Hausa Days, Months and Seasons

The Hausa names for days of the week, months and seasons, their Arabic roots, and how the Islamic calendar shapes daily and religious life in Hausaland.

Hausa days and months come largely from Arabic, reflecting the long influence of Islam. The seasons, by contrast, are rooted in the rhythm of farming.

The days of the week

Litinin — Monday
Talata — Tuesday
Laraba — Wednesday
Alhamis — Thursday
Jumma'a — Friday
Asabar — Saturday
Lahadi — Sunday

Jumma'a (Friday) is the day of congregational prayer, and is a special day in Muslim communities: many businesses close or slow down around midday.

Parts of the day

safe — morning
rana — day, daytime (also "sun")
la'asar — late afternoon
yamma — evening
dare — night

Time words

yau — today
gobe — tomorrow
jiya — yesterday
jibi — the day after tomorrow
mako — week
wata — month (also "moon")
shekara — year

Gregorian months

Janairu, Fabrairu, Maris, Afrilu, Mayu, Yuni
Yuli, Agusta, Satumba, Oktoba, Nuwamba, Disamba

The Islamic calendar

Many Hausa people also follow the Islamic (Hijri) calendar for religious events. Key months and occasions:

Ramadan (Azumi) — the month of fasting, when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset
Sallah — the Eid festivals:
- Ƙaramar Sallah — Eid al-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan
- Babbar Sallah — Eid al-Adha, the "big" Sallah
Maulidi — the celebration of the Prophet's birthday

Because the Islamic year is shorter than the Gregorian year, these dates move earlier each year.

The seasons

The Hausa year follows the seasons of the West African savanna:

damina — the rainy season, roughly May to September, when farmers plant and grow crops
kaka — the harvest season, after the rains
hunturu / sanyi — the cold, dry season, with the dusty harmattan wind from the Sahara, roughly December to February
rani — the hot, dry season before the rains, roughly March to May

Damina is the most important for farming, and much of Hausa life, from work to food to festivals, follows these seasons.

Expressions about time

Kowace rana — every day
Kowace shekara — every year
A wannan makon — this week
Mako mai zuwa — next week
Da safe — in the morning
Da yamma — in the evening

Asking about the date

Yau wace rana ce? — What day is it today?
Yaushe ne ranar haihuwarka? — When is your birthday? (to a man)

Prayer times

Muslims pray five times daily, and time is often described by them: Asuba (dawn), Azahar (midday), La'asar (afternoon), Magariba (sunset), Isha'i (night). These are used to mark time in daily conversation.

Learning tips

Learn the days first, which come from Arabic.
Learn the four seasons.
Note the religious calendar words.
Practise time expressions.

Common mistakes

Assuming Sallah has a fixed Gregorian date.
Confusing rana (sun/day) and wata (moon/month).

Look up Hausa days and months with English Hausa Dictionary →