Hausa in English, while human habitation in Nigeria dates back to 900 BC, archaeological evidence suggests that the Nok were the first known civilized people in Nigeria, dating back to 500 BC. Get latest Updates on Hausa.Info African No# 1 Hausa Langues Information Website.
If you ever find yourself in Nigeria, this guide on translating Hausa in English will come in handy.
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| Emergency | Translation |
|---|---|
| Help! | Taimako! |
| I need your help. | Ina buƙatar taimakonka |
| Police! | Ɗan sanda! |
| Stop! | Tsaya! |
| Watch out! | Ka kula! |
| Go away! | Tafi! |
| Let me go! | Bari in tafi! |
| Where are we going? | Ina za mu tafi? |
| I need a lawyer. | Ina buƙatar lauya |
| Can I use your phone / computer? | Zan iya amfani da waya/kwamfutarka? |
| Call the police /a doctor/ an ambulance! | Kira ɗan sanda / likita / motar asibiti |
| Stop! Thief! | Tsaya! Ɓarawo! |
| Leave me alone. | Kyale ni. |
| I’m hurt! | An ɓata mini rai! |
| I need a doctor. | Ina buƙatar likita. |
| I’m sick. | Ba ni da lafiya. |
| I’ve been injured. | Na samu rauni. |
| I’m lost. | Na ɓace. |
| I lost my bag. | Jakata ta ɓace. |
| I lost my wallet. | Zabirata ta ɓace. |
| Small Talk | Translation |
|---|---|
| hello | Sannu! |
| Good Afternoon | Barka da rana |
| How are you? | Kana lafiya? |
| How old are you? | Shekarunka nawa? |
| What do you do for a living? | Mene ne sana’arka? |
| What are your hobbies? | Wasu irin wasanni kake so? |
| I am fine | Ina lafiya |
| I am sick | Ba ni da lafiya |
| My name is… | Sunana… |
| This is my friend / father / mother / son / daughter | Wannan abokina ne / mahaifi / mahaifiya / ɗa / ‘ya |
| What is this / that? | Mene ne wannan / wancan? |
| I am pleased to meet you | Na yi farin cikin haɗuwa da kai |
| I am _ years old | Shekaruna_ |
| See you later | Sai anjima |
| Goodbye | Sai wata rana |
| Good night | Said a safe |
| Where is the restroom? | Ina ɗakin hutawar? |
| I understand / I do not understand | Na fahimta / Ban fahimta ba |
| Etiquette | Translation |
|---|---|
| please (asking for something) | Dan Allah (tambayar wani abu) |
| please (offering something) | Dan Allah (bayar da wani abu) |
| May I have _? | Ko zan samu _? |
| thank you | Na gode |
| you’re welcome | maraba |
| yes | i |
| no | A’a |
| excuse me | gafara dai |
| sorry | Yi haƙuri |
| wait | jira |
Read Also: Step by Step How to make Hausa Koko
| Numbers | Translation |
|---|---|
| one | ɗaya |
| two | biyu |
| three | uku |
| four | huɗu |
| five | biyar |
| six | shida |
| seven | bakwai |
| eight | takwas |
| nine | tara |
| ten | goma |
| eleven | goma sha ɗaya |
| twelve | goma sha biyu |
| thirteen | goma sha uku |
| fourteen | goma sha huɗu |
| fifteen | goma sha biyar |
| sixteen | goma sha shida |
| seventeen | goma sha bakwai |
| eighteen | goma sha takwas |
| nineteen | goma tara |
| twenty | ashirin |
| thirty | talatin |
| fifty | hamsin |
| one hundred | ɗari ɗaya |
| one thousand | dubu ɗaya |
| ten thousand | dubu goma |
| one hundred thousand | duba ɗari |
| one million | Miliya ɗaya |
| Time | Translation |
|---|---|
| now | yanzu |
| later | anjima |
| before | kafin |
| morning | safiya |
| afternoon | rana |
