da

Having Something

Level 2

Ina da, kana da, kina da, yana da, tana da, muna da, kuna da and suna da identify the possessor.

How It Works

Use a continuative subject form followed by da and the thing possessed. A named subject can precede its agreeing form. The construction also attributes qualities: having beauty can correspond to English being beautiful.

With an overt noun subject, personal agreement may be omitted, leaving na da: Hauwa na da jaki. also means Hauwa has a donkey. Negative possession uses its own subject forms. Ba su da means they do not have; ba sa belongs to negative action constructions. Negative possession occurs without final ba, as below, and also with final ba in attested usage.

Object questions put me first and use a relative subject form, retaining shi after da: Me kake da shi?, What do you have? Da still has an object. Relative ke has a short vowel in this construction, which ordinary spelling leaves unmarked.

Examples (3)

  1. Ina da alkalami.

    I have a pen.

    Ina identifies the first-person possessor.

  2. Hauwa tana da jaki.

    Hauwa has a donkey.

    The feminine named subject precedes tana da.

  3. Ba su da kuɗi.

    They do not have money.

    This negative possession pattern uses ba su da without final ba.

How It Connects

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

daLevel 2Having Something

Learn This First

Recognize da accompaniment/coordination and continuative subject marking before interpreting the complete having frame.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

yanaKinamunaMunadà