Emergency

1. Taimako!

   Tai-ma-ko!

   Help!

   Usage

   Shouted loudly in emergencies to seek help

   Grammar Note

   "Taimako" is used as both noun and exclamation. The verb form is "taimaka" (to help).

2. Kira 'yan sanda — lambar 112

   Ki-ra 'yan san-da — lam-bar 112

   Call the police — number 112

   Usage

   Emergency phrase to call police. Nigeria's police number is 112

   Grammar Note

   "'Yan sanda" literally means "young men with sticks" (plural). This Hausa term for police reflects the historical equipment of early law enforcement.

3. Ina buƙatar likita

   I-na bu-ƙa-tar li-ki-ta

   I need a doctor

   Usage

   Critical phrase when medical assistance is needed

   Grammar Note

   "ƙ" is an ejective consonant. "Buƙata" means need/requirement. "Ina buƙatar" is the idiom for "I need/require."

4. Wuta!

   Wu-ta!

   Fire!

   Usage

   Shouted in fire emergencies

   Grammar Note

   "Wuta" is the basic Hausa word for fire. "Ma'aikatan kashe wuta" (firefighters) literally means "workers who extinguish fire."

5. Hatsari

   Hat-sa-ri

   Accident!

   Usage

   Used when a traffic accident or incident occurs

   Grammar Note

   "Hatsari" means accident / danger. Road accidents are a serious issue in Nigeria, making this phrase important.

6. Na ɓace

   Na ɓa-ce

   I'm lost

   Usage

   Used when you have lost your way

   Grammar Note

   "ɓ" is Hausa's implosive b — a bilabial sound produced with the larynx lowered. One of Hausa's distinctive phonemes.

7. Kira motar asibiti — lambar 112

   Ki-ra mo-tar a-si-bi-ti — lam-bar 112

   Call an ambulance (number 112)

   Usage

   Used when emergency medical transport is needed

   Grammar Note

   "Motar asibiti" is "hospital (asibiti) car (motar)" = ambulance. Nigeria's emergency number is 112.

8. An yi mini sata

   An yi mi-ni sa-ta

   I've been robbed

   Usage

   Used when you've been robbed or had something stolen

   Grammar Note

   "An" is Hausa's passive/impersonal marker. "An yi" (it was done) creates passive meaning. Hausa has its own passive construction distinct from English.

9. Gaggawa

   Gag-ga-wa

   Emergency

   Usage

   Used to communicate urgency or emergency

   Grammar Note

   "Gaggawa" derives from a reduplicated form. "Hanzari" (haste) is also used as a synonym for urgency.

10. Asibiti ina yake?

    A-si-bi-ti i-na ya-ke?

    Where is the hospital?

    Usage

    Used urgently to find the nearest hospital

11. Ina da allerjin...

    I-na da al-ler-jin...

    I'm allergic to...

    Usage

    Used to inform medical staff of an allergy

12. Daina!

    Stop it!

    Usage

    For firmly refusing persistent touts; works without raising your voice

13. Kada ka taɓa ni!

    Don't touch me!

    Usage

    Addressed to a male; for a female say Kada ki taɓa ni

14. Bar ni!

    Leave me alone!

    Usage

    For getting someone to back off when they follow you

15. Zan kira 'yan sanda!

    I will call the police!

    Usage

    A firm warning to a threatening person; Nigeria's emergency number is 112

16. Ɓarawo

    Thief

    Usage

    The word for someone who steals; use it to call for help or to report what happened

17. Fashi da makami

    Robbery

    Usage

    Robbery committed with a weapon; "fashi" on its own can also mean a break or pause

18. Garkuwa da mutane

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Kidnapping for ransom; it literally means "using people as a shield"

19. Kisan kai

    Murder

    Usage

    Point to this to report to the police or bystanders that someone has been killed

20. Tarzoma

    Riot

    Usage

    A riot involving clashes between groups

21. Bam

    Bomb

    Usage

    Point to this to report a suspicious object or an explosive device

22. Wuta! Ku gudu!

    Wu-ta! Ku gu-du!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Shout this to raise the alarm and tell people to run; it goes further than the plain shout "Wuta!"

    Grammar Note

    "Ku gudu" is the plural imperative of "gudu" (run, flee). "Ku" is the second person plural subject pronoun.

23. Ɓarawo! Ku kama shi!

    Ɓa-ra-wo! Ku ka-ma shi!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Shout this right after a theft to get bystanders to act; it asks for more than the plain word "Ɓarawo"

    Grammar Note

    The plural imperative of "kama" (to catch) followed by the third person masculine object "shi".

24. Kira motar kashe gobara

    Ki-ra mo-tar ka-she go-ba-ra

    Please call a fire engine

    Usage

    Ask someone to call a fire engine when a fire has broken out

    Grammar Note

    "Motar" is the genitive of "mota"; what follows names its purpose (motar kashe gobara = fire engine).

25. Ofishin 'yan sanda ina yake?

    O-fi-shin 'yan san-da i-na ya-ke?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Ask where the police station is, for example when you need to file a report

    Grammar Note

    "... ina yake?" is the "where is ...?" frame. The subject is an "ofishin + possessor" compound; "ofishin 'yan sanda" is a police station.

