UMD NFLC Hausa Lessons/Dadin Kowa 1

Source Video

#	English	Hausa
1	NAZIR: Mom.	NAZIR: Umma.
2	UMMA: The issue I want to discuss with you is whether you have met with Fauziyya or not.	UMMA: Yauwa. Dama maganan da nake so mu yi. Ka je gun Fauziyya kuwa?
3	NAZIR: I swear, Mom, I have not gone.	NAZIR: Wallahi, Umma ban je ba.
4	UMMA: Why? I am asking you.	UMMA: Sobada me? Tambayan ka nake, Sobada me?
5	NAZIR: Please, Mom, put this issue aside!	NAZIR: Umma, ni dan Allah ki bar maganan nan.
6	UMMA: Shut up! What do you mean I should stop talking about this? This directive is coming from your father. You better go and sort it out with that girl to make your father happy in this house.	UMMA: Ka ga, tsaya. Wane irin a bar maganan nan? Umarnin fa mahaifinka ne. Ya Kamata ka je ku daidaita da yarinyan nan bari in gaya maka, domin a samu a faranta wa mahaifinka rai a gidan nan.
7	NAZIR: Honestly, Mom, I can’t.	NAZIR: Gaskiya, Umma ni ba zan iya ba.
8	UMMA: Nazir? You have the nerve to tell me that? Let me tell you that you better make an effort to reconcile with that girl.	UMMA: Nazir, ni za ka kare wa kallo, ka ce da ni ba za ka iya ba? To, bari in gaya maka, kayi kokari ka je ku daidaita da yarinyan nan.
9	NAZIR: Why, Mom? The girl is Alawiyya’s friend. She is her close friend.	NAZIR: Haba Umma, yarinyan fa kawar Alawiyya ce. Aminiyarta ce fa.
10	UMMA: There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon he who is the messenger of God. OK, in which verse of the Koran did you see that if she is a friend of Alawiyya you will not go to visit her to settle down? OK, let me tell you, in my position as your mother, I am directing you to meet with this girl, so that your father can be a happy man in this house.	UMMA: La ilaha illallah Muhammadan Rasulallahi Salallahu alayhi wa sallam. To, a wane hadisin ka gani, ko aya ka gani in kawar Alawiyya ce ba za ka je wurin ta ba ku daidaita? To, bari in gaya maka. A matsayina na mahairfiyarka, na ba ka umarni ka je ku daidaita da yarinyar nan. Bari in gaya maka, domin mu samu farin cikin mahairfinka a cikin gidan nan.
11	NAZIR: Fauziyya is a very close friend of Alawiyya.	NAZIR: Umma, Fauziyya nan fa aminiyar Alawiyya ce fa, kut-da-kut fa.
12	UMMA: Look, Nazir, I gave birth to you after carrying you in my womb, and you have the nerve to question my directives?	UMMA: Yanzu, Nazir, in haife ka da cikina, ina gaya maka magana kana ba ni amsa?
13	NAZIR: Mom, for God’s sake, is this appropriate? In my position, someone has to choose a wife for me? Come on, Mom?	NAZIR: Umma, yanzu fisabilillahi ya dace? Wai ni kamana sai an zaban man matar da zan aura? Haba, Umma.
14	UMMA: So, you have the nerve to speak to me this way? Certainly, you have become stubborn. Children of this generation!	UMMA: Ni kake gaya wa wannan maganganu? Lallai, wuyanka ya yi kauri.‘Ya’yan zamani.
15	NAZIR: Mom, for God’s sake, think about it, the tradition of a forced marriage was a thing of the past. Even in the past, let alone now, these things were done in the villages, Mom. Think about it, Mom, for God’s sake.	NAZIR: Umma, don Ya Rasulillahi, ki duba wanan abun ki ga. Ai a da ne ake wa mutane auren dole, ba yanzu ba. A da din ma, a kauye ake wannan abubuwan, ba yanzu ba Umma. Don Allah Umma, ki duba wannan abun mana Umma.
16	UMMA: This generation! Thank you. I gave birth to you. Well done.	UMMA: Zamani! Na gode. In haifa ka da cikina . . . madalla.
17	NAZIR: Mom, for God’s sake, stop crying, Mom. OK, be patient, OK, I will go. That is all. I hear you. I have to go. Mom, for God’s sake, don’t cry.	NAZIR: Umma, don Allah ki dena kuka, Umma. To, ki yi hakuri, to, zan je. Shike nan. Na ji za ni. Don Allah Umma, ni kar ki yi kuka.
