going.
The word iya itself never changes. What changes is the marker in front of it, and that marker carries the time and the person: ina iya "I can" (now, in general), zan iya "I shall be able", ba na iya "I cannot".
What may follow iya is a verbal noun: magana "speaking", tafiya "going", zuwa "coming", karatu "reading, study", yin "doing" (the verbal noun of yi, in yin karatu "studying" and yin kome "doing anything"). Bargery's dictionary also records a subjunctive after iya; this lesson teaches only the verbal-noun pattern, which is the safe and common one. After a verb that takes an object, the object comes straight after it: iya tuƙa mota "be able to drive a car", iya dafa abinci "be able to cook".
A dictionary entry gives iya the senses "capable of", "afford" and "ability to do something" (HausaDictionary.com), and its example Ba zan iya siya ba is "I can't afford it". So the word covers three English ideas: can (I am able), know how to (skill), and afford (be able to pay). Bargery adds that before a noun iya means "have control over": ya iya hannunsa, "he has become an expert".
FAQ: How do you say "can" in Hausa? Use the verb iya after the personal marker: ina iya magana "I can speak", za ka iya zuwa? "can you come?", ba zan iya ba "I can't". The noun iyawa "ability, skill" belongs to the same family (mai iyawa "a capable person").
- iya is a verb, "be able". It does not change; the marker before it shows the person and the time. - The thing you can do follows as a verbal noun: iya magana, iya tafiya, iya tuƙa mota. - Affirmative: ina iya, kana iya, zan iya, za ka iya. Negative: ba na iya (no closing ba), ba zan iya … ba (closing ba). - Never put a second marker after iya: Ina iya magana, not Ina iya ina magana. - iya "can" and iya "mother" (a respectful word for a mother or maternal aunt) are two different words that happen to be spelled alike.
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iya is /ʔija/: a light glottal catch before the first vowel, as with every Hausa word written with an initial vowel, then ee-like i, a y glide and a short a. Say it in two syllables, i-ya. The y is the English y of yes.
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. Words written with an initial vowel begin with a light glottal catch, shown as /ʔ/. 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: tuƙa (drive), ƙafa (foot), ƙanwata (my younger sister), ƙarfafa (strengthen, Section F) - ky /kʲ/ — a k with a y glide, as in kyau (goodness): the k is lightly palatalised, a little like cue - c /tʃ/ — as in church: canza (change), Turanci (English), ce (say, is)
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36.1a Ina I-am iya able magana speaking
36.1b Ina /ʔina/ 1SG.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able magana /maɡana/ speak.VN
36.2a Ina I-am iya able tafiya going
36.2b Ina /ʔina/ 1SG.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able tafiya /tafija/ go.VN
36.3a Zan I-will iya able zuwa coming
36.3b Zan /zan/ 1SG.FUT iya /ʔija/ be-able zuwa /zuwa/ come.VN
36.4a Ba not na I-am iya able tafiya going
36.4b Ba /ba/ NEG na /na/ 1SG.NEG.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able tafiya /tafija/ go.VN
36.5a Ba not zan I-will iya able siya buying ba not
36.5b Ba /ba/ NEG zan /zan/ 1SG.FUT iya /ʔija/ be-able siya /sija/ buy.VN ba /ba/ NEG
36.6a Mahaifina my-father yana he-is iya able tuƙa driving mota car
36.6b Mahaifina /mahaifina/ father.M-1SG.POSS yana /jana/ 3SG.M.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able tuƙa /tukʼa/ drive.VN mota /mota/ car.F