| evening | yamma |
| night | dare |
| one o’clock | Ƙarfe ɗaya |
| two o’clock | Ƙarfe biyu |
| noon | Taskar rana |
| midnight | Tsakar dare |
| minute/s | Minti/mintuna |
| hour/s | Awa / awanni |
| day/s | Kwana / kwanaki |
| week/s | Mako / makonni |
| month/s | Wata / watanni |
| year/s | Shekara / shekaru |
| today | yau |
| tomorrow | gobe |
| Monday | Litinin |
| Tuesday | Talata |
| Wednesday | Laraba |
| Thursday | Alhamis |
| Friday | Juma’a |
| Saturday | Asabar |
| Sunday | Lahadi |
| January | Janairu |
| February | Fabrairu |
| March | Maris |
| April | Afurilu |
| May | Mayu |
| June | Yuni |
| July | Yuli |
| August | Agusta |
| September | Satumba |
| October | Oktoba |
| November | Nuwamba |
| December | Disamba |
| Colors | Translation |
|---|---|
| black | baki |
| white | fari |
| ray | Toka-toka |
| red | ja |
| blue | shuɗi |
| yellow | rawaya |
| green | kore |
| orange | Launi Ja da rawaya |
| purple | Launi mai ja da shuɗi |
| brown | Rowan ƙasa |
| Body | Translation |
|---|---|
| head | kai |
| eyes | idanu |
| ears | Kunnuwa |
| nose | hanci |
| baki | |
| arm | hannu |
| leg | ƙafa |
| hand | hannu |
| feet | tafin ƙafa |
| chest | ƙirji |
| skin | fata |
| muscle | tsoka |
| blood | jini |
| Questioning words | Translation |
|---|---|
| how | yaya |
| what | mene |
| when | yaushe |
| why | Me ya sa |
| who | wa |
| where | ina |
| how many | guda nawa |
| Pronouns and adjectives | Translation |
|---|---|
| good | mai kyau |
| bad | mara kyau |
| big | babba |
| small | ƙarami |
| fast | sauri |
| slow | a hankali |
| light | mara nauyi |
| heavy | mai nauyi |
| light | haske |
| dark | duhu |
| loud | ƙara |
| quiet | shiru |
| Feelings | Translation |
|---|---|
| hot / cold / warm | Zafi / sanyi / ɗumi |
| painful / pleasant | Mai zafi / mai daɗi |
| comfortable | da daɗi |
| I am happy / sad | Ina murna / baƙin ciki |
| I am angry | Ina fushi |
| I am tired | Na gaji |
| I am embarrassed | Na ji kunya |
| I agree / disagree | Na yarda / Ban yarda ba |
| I like / dislike this | Ina so wannan / Ban a son wannan |
| I am worried / concerned | Na dmu / Ina jin |
| Money | Translation |
|---|---|
| How much is this? | Nawa ne wanna? |
| What is the cost? | Mene ne kuɗinsa? |
| Where can I get money changed? | A in azan samu canji? |
| Do you accept credit card / | Kana amsar katin kuɗi? |
| money | kuɗi |
| currency | kuɗin ƙasa |
| cash | Tsabar kuɗi |
| credit card | Katin kuɗi |
| bank | banki |
| bank account | asusun banki |
| automatic teller machine (ATM) | Injin samar da kuɗi (ATM) |
| travellers check | Cek (takarda mai bad a izini banki su biya kuɗi) |
| Travel | Translation |
|---|---|
| Please take me to_ | Dan Allah kai ni zuwa ga _ |
| Where can I find _? | A in zan nemi _? |
| What is the address? | Mene ne adireshin? |
| Where can I rent a _? | A in azan yi hayar_? |
| airport / airplane | filin jirgin sama / jirgin sama |
| passport | fasfot |
| station | tasha |
| restaurants | wurin cin abinci |
| guest house | gidan hutawa |
| hostel | ɗakin kwana |
| hotel | otal |
| bed & breakfast | gado / Karin kumallo |
| bars | mashaya |
| charger – mobile / tablet / computer | abun caji – tafi- da-gidank/ ƙaramar kwamfuta / kwamfuta |
