Language/Hausa/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

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Hausa → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Numbers and Time → Telling Time

Telling time is an essential part of daily life, and is no exception in Hausa-speaking cultures. Knowing how to tell the time in Hausa will greatly improve your ability to communicate with Hausa speakers, and enable you to navigate Hausa-speaking countries with ease. In this lesson, you will learn how to tell the time in Hausa, including how to ask for and give the current time.

Expressions of Time

In Hausa, as in English, there are different ways to express time, depending on the context:

It is [time]

_Shi ne [time]_

What time is it?

_Ya kamata wane?_

What's the time?

_Abin da wannan lokaci?_

Numbers and Time

Before delving into how to tell the time, it is essential to review the Hausa numbers from 1 to 20, as they are frequently used when expressing time.

Hausa Numbers 1-20

Here are the Hausa numbers from 1 to 20, along with their English translations:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
Ɗaya	Dah-yah	One
Biyu	Bee-you	Two
Uku	Oo-koo	Three
Huɗu	Hoo-doo	Four
Biyar	Bee-yah-ree	Five
Shida	Shee-dah	Six
Bakwai	Buh-kwah-ee	Seven
Takwas	Tuh-kwahs	Eight
Tara	Tuh-rees	Nine
Goma	Goh-mah	Ten
Goma sha Ɗaya	Goh-mah shah dah-yah	Eleven
Goma sha Biyu	Goh-mah shah bee-yoo	Twelve
Goma sha Uku	Goh-mah shah oo-koo	Thirteen
Goma sha Huɗu	Goh-mah shah hoo-doo	Fourteen
Goma sha Biyar	Goh-mah shah bee-yah	Fifteen
Goma sha Shida	Goh-mah shah shee-dah	Sixteen
Goma sha Bakwai	Goh-mah shah buh-kwah-ee	Seventeen
Goma sha Takwas	Goh-mah shah tuh-kwahs	Eighteen
Goma sha Tara	Goh-mah shah tuh-rees	Nineteen
Ashirin	Uh-shee-reen	Twenty

Keep in mind that Hausa is a tonal language, meaning that the tone you use when pronouncing a word may change its meaning. It is important to listen closely to the tones used in Hausa, and to practice the proper intonation to ensure that you are understood.

Telling the Time

Telling time in Hausa is straightforward as it follows a similar structure to English. The general structure is:

hour + da + minutes

For example:

• It is 1:30. : Shi ne da uku daya da goma sha hamsin.
• It is 2:15. : Shi ne da biyu da goma sha fidalin.
• It is 7:45. : Shi ne da bakwai da sha shida tara da hudu.

In Hausa, the "hour" can be expressed using either the Hausa numbers from 1 to 12 or the Arabic numbers from 1 to 12. The "hour" is followed by "da", which means "and", and then the number of minutes from 1 to 59.

It is important to note that Hausa speakers use a 12-hour clock. They reference time from 1 to 12, rather than resetting the counting at noon, as is the case with a 24-hour clock.

Additionally, Hausa speakers sometimes reference time by referring to the prayer times according to the Islamic calendar, which are observed five times a day. These include:

Prayer time	Time in Hausa
Dawn prayer	_Fajr_
Midday prayer	_Zuhr_
Afternoon prayer	_Asr_
Sunset prayer	_Maghrib_
Night prayer	_Isha_

If you are in a Hausa-speaking country, it is essential to be aware of these prayer times, as businesses and services may close during these periods.

Asking for the Time

To ask someone for the time in Hausa, you can use the following phrases:

What's the time?

_Abin da wannan lokaci?_

What time is it?

_Ya kamata wane?_

Alternatively, if you want to ask if someone has the current time, you can use the following phrases:

Do you have the time?

_Shin shi ne wani lokaci?_

Can you tell me the time?

_Ka iya baka lokaci?_

Common Time-Related Vocabulary

Here are a few common words and phrases that are useful to know when discussing time in Hausa:

Hausa	Pronunciation	English
_Lokaci_	Loh-kah-see	Time
_Farar tare_	Fuh-ruh rah-rei	Early morning
_Aljanna_	Al-jahn-nah	Noon
_Azumi_	Uh-zoo-mee	Fasting
_Asuba_	Uh-sooh-bah	Afternoon
_Maraba _	Mah-rah-bah	Good afternoon
_Ashi mashi_	Ah-shee-mah-shee	Evening
_Ina kwana?_	Ee-nah kwah-nah	How old are you?
_Magana ta kwana?_	Mah-gah-nah tah kwah-nah	What's the time?

Conclusion

Now that you know the basics of telling time in Hausa, you can effectively ask and answer questions about time. With practice, you will develop a strong familiarity with Hausa numbers and time-related vocabulary, enabling you to speak Hausa with ease. Congratulations on taking the first step to learning Hausa and mastering this fascinating aspect of the language!

Table of Contents - Hausa Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Pronouns

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

  ---

Everyday Activities

• Daily Routine
• Transportation

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Food Items
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Travel and Tourism

• Asking for Directions
• Accommodation

  ---

Hausa Customs and Traditions

• Traditional Clothing
• Festivals and Celebrations

  ---

Shopping and Bargaining

• Shopping Vocabulary
• Bargaining Phrases

  ---

Negation and Questions

• Negation
• Asking Questions

  ---

Hausa Proverbs and Sayings

• Popular Proverbs
• Common Sayings

Other Lessons

• Numbers
• Basic Phrases in Hausa
• People in Hausa
• Clothes
• Camping
• Ordering at a Restaurant
• Introducing Yourself
• Common Food Items
• Transportation
• Numbers 1 20

Sources

• Hausa - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

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