36.7a Yayana my-elder-brother yana he-is iya able karatu reading da with sauri speed
36.7b Yayana /jajana/ elder-sibling.M-1SG.POSS yana /jana/ 3SG.M.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able karatu /karatu/ read.VN da /da/ with.PREP sauri /sauri/ speed.M
36.8a Ba not a one iya able canza changing gaskiya truth ba not
36.8b Ba /ba/ NEG a /ʔa/ IMPERS iya /ʔija/ be-able canza /tʃanza/ change.VN gaskiya /ɡaskija/ truth.F ba /ba/ NEG
36.9a Mahaifiyata my-mother tana she-is iya able dafa cooking abinci food da with kyau goodness
36.9b Mahaifiyata /mahaifijata/ mother.F-1SG.POSS tana /tana/ 3SG.F.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able dafa /dafa/ cook.VN abinci /ʔabintʃi/ food.M da /da/ with.PREP kyau /kʲau/ goodness.M
36.10a Za will ka you iya able zuwa coming gobe tomorrow
36.10b Za /za/ FUT ka /ka/ 2SG.M iya /ʔija/ be-able zuwa /zuwa/ come.VN gobe /ɡobe/ tomorrow.ADV
36.11a Ba not zan I-will iya able zuwa coming gobe tomorrow ba not domin because ina I-am aiki work
36.11b Ba /ba/ NEG zan /zan/ 1SG.FUT iya /ʔija/ be-able zuwa /zuwa/ come.VN gobe /ɡobe/ tomorrow.ADV ba /ba/ NEG domin /domin/ because.CONJ ina /ʔina/ 1SG.CONT aiki /ʔaiki/ work.M
36.12a Idan if kana you-are iya able magana speaking da with Hausa Hausa za will ka you samu get abokai friends da with yawa plenty
36.12b Idan /ʔidan/ if.CONJ kana /kana/ 2SG.M.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able magana /maɡana/ speak.VN da /da/ with.PREP Hausa /hausa/ Hausa za /za/ FUT ka /ka/ 2SG.M samu /samu/ get abokai /ʔabokai/ friend.PL da /da/ with.PREP yawa /jawa/ plenty.F
36.13a Mahaifiyata my-mother ba not ta she-is iya able tuƙa driving mota car
36.13b Mahaifiyata /mahaifijata/ mother.F-1SG.POSS ba /ba/ NEG ta /ta/ 3SG.F.NEG.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able tuƙa /tukʼa/ drive.VN mota /mota/ car.F
36.14a Ina I-am iya able yin doing karatu reading a at hankali care ba not da with sauri speed ba not
36.14b Ina /ʔina/ 1SG.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able yin /jin/ do.VN karatu /karatu/ study.VN a /ʔa/ at.PREP hankali /hankali/ care.M ba /ba/ NEG da /da/ with.PREP sauri /sauri/ speed.M ba /ba/ NEG
36.15a Ƙanwata my-younger-sister ba not ta she-is iya able zuwa going makaranta school yau today
36.15b Ƙanwata /kʼanwata/ younger-sister.F-1SG.POSS ba /ba/ NEG ta /ta/ 3SG.F.NEG.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able zuwa /zuwa/ go.VN makaranta /makaranta/ school.F yau /jau/ today.ADV
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36.1 Ina iya magana. → "I can speak."
36.2 Ina iya tafiya. → "I can walk."
36.3 Zan iya zuwa. → "I can come." / "I shall be able to come."
36.4 Ba na iya tafiya. → "I can't walk."
36.5 Ba zan iya siya ba. → "I can't afford it."
36.6 Mahaifina yana iya tuƙa mota. → "My father can drive a car."
36.7 Yayana yana iya karatu da sauri. → "My elder brother can read quickly."
36.8 Ba a iya canza gaskiya ba. → "One cannot change the truth."
36.9 Mahaifiyata tana iya dafa abinci da kyau. → "My mother can cook well."
36.10 Za ka iya zuwa gobe? → "Can you come tomorrow?"
36.11 Ba zan iya zuwa gobe ba domin ina aiki. → "I can't come tomorrow because I am working."
36.12 Idan kana iya magana da Hausa, za ka samu abokai da yawa. → "If you can speak Hausa, you will make many friends."
36.13 Mahaifiyata ba ta iya tuƙa mota. → "My mother can't drive a car."
36.14 Ina iya yin karatu a hankali, ba da sauri ba. → "I can study slowly, not quickly."
36.15 Ƙanwata ba ta iya zuwa makaranta yau. → "My younger sister can't go to school today."