18	UMMA: Nazir, why did we have to get to this point? And you know how the issue is coming between me and malam? He repeatedly says that I am taking your side.	UMMA: Haba Nazir, ya za ayi wannan abun? Ka san yaddda nake da Malam a gidan nan a gameda wannan. Kullum, kullum ce wa yake ni nake daure maka gindi a maganan nan.
19	NAZIR: Be patient, OK, I will go, be patient. Mom, for God’s sake, don’t cry, be patient. Mom, if you weep because of me, I will not be happy. I urge you to calm down, Mom, because of the dignity of God.	NAZIR: Ki yi hakuri, to zan je, ki yi hakuri. Umma don Allah kar ki yi kuka, ki yi hakuri. Umma in kika zubar ma ni da hawaye . . . ai ba zan ji dadi ba. Don girman Allah, Umma ki yi hakuri.
20	UMMA: OK, try to go, so you can sort it out.	UMMA: To, ka yi kokari, ka je ku daidaita.
21	NAZIR: I will go, Mom.	NAZIR: Zan je umma.
22	I. B.: Hey, dude!	I. B.: A’aa, gayi!
23	NAZIR: Uh-huh.	NAZIR: Hm mmm.
24	I. B.: What’s going on?	I. B.: To, ya aka yi ne?
25	NAZIR: I. B., I’m fine, I swear to God. What is the matter? Oh my God, damn. How is the town?	NAZIR: I. B. fine wallahi. Ya aka yi ne? Wayyo Allahna, kash.Ya garin ne?
26	I. B.: Normal. I hope you have finished writing the song for us.	I. B.: Normal. Ina fatan dai ka gama rubuta mana wannan wakar ko?
27	NAZIR: Hey! I swear to God, I haven’t written the song.	NAZIR: Kai! Wallahi ban . . . wallahi ban rubuta wakar nan ba.
28	I. B.: Hey! I swear to God, you are very, very slow!	I. B.: Kai! Kana da mugun slow wallahi tallahi.
29	NAZIR: Dude, it is not about being slow. I just don’t have the inspiration for the song. Do you want me to write it anyhow?	NAZIR: Kai, ba wai slow ba ne. Ba ni da inspiration na wakar nan. To, so kake in rubuta anyhow kawai?
30	I. B.: No . . . I don’t mean that.	I. B.: Ah ah . . . I don’t mean that.
31	NAZIR: Oh, gosh! My brain is completely blocked. I swear to God that I have developed writer’s block.	NAZIR: Ha haa alakakai, haba… kwakwalwata ce gabadaya ta cushe. Wallahi na sa mu writer’s block.
32	I. B.: I don’t understand!	I. B.: Ban gane ba?
33	NAZIR: I have a problem at home. This is what is contributing to putting me into this situation.	NAZIR: Matsala nake da shi a gida. So shi yake contributing ya sa ni a cikin wannan yanayin wallahi.
34	I. B.: You know what? There are certain things in life that you have to ignore. Excessive thinking could cause hypertension in a young man such as you. And this can be a problem.	I. B.: Ka gane, to akwai abubuwan da yakamata fa a rayuwa fa kana kauda kanka. Soboda, ka ga yanzu zai iya zame ma matsala, karshe a ce gaye kamar ka ya kamu da hawan jini. Ka ga ai da matsala.
35	NAZIR: I. B., there are some things that you can forget, there are some things that you can’t forget.	NAZIR: I. B., akwai abun da za ka iya mantawa da shi, akwai abun da za ka iya mantawa da shi ba.
36	I. B.: Certainly!	I. B.: Haka ne.
37	NAZIR: I. B., just look at me, for God’s sake, someone like me, a woman should be chosen for him to marry? I am serious. This is not something to laugh at.	NAZIR: Wai don Allah, I. B. ka kalle ni. Wai a ce kamar ni, ni ne za a zaban wa ma matan da zan aura? Am serious. Wannan ba abu ne na dariya ba.
38	I. B.: OK, who is she?	I. B.: To, wannan wace ce?
39	NAZIR: Certainly, it is Fauziyya, the girl that I don’t give a damn about.	NAZIR: Wannan yarinyar mana, wai wacece…ahh Fauziyya ta ke, ko wa?
40	I. B.: OK, I don’t see any reason for concern, because a woman has been given to you. Is this the reason why you are troubling yourself?	I. B.: To, ni ban ga abun damuwa don an ba ka mace, kake wani damun kanka.
