Language/Hausa/Grammar/Definite-and-Indefinite-Articles

Hausa → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Nouns and Pronouns → Definite and Indefinite Articles

Hausa, like many other languages, uses definite and indefinite articles to specify or identify nouns in a sentence. In this lesson, we will learn about definite and indefinite articles in Hausa, their usage, and examples.

Definite Articles

The definite article in Hausa is "na," which is equivalent to the English word "the." It is used to refer to a specific noun that has already been mentioned in the conversation or is well-known to the speaker and listener. For example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
aljanna	al-ja-nna	the garden/heaven

In the example above, "na" is not used because the speaker assumes that both the speaker and listener know which garden or heaven is being referred to. However, if the sentence is presenting a new piece of information, the definite article must be used. For example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
na aljanna	na al-ja-nna	the garden/heaven

In the example above, "na" is used to specify which garden or heaven is being referred to.

Indefinite Articles

The indefinite article in Hausa is "wani," which is equivalent to the English word "a" or "an." It is used to refer to a singular noun that is not specific or well-known. For example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
wani daki	wa-ni da-ki	a house

In the example above, "wani" is used to refer to any house, not a specific one. In Hausa, the word "wata" is used instead of "wani" for feminine nouns. For example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
wata mata	wa-ta ma-ta	a woman

In the example above, "wata" is used instead of "wani" because "mata" (woman) is a feminine noun.

Usage of Definite and Indefinite Articles

1. Specific or Known Nouns - Use the definite article "na". Example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
na daki	na da-ki	the house

2. Singular but Not Specific Nouns - Use the indefinite article "wani." Example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
wani daki	wa-ni da-ki	a house

3. Plural Nouns - Use the particle "su" or "masu." Example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
su dakuna	su da-ku-na	the houses

In case of a feminine plural noun, the particle "suna" or "masu" can be used. For example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
suna mata	su-na ma-ta	the women

4. Compound Nouns - Use the definite article "na" before the last word in the compound noun. Example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
na shekaru	na she-ka-ru	the years

In the example above, "shekaru" (years) is a compound noun. The article "na" is used before the last word "ru."

5. Occupations - Use the particle "ne" after a person's occupation. Example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
dokar ne	do-kar ne	the doctor

In the example above, "dokar" (doctor) is the occupation, and "ne" is used to indicate that it is a person.

6. Body Parts - Use the particle "ce" after a body part. Example:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
hannu ce	han-nu ce	the hand

In the example above, "hannu" (hand) is the body part, and "ce" is used to indicate that it is a body part.

Practice

Now that you have learned about definite and indefinite articles in Hausa, it's time to practice using them in sentences. Try to form sentences using the examples above or with your own nouns. Remember to use "na" for specific or known nouns, "wani" or "wata" for singular but not specific nouns, "su" or "masu" for plural nouns, "ne" for occupations, and "ce" for body parts.

• na kudi || na ku-di || the money
• wani gida || wa-ni gi-da || a house
• masu kuntu || ma-su kun-tu || the books
• na iyayenmu || na i-ya-ye-nmu || my parents
• wata mata || wa-ta ma-ta || a woman
• na gaba || na ga-ba || the time

Table of Contents - Hausa Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Nouns and Pronouns

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Pronouns

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

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Verbs and Conjugation

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

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Everyday Activities

• Daily Routine
• Transportation

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Adverbs

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Food and Dining

• Common Food Items
• Ordering at a Restaurant

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Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

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Travel and Tourism

• Asking for Directions
• Accommodation

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Hausa Customs and Traditions

• Traditional Clothing
• Festivals and Celebrations

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Shopping and Bargaining

• Shopping Vocabulary
• Bargaining Phrases

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Negation and Questions

• Negation
• Asking Questions

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Hausa Proverbs and Sayings

• Popular Proverbs
• Common Sayings

Other Lessons

• Present Tense
• 0 to A1 Course
• Adjectives
• Definite Articles in Hausa
• Plurals
• Questions
• Future Tense
• Past Tense
• Negation
• Gender

Sources

• Hausa Articles