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36.1 Ina iya magana.
36.2 Ina iya tafiya.
36.3 Zan iya zuwa.
36.4 Ba na iya tafiya.
36.5 Ba zan iya siya ba.
36.6 Mahaifina yana iya tuƙa mota.
36.7 Yayana yana iya karatu da sauri.
36.8 Ba a iya canza gaskiya ba.
36.9 Mahaifiyata tana iya dafa abinci da kyau.
36.10 Za ka iya zuwa gobe?
36.11 Ba zan iya zuwa gobe ba domin ina aiki.
36.12 Idan kana iya magana da Hausa, za ka samu abokai da yawa.
36.13 Mahaifiyata ba ta iya tuƙa mota.
36.14 Ina iya yin karatu a hankali, ba da sauri ba.
36.15 Ƙanwata ba ta iya zuwa makaranta yau.
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These are the grammar rules for iya in Hausa:
1. iya is a verb that does not change. Its form is always iya. The person and the time are shown by the marker before it, the markers you have met in the earlier lessons.
Continuous (can, in general or now): - ina iya (I can), kana iya (you can, to a man), kina iya (you can, to a woman), yana iya (he can), tana iya (she can) - muna iya (we can), kuna iya (you can, plural), suna iya (they can)
Future (will be able): - zan iya (I), za ka iya (you, to a man), za ki iya (you, to a woman), zai iya (he), za ta iya (she) - za mu iya (we), za ku iya (you, plural), za su iya (they)
Negative continuous (cannot): - ba na iya (I), ba ka iya (you, to a man), ba ki iya (you, to a woman), ba ya iya (he), ba ta iya (she) - ba mu iya (we), ba ku iya (you, plural), ba sa iya (they)
2. What follows: a verbal noun. The activity comes after iya as a verbal noun: magana "speaking" (36.1), tafiya "going" (36.2, 36.4), zuwa "coming, going" (36.3, 36.10, 36.15), karatu "reading" (36.7), siya "buying" (36.5). The verb yi "do" has the verbal noun yin, which is used before a noun naming the activity: iya yin karatu "be able to study" (36.14). Both iya karatu (36.7) and iya yin karatu (36.14) are heard. When the activity has its own object, the object follows directly: iya tuƙa mota "be able to drive a car" (36.6, 36.13), iya dafa abinci "be able to cook food" (36.9), iya canza gaskiya "be able to change the truth" (36.8).
3. The marker carries the time. Ina iya (36.1, 36.2) says what you are able to do now or in general. Zan iya (36.3) looks forward: "I shall be able to", "I can (when the time comes)". The dictionary glosses the bare Zan iya as "I can do it".
4. Negation: two patterns. - Negative continuous: ba na iya … , ba ta iya … with no closing ba (36.4, 36.13, 36.15). - Negative future: ba zan iya … ba, wrapped in ba … ba (36.5, 36.11). The closing ba comes at the end of the verb phrase: in 36.11, ba zan iya zuwa gobe ba, and only then the reason, domin ina aiki.
5. The impersonal: "one can". a "one, people" is the impersonal marker. Ba a iya canza gaskiya ba "one cannot change the truth" (36.8) is negative and, like the negative future, closes with ba.
6. "If you can". After idan "if", the continuous is natural: Idan kana iya magana da Hausa … "if you can speak Hausa …" (36.12).
7. A question. A statement said with a rising voice is a question: Za ka iya zuwa gobe? (36.10). Shin (Lesson 9) may be put in front: Shin za ka iya zuwa gobe?
