Object-Dependent Verb Forms

Level 3

Learn no-following-object, noun-object and short-pronoun-object forms together.

How It Works

In standard Kano Hausa, Grade 2 contains transitive variable-vowel verbs. For saya ‘buy’, ordinary finite forms have long -a without a following object, short -i before a noun object, and long -e before a short direct-object pronoun. Demonstratives count as noun objects. Ordinary Nigerian Boko marks neither tone nor vowel length.

Compare Ta sayi hula ‘She bought a cap’ with Hula ta saya ‘A cap is what she bought’. Fronting leaves no object after the verb; focus requires relative completive marking. Regular two-syllable members have low–high tones. Exceptional no-object patterns include ɗauka, ɗiba and samu; longer verbs also change tone across object environments.

Learn indirect-object forms individually. Continuatives use verbal nouns, including sayen hula ‘buying a cap’. Imperatives have separate patterns and attested speaker variation.

Examples (3)

  1. Amina ta sayi hula.

    Amina bought a cap.

    The following noun object selects sayi.

  2. Ta saye ta.

    She bought it.

    The feminine short object pronoun refers to the cap.

  3. Hula ta saya.

    A cap is what she bought.

    The fronted object leaves no following object; ta has relative completive pronunciation.

How It Connects

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

Object-Dependent Verb FormsLevel 3

Learn This First

Recognize short-object reference, verbal-noun grammar and relative completion before comparing Grade2 object-conditioned forms and focused-object displacement.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

saya