mana / muku / musu

Plural Dative Pronouns

Level 3

Mana = to/for us; muku = to/for you plural; musu = to/for them.

How It Works

Use mana, muku or musu after the appropriate dative verb form. A following direct object names what is brought, shown or told. The pronouns distinguish groups without gender distinctions.

Compare Ya kama mu., He caught us, with Ya kawo mana ruwa., He brought us water. First-person plural mana differs from direct-object mu, so learn the whole form. Also distinguish this dative from the exhortative particle spelled mana, which can encourage someone to act.

Attested speaker variants include maku, masu and mamu. Regular Grade 1 verbs retain their base form before datives; other classes may require special forms. The giving verb has exceptional recipient grammar. Dative interpretation depends on the verb and context, and is not always beneficial.

Examples (3)

  1. Malam ya nuna mana hanyar.

    The teacher showed us the way.

    Mana includes the speaker among the recipients.

  2. Zan kawo muku abinci.

    I will bring you food. (a group)

    Muku identifies the addressed recipients.

  3. Aisha ta gaya musu labari.

    Aisha told them a story.

    Musu identifies third-person plural recipients.

How It Connects

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

mana / muku / musuLevel 3Plural Dative Pronouns

Learn This First

Extend singular dative and plural direct-object contrasts to mana/muku/musu, keeping recipients distinct from direct objects.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.