8. With a noun. Before a noun, Bargery's dictionary gives iya the sense "have control over, be an expert in" (ya iya hannunsa, "he has become an expert"). No example in this lesson uses it this way; the pattern is given so that you recognise it in reading.
9. "Slowly" and "quickly". a hankali at care is "slowly, carefully", and da sauri with speed is "quickly" (36.7, 36.14). The wrapping ba da sauri ba "not quickly" shows the same ba … ba frame as a negative clause.
Mistake 1: a second marker after iya. English "I can speak" does not have two verbs; neither does Hausa. Ina iya magana, not Ina iya ina magana. After iya comes a verbal noun, not another marker.
Mistake 2: a closing ba on the negative continuous. Ba na iya tafiya is complete. A closing ba belongs to the negative future (ba zan iya … ba), not to ba na iya.
Mistake 3: iya for a fact, sani for a skill. Iya is for what you are able to do: Ina iya tuƙa mota "I can (know how to) drive a car". Sani "know" (35.11 in Lesson 35: ban sani ba) is for knowing a fact, a person or a place.
Mistake 4: English word order and placement. Iya stays beside its marker and the verbal noun follows it: Yana iya tuƙa mota, never Yana tuƙa mota iya.
Mistake 5: "iya" "can" and "iya" "mother". Do not read Iya at the start of a sentence as "can". The noun iya "mother" (Section E) is used to address a woman as one would a mother, and the context makes it plain.
Mistake 6: forgetting the hooked ƙ. Tuƙa "drive" is spelled with ƙ. Tuka without the hook is a spelling error, and ƙafa "foot" and ƙanwata need the hook too.
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Frequency and register. iya is an everyday word, heard in the market, at school and at work. A family of words. iya has relatives you will meet in reading: iyawa "ability, aptitude, skill" (a feminine noun, as in Sun fi mu iyawa "they are more capable than we are"), and mai iyawa "a capable person".
Two words spelled alike. There is a second iya, a noun: a respectful name for a mother, used also to address one's mother or maternal aunt, and, in Bargery's definition, any female relative standing in the place of a parent, or any woman of one's mother's age or older. The two words are unrelated in sense; the context never leaves doubt.
East Hausa. Bargery records that in East Hausa iya can stand for yana "he is" (iya nan, "he is here"). If you read or hear eastern Hausa, bear this in mind. This lesson follows the Kano standard used in schools, in which iya means only what is taught here.
Declining politely. Ba zan iya zuwa ba "I won't be able to come" is a plain way to decline an invitation, and a reason can follow it, as in 36.11 (domin ina aiki). When Hausa speakers talk about the future they often add idan Allah ya yarda "if God agrees", as the last line of the Genre Section does.
Ajami. In Ajami iya is written with an initial vowel carrier, as the other lessons show. The examples in this lesson are given in Boko only.
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Philippians 4:13 (Fili 4:13), Littafi Mai Tsarki, the Hausa Bible (text as published on YouVersion, bible.com, version HAU).
A verse well known in English as "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" contains iya in its plainest form in Hausa: zan iya followed by the verbal noun yin and its object kome "anything". The Hausa text as published reads: Zan iya yin kome albarkacin wannan da yake ƙarfafa ni.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a Zan I-will iya able yin doing kome anything
F.1b Zan /zan/ 1SG.FUT iya /ʔija/ be-able yin /jin/ do.VN kome /kome/ anything
F.2a albarkacin by-the-blessing-of wannan this-one da who yake he-is ƙarfafa strengthening ni me
F.2b albarkacin /ʔalbarkatʃin/ by-the-blessing-of.LNK wannan /wannan/ this.DEM da /da/ REL yake /jake/ 3SG.M.REL.CONT ƙarfafa /kʼarfafa/ strengthen ni /ni/ 1SG.DO
F-B: Original → Translation
Zan iya yin kome albarkacin wannan da yake ƙarfafa ni.