| bike / train / bus / car / taxi | Keke / jirgin ƙasa/ safa / tasi |
| ferry / yacht / boat | Jirgin fito / babban jirgin ruwa / kwalekwale |
| gas (petrol) | gas (fetir) |
| What is the room number? | Mene ne lambar ɗakin |
| Which floor? | Hawa na nawa? |
| When is the next _? | Yaushe ne_ na gaba? |
| How far is _? | Yaya _ yake? |
| North | arewa |
| South | kudu |
| East | gabas |
| West | yamma |
| Food | Translation |
|---|---|
| water | ruwa |
| Breakfast | Karin kumallo |
| Lunch | Abinci rana |
| Dinner | Abincin dare |
| Snack | taɓa abinci |
| meat / chicken / beef / pork / lamb | Nama / kaza /naman sa / alade / naman ɗan tunkiya |
| fish | kifi |
| vegetables | ganyayyaki |
| kwaɗon ganye | |
| drink / wine / beer | Abun sha / barasa / giya |
| beverage | Abun shad a ba ruwa |
| tea / coffee | Shayi / kofi |
| I am hungry / thirsty / satisfied | Ina jin yunwa / ƙishi / ƙoshi |
| Table for one / two / three / family please. | Dan Allah teburin mutum ɗaya / biyu / uku. |
| Please may I look at the menu? | Dan Allah ko zan iya duba takardar tsarin abincin? |
| I am vegetarian / vegan / I don’t eat meat. | Ni mutum ne dab a na cin kowane irin nama ko kifi / kowane irin abun day a danganci dabbobi/ Ban a cin nama. |
| Kosher only / Halaal only | Kosha kaai / Halal kawai |
| Cheers! | Sowa! |
| Shopping | Translation |
|---|---|
| When do you open / close? | Yaushe kake duɗewa / rufewa? |
| I will take it thank you | Zan amshi shih aka na gode |
| I want it / I don’t want it | Ina son shi / Ban a son shi |
| How much? | Nawa? |
| toothbrush | asuwaki |
| soap | sabulu |
| shampoo | Sabulun wanke gashi |
| pain medicine | Maganin zafi |
| towel | tawul |
| batteries | batirori |
| pens / paper | Aƙalami / takarda |
| Proverbs | Meaning/ English Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Karambanin akwiya, gai da kura | (it was pure) meddlesomeness on the part of the goat to think she could great the hyena without disaster. i.e. Don’t attempt the impossible. |
| Mai haƙuri yak an dafa dutse ya sha romonsa | A patient person will cook a stone and drink its broth. i.e. patience is virtue. |
| Barin kasha a ciki bay a maganin yunwa. | Keeping one’s excrement in one’s stomach doesn’t keep one from hunger. i.e. Speak out when the time comes-remaining silent won’t solve the problem. |
| Albarkacin kaza ƙadangare ya sha rowan kasko | Thanks to the chicken the lizard drank water from a bowl. i.e. Some gain advantages through no virtue of their own. |
| Da tsirara gara baƙin bante. | Rather than nakedness better a black loincloth. i.e. Half a loaf is better than none. |
| Ko ba a gwada ba linzami ya fib akin kaza. | Even though no measurement is taken one can see that a bridle is too big for the mouth of a chicken. i.e. Such-and-such is completely obious. |
| Aikin banza makaho da waiwaye. | It is worthless work for a blind man to turn his head to look. i.e. An illustration of a supreme waste of effort. |
| Labarin zuciya a tambayi fuska. | For the news of the heart one should ask the face. i.e. One’s face shows what is in one’s heart. |
| Kome nisan dare gari zai waye. | No matter how long the night, morning will come. i.e. Every cloud has a silver lining. |
