Language/Hausa/Grammar/Prepositions
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Introduction
Prepositions are an essential part of any language. In Hausa, prepositions are a class of words that express a relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence. Prepositions are used to indicate position, direction, time or manner. A preposition always comes before a noun or pronoun, and together they form what is known as a prepositional phrase.
In this lesson, you will learn about the various prepositions in Hausa, their usage, and how to form prepositional phrases. Through examples, you will understand how to use prepositions correctly in various sentences.
Common Prepositions in Hausa
Here are some of the most common prepositions in Hausa:
- da - with
- ga - to, for
- yayin - before, in front of
- bayan - after, behind
- kafin - before
- bayanin - after
- domin - for, because of
- cikin - in, inside
- kan - on, upon, about
- inda - at, in, on
- har - on, upon, towards
- wurare - around
- gaba - behind, beside
- kashi - away from
- yanzu - now, at present
It is essential to know the correct usage of each preposition to avoid making errors in Hausa.
Examples of Prepositions
Here are some examples of prepositions in Hausa:
Hausa | English |
---|---|
ina so da su | I am with them |
zan samu maganin shi ga | I will get a gift for him |
zan zo yayin da wani abu ba kasance ba | I will come before something happens |
za ka sha bayanin taron duka na waje | You will eat after all the guests have arrived |
zan yi kira kafin zamu fara aiki | I will make a call before we start working |
shi ga shirin sauran manhaja bayanin lasisin | He came to the meeting after the lecture |
nake daidai domin saka kayan ƙasa | I woke up early because of the noise |
suna cikin tsakiyar | They are inside the box |
kawai zan kawo adireshin inda aka yi shirin | I will only bring the address to the meeting |
mu zo har abada | We will come towards you always |
a wuraren wuta | around the fire |
shi ne cikin harbawa wani abu | He is on the balcony about something |
za mu sha gaba babu wani abu cikin gaɗon waje | We will eat without anything beside us |
ka ji kashi goma | You will see him in a few days |
ina sonka yanzu | I need you now |
Prepositional Phrases
A preposition always begins a prepositional phrase, and it is followed by a noun or pronoun that is called the object of the preposition. The object of the preposition can be a single word or an entire phrase that is acting as a single noun.
Here are some examples of prepositional phrases in Hausa:
- da sauran kungiyoyi - with other groups
- ga allurar - for the wedding
- yayin yin sadarwa - before going to bed
- bayanin wani abu - after something
- kafin matarsa tayi ƙarfi - before his wife became ill
- har hasken tafiya - towards the end of the journey
- wurare tare da hannun gaɗon waje - around the table
- cikin sakaci - in the bag
- kan hankali - on the wall
- inda ba a tsoron Allah ba - where there is no fear of Allah
- domin zama aiwatar daidai - to always be a good companion
- gaba tare da ɓangarori - behind the curtain
- kashi tare da dama - away from danger
- yanzu tana faranta kaji - she is getting ready now
Practice
Practice is essential for learning any language, and Hausa is no exception. Here are some practice exercises to help you reinforce your understanding of prepositions:
1. Translate the following sentence into Hausa: "The book is on the table."
2. Translate the following sentence into Hausa: "She came after us."
3. Translate the following sentence into Hausa: "The flowers are for the bride."
4. Translate the following sentence into Hausa: "He is in love with her."
5. Translate the following sentence into Hausa: "The baby is sleeping in the crib."
Conclusion
Prepositions are an integral part of Hausa. They help in expressing various relationships between words in sentences. In this lesson, you have learned about common prepositions in Hausa, their usage, and how to form prepositional phrases. By mastering prepositions, you will be able to express yourself more clearly and effectively in Hausa. Keep practicing and incorporating prepositions in your conversations to enhance your fluency in Hausa.
Other Lessons
- Gender
- Questions
- Indefinite Articles in Hausa
- 0 to A1 Course
- Conjunctions
- Present Tense
- Conditional Tense
- Give your Opinion
- Adverbs
Sources
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