→ "I can do anything, by the blessing of this one who strengthens me."
F-C: Original Only
Zan iya yin kome albarkacin wannan da yake ƙarfafa ni.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
- Zan iya yin kome "I can do anything": the marker zan, the verb iya, the verbal noun yin, and the object kome (Section D, rules 1 and 2). It is the pattern of 36.3 and 36.14 with the verb yi "do", as in yin karatu. - albarkacin "by the blessing of": formed from albarka "blessing" with the linking -(c)in, and followed by the noun phrase it governs; the English versions say "through". I have glossed it from its parts: it is the one word in this verse for which I found no dictionary entry of its own, so the translation above follows the verse's sense. - wannan da yake ƙarfafa ni "this one who strengthens me": wannan "this one" refers back to the person of the letter, Christ; da introduces the relative clause; yake is the relative continuous (the form of yana after da, as suke and take are in Lessons 34 and 35); ƙarfafa ni "strengthen me" has the object ni "me". - The ability is stated as the speaker's own (zan iya) and is attached to its source (albarkacin …).
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Zainab, the girl of Lesson 35's family photographs, can read, write and speak two languages, but not yet drive a car. A short story about a day at the market lets iya appear in every person and in both the affirmative and the negative. The story is pedagogical; the people in it are invented.
36.16a Zainab Zainab yarinya girl ce is a in Zariya Zaria
36.16b Zainab /zainab/ Zainab.NAME yarinya /jarinja/ girl.F ce /tʃe/ COP.F a /ʔa/ in.PREP Zariya /zarija/ Zaria.NAME
36.17a Tana she-is iya able karatu reading da and rubutu writing
36.17b Tana /tana/ 3SG.F.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able karatu /karatu/ read.VN da /da/ and.CONJ rubutu /rubutu/ write.VN
36.18a Tana she-is kuma also iya able magana speaking da with Hausa Hausa da and Turanci English
36.18b Tana /tana/ 3SG.F.CONT kuma /kuma/ also iya /ʔija/ be-able magana /maɡana/ speak.VN da /da/ with.PREP Hausa /hausa/ Hausa da /da/ and.CONJ Turanci /turantʃi/ English.M
36.19a Yayanta her-elder-brother yana he-is iya able tuƙa driving mota car
36.19b Yayanta /jajanta/ elder-sibling.M-3SG.F.POSS yana /jana/ 3SG.M.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able tuƙa /tukʼa/ drive.VN mota /mota/ car.F
36.20a Amma but ita she ba not ta she-is iya able tuƙa driving mota car tukuna yet
36.20b Amma /ʔamma/ but.CONJ ita /ʔita/ 3SG.F.INDEP ba /ba/ NEG ta /ta/ 3SG.F.NEG.CONT iya /ʔija/ be-able tuƙa /tukʼa/ drive.VN mota /mota/ car.F tukuna /tukuna/ yet.ADV
36.21a Wata a-certain rana day mahaifiyarta her-mother ta she ce said Zainab Zainab za will ki you iya able zuwa going kasuwa market
