Hausa Adjectives and the Word Mai: Owners and Qualities

Hausa has a small number of true adjectives, but it makes up for it with a flexible word, mai, that turns nouns into descriptions. Learning it multiplies your vocabulary.

Common adjectives

Hausa	Meaning
babba	big, large, important
ƙarami	small
dogo	tall, long
gajere	short
sabo	new
tsoho	old (of things and people)
kyakkyawa	beautiful
mummuna	bad, ugly
fari	white, light-coloured
baƙi	black
zafi	hot
sanyi	cold
daɗi	pleasant, tasty
wahala	difficult

Some adjectives change form for gender and number. For example, babba (big) has the plural manya.

Position

Adjectives usually follow the noun: gida babba (a big house), mota sabuwa (a new car).

The word mai: "one who has"

Mai means "possessor of" or "one who has". Put it before a noun to describe a person or thing by what they have:

• mai kuɗi — a rich person (one with money)
• mai gida — landlord, owner of the house, head of household
• mai shago — shopkeeper
• mai mota — car owner
• mai kyau — good, beautiful (one with goodness)
• mai hankali — sensible, wise (one with sense)
• mai wayo — clever
• mai ƙarfi — strong
• mai yawa — plentiful
• mai tsada — expensive (one with cost)
• mai arha — cheap
• mai aiki — hard-working, or one who works
• mai magani — a healer, medicine seller

In the plural, mai becomes masu: masu kuɗi — rich people.

Examples in sentences

• Wannan mutum mai kirki ne. — This person is kind.
• Ina neman mai gyaran mota. — I'm looking for a car mechanic (one who repairs cars).
• Abincin yana da daɗi. — The food is delicious.

The opposite: maras

Maras (or marar) means "lacking", "without":

• maras lafiya — unwell, sick (without health)
• maras kuɗi — poor, without money
• maras aiki — unemployed

Adjectives from nouns

Hausa uses the "mai + noun" pattern for many qualities where English would use an adjective: a beautiful thing is often mai kyau, and a sweet drink is abin sha mai zaƙi.

Comparing

Use fiye da (more than): Wannan ya fi wancan kyau. — This is better than that. (See our comparison article.)

Intensity

• sosai — very, a lot: mai kyau sosai
• ƙwarai — very much
• kaɗan — a little
• kawai — only, just

Learning tips

1. Learn a dozen adjectives.
2. Learn mai + noun examples.
3. Use maras for the opposite.
4. Notice that adjectives follow nouns.

Common mistakes

• Putting adjectives before nouns.
• Forgetting mai for qualities that English expresses with adjectives.
• Using mai for plural instead of masu.

Look up Hausa adjectives with English Hausa Dictionary →