Getting Around in Hausa: Transport and Directions

Travelling in Hausa-speaking regions is much easier with a few transport words and direction phrases.

Vehicles

Hausa	Meaning
mota	car, motor vehicle
babur	motorbike
keke napep	tricycle taxi
bas	bus
jirgin ƙasa	train
jirgin sama	aeroplane
keke	bicycle
tasha	station, stop
filin jirgin sama	airport
hanya	road, way
gada	bridge

Common phrases for travel

• Ina tasha? — Where is the station?
• Ina so in je Kano. — I want to go to Kano.
• Nawa ne kuɗin mota? — How much is the fare?
• Yaushe mota za ta tashi? — When will the vehicle leave?
• Mota ta cika. — The vehicle is full.
• Ina so in sauka a nan. — I want to get off here.
• Tsaya a nan. — Stop here.

Directions

• dama — right
• hagu — left
• kai tsaye — straight ahead
• kusa — near
• nesa — far
• a nan — here
• can — there
• gaba — front, ahead
• baya — back, behind

Asking and answering:

• Don Allah, ina hanyar zuwa kasuwa? — Please, where is the road to the market?
• Ka bi wannan hanya. — Follow this road. (to a man)
• Ka juya dama. — Turn right. (to a man)
• Ka juya hagu. — Turn left. (to a man)

At the station

• tikiti — ticket
• direba — driver
• fasinja — passenger
• kaya — luggage, goods

Verbs of travel

• tafi — go, leave
• isa — arrive
• dawo — return
• jira — wait
• hau — board, climb onto
• sauka — get off, alight

Useful full sentences

• Na isa jiya. — I arrived yesterday.
• Zan hau mota zuwa Kaduna. — I'll take a vehicle to Kaduna.
• Za mu isa da yamma. — We'll arrive in the evening.

Travel etiquette

Greet the people around you before asking for help. Where fares aren't fixed, it's wise to ask nawa ne (how much) before you board.