36.21b Wata /wata/ certain.F rana /rana/ day.F mahaifiyarta /mahaifijarta/ mother.F-3SG.F.POSS ta /ta/ 3SG.F.PERF ce /tʃe/ say Zainab /zainab/ Zainab.NAME za /za/ FUT ki /ki/ 2SG.F iya /ʔija/ be-able zuwa /zuwa/ go.VN kasuwa /kasuwa/ market.F
36.22a Zainab Zainab ta she ce said Zan I-will iya able zuwa going yanzu now
36.22b Zainab /zainab/ Zainab.NAME ta /ta/ 3SG.F.PERF ce /tʃe/ say Zan /zan/ 1SG.FUT iya /ʔija/ be-able zuwa /zuwa/ go.VN yanzu /janzu/ now.ADV
36.23a A in kasuwa market ta she ga saw yayanta her-elder-brother
36.23b A /ʔa/ in.PREP kasuwa /kasuwa/ market.F ta /ta/ 3SG.F.PERF ga /ɡa/ see yayanta /jajanta/ elder-sibling.M-3SG.F.POSS
36.24a Ta she ce said Yaya elder-brother ba not zan I-will iya able tafiya going gida home da with ƙafa foot ba not
36.24b Ta /ta/ 3SG.F.PERF ce /tʃe/ say Yaya /jaja/ elder-sibling.VOC ba /ba/ NEG zan /zan/ 1SG.FUT iya /ʔija/ be-able tafiya /tafija/ go.VN gida /ɡida/ home.M da /da/ with.PREP ƙafa /kʼafa/ foot.F ba /ba/ NEG
36.25a Yayanta her-elder-brother ya he ce said Ina I-am da with mota car
36.25b Yayanta /jajanta/ elder-sibling.M-3SG.F.POSS ya /ja/ 3SG.M.PERF ce /tʃe/ say Ina /ʔina/ 1SG.CONT da /da/ with.PREP mota /mota/ car.F
36.26a Ya he ce said Za will mu we iya able tafiya going tare together
36.26b Ya /ja/ 3SG.M.PERF ce /tʃe/ say Za /za/ FUT mu /mu/ 1PL iya /ʔija/ be-able tafiya /tafija/ go.VN tare /tare/ together.ADV
36.27a Zainab Zainab ta she yi did murna joy
36.27b Zainab /zainab/ Zainab.NAME ta /ta/ 3SG.F.PERF yi /ji/ do murna /murna/ joy.F
36.28a Suka they tafi went gida home tare together
36.28b Suka /suka/ 3PL.NARR tafi /tafi/ go gida /ɡida/ home.M tare /tare/ together.ADV
36.29a Ta she ce said Wata a-certain rana day zan I-will iya able tuƙa driving mota car kamar like yayana my-elder-brother
36.29b Ta /ta/ 3SG.F.PERF ce /tʃe/ say Wata /wata/ certain.F rana /rana/ day.F zan /zan/ 1SG.FUT iya /ʔija/ be-able tuƙa /tukʼa/ drive.VN mota /mota/ car.F kamar /kamar/ like.PREP yayana /jajana/ elder-sibling.M-1SG.POSS
36.30a Yayanta her-elder-brother ya he ce said Za will ki you iya able idan if Allah God ya he-has yarda agreed
36.30b Yayanta /jajanta/ elder-sibling.M-3SG.F.POSS ya /ja/ 3SG.M.PERF ce /tʃe/ say Za /za/ FUT ki /ki/ 2SG.F iya /ʔija/ be-able idan /ʔidan/ if.CONJ Allah /ʔallah/ God ya /ja/ 3SG.M.PERF yarda /jarda/ agree
36.16 Zainab yarinya ce a Zariya. → "Zainab is a girl in Zaria."
36.17 Tana iya karatu da rubutu. → "She can read and write."
36.18 Tana kuma iya magana da Hausa da Turanci. → "She can also speak Hausa and English."
36.19 Yayanta yana iya tuƙa mota. → "Her elder brother can drive a car."
36.20 Amma ita ba ta iya tuƙa mota tukuna. → "But she can't drive a car yet."
36.21 Wata rana mahaifiyarta ta ce, "Zainab, za ki iya zuwa kasuwa?" → "One day her mother said, "Zainab, can you go to the market?""
