Ina duba diddige yayin da ake duba igiyar takalmi.

I am checking the heel while the shoelace is checked.

Breakdown of Ina duba diddige yayin da ake duba igiyar takalmi.

• ni: I
• duba: to check
• an: one/they (impersonal)
• diddige: the heel

Questions & Answers about Ina duba diddige yayin da ake duba igiyar takalmi.

What does ina mean here? Is it the same as ina? meaning where?

Here ina is the 1st-person singular present/progressive marker, so ina duba means I am checking / I am looking at.

It is spelled the same as ina? meaning where?, so that can confuse learners at first. Context tells you which one it is:

• Ina duba diddige = I am checking the heel
• Ina diddige? = Where is the heel?

Why is duba used twice in the sentence?

Because the sentence has two clauses, and each clause has its own verb:

• Ina duba diddige = I am checking the heel
• yayin da ake duba igiyar takalmi = while the shoelace is being checked

So Hausa repeats duba because both actions are expressed fully.

What does yayin da mean?

Yayin da means while, as, or during the time that. It links the two actions and shows that they happen at the same time.

So in this sentence it introduces the second action:

• yayin da ake duba igiyar takalmi = while the shoelace is being checked

Why does the sentence say ake duba instead of ana duba?