Money, Prices and Bargaining in Hausa

Bargaining

Bargaining, or ciniki, is normal in markets. Start with greetings, admire the goods, then negotiate:

• Ka rage mini. — Reduce it for me. (to a man)
• Ya yi tsada. — It's too expensive.
• Zan ba ka naira ɗari. — I'll give you 100 naira. (to a man)
• Mu yi ciniki. — Let's bargain.

The seller might reply:

• Wannan ne farashinsa. — That's its price.
• Zan rage maka. — I'll reduce it for you.

Paying

• Ga kuɗi. — Here is the money.
• Kana da canji? — Do you have change? (to a man)
• Ba ni da canji. — I don't have change.
• Na biya. — I've paid.
• Ga canjinka. — Here's your change. (to a man)

Shopping phrases

• Ina son in saya ... — I want to buy ...
• Ina son wannan. — I want this.
• Ka ba ni ɗaya. — Give me one.
• Na gode. — Thank you.

Currency notes

Nigeria uses the naira, while Niger uses the CFA franc, so prices you hear in Niger are in CFA francs rather than naira.

Cultural notes

• Greet first. Jumping to the price seems rude.
• Bargain with humour, and accept the outcome gracefully.
• Both sides expect some back-and-forth.
• Use your right hand when passing money or goods; it is the polite hand in Hausa culture.

Learning tips

1. Learn numbers first; they are essential for prices.
2. Practise nawa ne in real shopping.
3. Learn 5–6 bargaining phrases.
4. Listen for what sellers say.

Common mistakes

• Starting with the price before greeting.
• Forgetting naira after the number.
• Mixing up arha (cheap) and tsada (expensiveness).

Look up Hausa shopping words with English Hausa Dictionary →