36.22 Zainab ta ce, "Zan iya zuwa yanzu." → "Zainab said, "I can go now.""
36.23 A kasuwa ta ga yayanta. → "At the market she saw her elder brother."
36.24 Ta ce, "Yaya, ba zan iya tafiya gida da ƙafa ba." → "She said, "Brother, I can't walk home on foot.""
36.25 Yayanta ya ce, "Ina da mota." → "Her brother said, "I have a car.""
36.26 Ya ce, "Za mu iya tafiya tare." → "He said, "We can go together.""
36.27 Zainab ta yi murna. → "Zainab was happy."
36.28 Suka tafi gida tare. → "They went home together."
36.29 Ta ce, "Wata rana zan iya tuƙa mota kamar yayana." → "She said, "One day I shall be able to drive a car like my brother.""
36.30 Yayanta ya ce, "Za ki iya, idan Allah ya yarda." → "Her brother said, "You will be able to, God willing.""
36.16 Zainab yarinya ce a Zariya.
36.17 Tana iya karatu da rubutu.
36.18 Tana kuma iya magana da Hausa da Turanci.
36.19 Yayanta yana iya tuƙa mota.
36.20 Amma ita ba ta iya tuƙa mota tukuna.
36.21 Wata rana mahaifiyarta ta ce, "Zainab, za ki iya zuwa kasuwa?"
36.22 Zainab ta ce, "Zan iya zuwa yanzu."
36.23 A kasuwa ta ga yayanta.
36.24 Ta ce, "Yaya, ba zan iya tafiya gida da ƙafa ba."
36.25 Yayanta ya ce, "Ina da mota."
36.26 Ya ce, "Za mu iya tafiya tare."
36.27 Zainab ta yi murna.
36.28 Suka tafi gida tare.
36.29 Ta ce, "Wata rana zan iya tuƙa mota kamar yayana."
36.30 Yayanta ya ce, "Za ki iya, idan Allah ya yarda."
- Every person, both signs. The story runs iya through the markers of Section D: tana iya (36.17, 36.18), yana iya (36.19), za ki iya (36.21, 36.30), zan iya (36.22, 36.29), za mu iya (36.26); and the negatives ba ta iya (36.20, no closing ba) and ba zan iya … ba (36.24, with it). - The same sentence, two signs. Yayanta yana iya tuƙa mota (36.19) against ita ba ta iya tuƙa mota tukuna (36.20): the verbal noun and its object are unchanged, and only the marker changes. Ita puts the contrast on "she", and tukuna "yet" shows that the inability is for now. - His / her. Yayanta "her elder brother" and mahaifiyarta "her mother" take -nta and -rta (Lessons 34 and 35); in 36.29 the same brother is yayana "my elder brother", in the girl's own mouth. - Yaya. In 36.24 Yaya is the vocative "elder brother!"; the question word yaya "how" is a different word with the same spelling. - Reporting speech. ta ce "she said", ya ce "he said" introduce the quoted words (Lesson 22, cewa; Lesson 25, cê). The speech follows as it was spoken, with no change of person. - Ina da mota. "I have a car", literally "I am with a car" (36.25), as in Lesson 11 (da "have"). - suka tafi (36.28) is the narrative "they went", the form that carries a story forward after the reported speech. - ta yi murna "she rejoiced" (36.27): murna "joy" with the verb yi "do", a common way of forming a verb of feeling. - Idan Allah ya yarda "if God agrees" (36.30): a set phrase attached to statements about the future (Section E).
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- iya /ʔija/: two syllables, light glottal catch first, and the y glide between i and a. It is always written iya, never iyya. - The marker and iya are written separately: ina iya, zan iya, ba na iya, za ka iya, but kana, tana and yana are single words. - Hooked letters are separate letters and are always written: ƙ in tuƙa, ƙafa, ƙanwata, ƙarfafa. Tuka and kafa without the hook are spelling errors. siya "buy" (36.5) is also written saya. - ky in kyau is written with two letters and is one sound, /kʲ/. - c is /tʃ/: canza, Turanci, ce, mahaifiyarta ta ce. - Capitals. Names of languages take a capital: Hausa, Turanci. Days and months do not. - Quotation. Reported speech is introduced by a comma and written between quotation marks, as in the Genre Section.
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Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)