ɗan / 'yar

A Person or Item Associated with Something

Level 5

Association distinguishes masculine ɗan, feminine 'yar, and plural 'yan.

How It Works

Before a complement, ɗan, 'yar, 'yan can identify affiliation, origin, or occupation. They distinguish masculine singular, feminine singular, and plural reference. 'Yar Kano identifies a female person from Kano; 'yar Sani can identify Sani's daughter.

Gender-sensitive diminutives can precede noun phrases containing smallness modifiers. In 'yar ƙaramar jaka, feminine 'yar and ƙaramar describe a little bag. A separate pattern places a reduplicated diminutive adjective after its noun; that adjective's position does not require every diminutive marker to follow the noun.

Invariant adverbial ɗan before a verb means ‘somewhat’ and does not change with subject gender. Established compounds can have specialized meanings: ɗan kwali means a head scarf. Preserve written ɗ, 'y, and linker -r despite spoken assimilation. Compound spacing follows the established word, rather than one universal rule.

Examples (5)

  1. Hauwa 'yar Kano ce.

    Hauwa is from Kano.

    Feminine association identifies origin.

  2. 'Yan makaranta suna karatu.

    The students are studying.

    Plural affiliation takes plural continuative marking.

  3. Na kawo 'yar ƙaramar jaka.

    I brought a little bag.

    The feminine diminutive precedes a feminine noun phrase.

  4. 'yar Sani

    Sani's daughter.

    Noun-phrase fragment illustrating literal kinship.

  5. Na sayi ɗan kwali.

    I bought a head scarf.

    The compound has an established lexical meaning.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ɗan / 'yarLevel 5A Person or Item Associated with Something

Learn This First

Recognize gender-sensitive linked descriptions, plural ongoing subjects and completed-event object frames before learning the attested affiliation, diminutive and lexical compounds with ɗan, 'yar and 'yan.

Words in This Pattern

ɗan'yar'yanɗanɗan