41	NAZIR: Hey, guy, in this century, someone is planning to choose a wife for you? So I would have a forced marriage? We have passed that century. It was done in the past. Now it is not done. Even then, women were forced into marriage, not men. But now we are in the computer age, of course.	NAZIR: Haba guy, a wannan karnin da muke ciki? A ce wai, za a zaba ma matar da za ka aura? Za ayi ma auren dole kenan? An wuce wannan karnin. A da ake haka. Yanzu ba a haka. A da din ma a mata fa ake yi wa ba maza ba. Amma yanzu haba we are in a computer age mana.
42	I. B.: OK, now, what have you decided?	I. B.: To, yanzu, me ka yanke?
43	NAZIR: OK, what choice do I have, other than to obey the orders of Mom and Dad because I don’t want them to get upset? That is the only reason I will make a move. Otherwise, I swear to God, I will not.	NAZIR: To, me zan yanke? Kawai na dai bi umarnin Umma ne da Dad, saboda bana son ransu ya baci kawai shi ya sa zan je. Amma in ba haka ba, da wallahi ba zan je ba.
44	I. B.: That is what I see. Do you know what we should do?	I. B.: Watau ni abun da na gani. Ka san mai yakamata mu yi?
45	NAZIR: No!	NAZIR: Ah ah.
46	I. B.: Let us pray so that God will guide us to make the best decision.	I. B.: Mu yi addu’a, Allah ya zaba mana mafi alkhairi.
47	NAZIR: Amen.	NAZIR: Amin.
48	I. B.: Just go. Probably the girl won’t like you.	I. B.: Kawai, ka je ka kawai. Ba ma Lallai ne a ce yarinya ta ce tana son ka ba.
49	NAZIR: Yeah, it is very likely! OK, man, how will I approach her? Why can’t you accompany me later?	NAZIR: Kuma haka ne fa. To, mutumina ya za ayi? Mu je ka raka ni mana anjima?
50	I. B.: Oh, no! Honestly, I don’t have time. I have some errands to run.	I. B.: Kai! Gaskiya, ba ni da lokaci. Ina da, da wata sabga da zan je in yi.
51	NAZIR: Malam, for God’s sake, what kind of errands do you have? Please, let’s go together later.	NAZIR: Malam, don Allah wace sabga kake da ita? Don Allah mu je ka raka ni anjima.
52	I. B.: Oh, no way! It has been three weeks now since I have seen Jamila. And if I call, she doesn’t answer.	I. B.: Kai, ina! Jamila, yau ya fi sati uku kenan ba ta fito min hira ba. Sannan in na kira ta ba ta dagawa.
53	NAZIR: OK, what happened? What happened between you two?	NAZIR: To, me ya faru? me ya hada ku?
54	I. B.: It is most likely because she is mad that I did not buy her the bridesmaid’s dress for her friend’s wedding.	I. B.: Ba zai wuce wannan haukan bukin kawarta ta ba, da ban yi mata ba.
55	NAZIR: Ha, my man, that has always been your problem. You are stingy! Otherwise, for God’s sake, why can’t you provide her with more money for the wedding dress she wanted?	NAZIR: Ha, mutumina kai dama matsalana da kai mak’o. In ba haka ba, haba don Allah. Dan ankon nan, a ba su mana?
56	I. B.: You know what? I have decided on a solution.	I. B.: Ka san meye? Akwai ma shawarar da na yanke.
57	NAZIR: OK!	NAZIR: Ok.
58	I. B.: The family of the younger sister of her father knows about our relationship. Are you following me?	I. B.: Akwai gidan kanwar Babanta, ta san ni da ita. Ka gane?
59	NAZIR: Yes.	NAZIR: Ok.
60	I. B.: OK, I will explain to her, so that she will not interpret my keeping away from the girl as disrespect to the family.	I. B.: To, zan je kawai, in kora mata bayani. Soboda kar su ga na janye, su ce na yudare su.
61	NAZIR: Oh, you know what? Please, just ignore her. Come and go along with me, so that when we come back, tomorrow I will also go with you to see yours.	NAZIR: Haa. Yanzu dai ka gane! Don Allah ka share ta mu je ka raka ni. In ya so, idan muka dawo, gobe ba sai in raka ka wajen ta ba?
62	I. B.: No, you know what, just go. I will be on my way now. I only came to ask for your companionship, so we can go together. But it appears you also have your own problem. I have to leave now!	I. B.: Ah ah ka gane, to, kawai ka je kawai ni yanzu ka gane, ni ma kawai warewa zan yi. Dama zuwa na yi, in fada ma za ka raka ni. To kuma tun da kai ma ga naka matsalar. Ni yanzu zan wucewa kawai zan yi.

