Joining Ideas in Hausa: Kuma, Amma, Saboda and Idan

The linking words that let you build longer Hausa sentences: and, but, because, if, when, so that and before, with clear examples.

Short sentences get you far, but linking words turn them into real conversation. These are the connectors Hausa speakers use every day.

And: da, kuma

Da joins nouns: shinkafa da wake — rice and beans.
Kuma ("and also, furthermore") joins clauses: Ya zo, kuma ya ci abinci. — He came, and he ate.
Sannan — and then: Na tashi, sannan na yi wanka. — I got up, and then I bathed.

But: amma

Amma means "but":

Ina so in zo, amma ba ni da lokaci. — I'd like to come, but I have no time.
Yana da kuɗi, amma ba shi da farin ciki. — He has money, but not happiness.

Or: ko

Ko means "or":

Shayi ko kofi? — Tea or coffee?
Za ka zo ko ba za ka zo ba? — Will you come or not? (to a man)

Because: saboda, domin

Saboda and domin mean "because" or "for":

Ban zo ba saboda ina rashin lafiya. — I didn't come because I'm ill.
Na yi haka domin in taimake ka. — I did it to help you. (to a man)

If: idan, in

Idan (or the short form in) means "if" or "when":

Idan ka zo, za mu ci abinci. — If you come, we'll eat.

When: lokacin da, da

Lokacin da na zo, ya tafi. — When I came, he had gone.

Before and after: kafin, bayan

Kafin ka tafi, ka ci abinci. — Before you go, eat. (to a man)
Bayan mun ci abinci, mun tafi. — After we ate, we left.

So that: don, domin

Na yi haka don in taimake ka. — I did it so that I could help you. (to a man)

That (reporting): cewa

Cewa introduces reported speech:

Ya ce zai zo. — He said he would come.
Na ji cewa ya tafi. — I heard that he left.

So, therefore: don haka

Ina jin yunwa, don haka zan ci abinci. — I'm hungry, so I'll eat.

Sequencing a story

Use a chain: Na tashi, na yi wanka, sannan na tafi aiki. — I got up, bathed, and then went to work.

Learning tips

Learn the first six words (da, kuma, amma, ko, saboda, idan).
Write two-part sentences using each.
Listen for these words in conversation.
Retell your day using sannan and kafin.

Common mistakes

Using da to join clauses instead of kuma.
Forgetting the pronoun marker in the clause after idan.
Overusing short sentences without connectors.

Look up Hausa words with English Hausa Dictionary →