26. Ina buƙatar takardar shaidar sata

    I-na bu-ƙa-tar ta-kar-dar sha-i-dar sa-ta

    I need a theft report

    Usage

    Use this at a police station to say you need the certificate of theft that insurers require

    Grammar Note

    "Ina buƙatar ..." is the "I need ..." frame. "Takardar shaidar + X" is a compound meaning a certificate of X; here X is "sata" (theft), giving a theft report certificate.

27. Akwai mai jin Jafananci a nan?

    Ak-wai mai jin Ja-fa-nan-ci a nan?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Ask at a hospital or a police station whether anyone there speaks Japanese

    Grammar Note

    The existential "Akwai ... a nan?" asks "is there ... here?". "Jin + language" means to understand or speak that language, and "mai" is the agentive linker meaning "one who has / does".

28. Wannan mutumin ya suma

    Wan-nan mu-tu-min ya su-ma

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Point at the person who has collapsed and say that they are not conscious

    Grammar Note

    The demonstrative "Wannan" means "this". "Suma" means to faint, to lose consciousness.

29. Wani yana nutsewa a ruwa!

    Wa-ni ya-na nut-se-wa a ru-wa!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Shout that someone has gone under. The word "nutsewa" is also used for diving; the phrase "a ruwa" and the urgency of the situation carry the drowning reading

    Grammar Note

    The progressive "yana + verbal noun" uses the ya- subject marker. "Nutsewa a ruwa" means going under in the water, drowning.

30. An yi mini duka

    An yi mi-ni du-ka

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Tell the police or a doctor that you were assaulted; point at where you were struck

    Grammar Note

    "An yi mini ..." is the frame for something done to you, "I was ...". Here the object is "duka" (a blow with the hand or a stick).

31. An yi sata a ɗakina

    An yi sa-ta a ɗa-ki-na

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Tell the hotel or the police that your room was entered and robbed while you were out

    Grammar Note

    The "An yi ..." frame without the beneficiary "mini", naming the place instead. In "ɗaki" (room), the final -na is the first person possessive.

32. Wancan mutumin ne mai laifi

    Wan-can mu-tu-min ne mai lai-fi

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Point at the person and tell the police; the demonstrative is the distal one, for someone away from you

    Grammar Note

    The distal demonstrative "Wancan" means "that (over there)", followed by the copula "ne". "Mai laifi" is "laifi" (crime, fault) with the agentive "mai", a guilty person. The proximal "Wannan" would point at someone beside the speaker and does not mean "that person".

33. An yi mini zamba

    An yi mi-ni zam-ba

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Say that you have been cheated or scammed

    Grammar Note

    "An yi mini ..." is the frame for something done to you. Here the object is "zamba" (fraud, deceit).

34. An yi mini satar walat

    An yi mi-ni sa-tar wa-lat

    My wallet was stolen

    Usage

    Tell the police that your wallet was stolen

    Grammar Note

    "Sata" (theft) is put into its genitive form "satar" and the stolen item is named after it.

35. Na manta da kayana

    Na man-ta da ka-ya-na

    I left my things behind

    Usage

    Say that you left your luggage behind; point at a map or gesture to show where

    Grammar Note

    In "kayana" (my things) the final -na is the first person possessive. "Manta" means to forget.

36. An yi hatsarin mota

    An yi hat-sa-rin mo-ta

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Report that a road accident has happened, to the emergency line or to bystanders. Nigeria's FRSC line is 122

    Grammar Note

    The impersonal "An yi ..." is the "there has been ..." frame. "Hatsari" means danger or accident; linking it with the genitive -n to "mota" (car) gives "hatsarin mota", a road accident. Plain "hatsari" would mean an accident of any kind, so "mota" is added to name a traffic accident.

37. Mota ta buge ni

    Mo-ta ta bu-ge ni

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Say that a car hit you; literally "a car hit me"

    Grammar Note

    "Mota" is feminine, so the subject marker is "ta". "Buga" means to hit or strike; here a vehicle hitting someone.

38. Ku fita ta ƙofar fita ta gaggawa

    Ku fi-ta ta ƙo-far fi-ta ta gag-ga-wa

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Tell the people around you to leave through the emergency exit, for example in a fire

    Grammar Note

    "Ƙofar fita ta gaggawa" (emergency exit) is marked with the preposition "ta" for the route, with a "Ku + verb" plural imperative in front. The verb "fita" means to go out.

39. Ku yi hankali!

    Ku yi han-ka-li!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Shout this to warn of immediate danger; it is the sign wording "A yi hankali" addressed to people

    Grammar Note

    The impersonal "A yi hankali" (caution) has its "a-" replaced with the second person plural "ku" so that it addresses people. "Yi hankali" means to be careful.

40. Don Allah a yi sauri

    Don Al-lah a yi sau-ri

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Ask someone to hurry, for example while waiting for an ambulance or a taxi

    Grammar Note

    "Don Allah a yi ..." is the impersonal polite request frame. "Yi sauri" means to hurry, to do something quickly.

41. Don Allah ku zo yanzu

    Don Al-lah ku zo yan-zu

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Ask someone on the phone to come immediately

    Grammar Note

    "Don Allah ku ..." is the polite request frame addressed to more than one person. "Zo" calls someone to where the speaker is (Come). "Yanzu" means "now".

42. Wannan gaggawa ce

    Wan-nan gag-ga-wa ce

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    Say that you cannot wait your turn and need attention now

    Grammar Note

    The demonstrative "Wannan" means "this". The copula is "ce", the feminine counterpart of "ne", agreeing with the feminine noun "gaggawa" (emergency).

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