Notes

Dadin Kowa (Everyone’s Enjoyment) is a Nigerian drama series. The series explores the everyday life of the northern Nigerian fictional town, Dadin Kowa. The town faces a growing need for police protection as an influx of refugees and threats of crime and violence provoke uncertainty and fear among its residents. Conflicts arise in the families of Malam Kabiru and Malam Musa, while problems with friends, employment, and potential love interests challenge the younger generation, which is represented by Nazir, A. K., Badaru, Dantani, and Alawiyya, among others. Dadin Kowa, which began in 2014, is an ongoing series that explores the community life of the Hausa people and culture.

Parental Involvement in Hausa Marriages

In traditional Hausa families, parents continue to arrange the marriages of their sons. In the rural areas in particular, the practice of arranged marriages remains prevalent, with some parents continuing to choose the brides for their sons at birth. In urban areas, young men and women typically choose who they wish to marry, although they seek the approval of their parents. Even after the man and woman agree to marry, and even if the marriage has been arranged by both sets of parents, according to traditional marriage customs, the groom’s parents will then formally meet with the bride’s family to seek permission. During the meeting, the families agree on the terms of the bride price, which would be at minimum rubu dinar ‘a quarter kilogram of gold’. A marriage without a bride price or some arrangement for a bride price is considered null and void. In many cases, the groom’s family pays the bride price. However, in auren sadaka ‘a charity marriage’, the bride price will be provided by the father or guardian of the bride.

Family Structure and Housing Design

In this video, Nazir’s mother waits to talk with Nazir in the courtyard of their house. Traditional Hausa housing design reflects the Hausa patriarchal family structure. The design prioritizes privacy as one moves from the exterior to the interior of the housing area. The men usually live in the forecourt (kofar gida) and gather with other male members of the family near the entrance or in exterior areas. Women typically meet and reside in the inner court, or cikin gida. The shigifa is a space between these separate gendered quarters where the women may meet with male members of the family. In contemporary housing design, living quarters and social spaces tend to retain their gendered designations.

Hausa Wedding Ceremonies

The wedding ceremony unfolds in different steps, alternately involving the groom, the bride, and their families or friends. Among these steps includes the daurin aure, the traditional religious ceremony where the bride and groom exchange their vows, and the chief imam will bless the marriage. On the wedding day, family and friends come together to celebrate the marrying couple. Another aspect of the wedding is when the groom’s family seeks to kamun amarya ‘catch the bride’ by negotiating “a price” for the bride from the bride’s friends. Traditional Hausa weddings also include a female-only affair, with the bride and her female family and friends taking part in the sa lalle or wuni, during which the women get henna designs on their hands and legs. Kai amarya, another traditional part of the wedding ceremony, is when the bride’s family and friends escort the bride to her new home. The accompanying image shows the Nigerian president’s daughter Zahra Buhari encircled by her bridesmaids in matching dresses at part of her wedding celebration.

Glossary

1. a bar maganan nan (lit: leave this talk) stop talking about this
2. Dan ankon (lit: son of anchor) wedding dress
3. faranta wa mahaifinka rai (lit: whiten father mind) make your father happy
4. La ilaha illallah Muhammadan Rasulallahi Salallahu alayhi wa sallam (from Arabic) There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon he who is the messenger of God
5. ni nake daure maka gindi (lit: I am tying your butt down) I am taking your side
6. wuyanka ya yi kauri (lit: your neck has become thick) you have become stubborn
7. zubar ma ni da hawaye (lit: pour tears for me) weep because of me