Ke kina lafiya?

to be

Breakdown of Ke kina lafiya?

• lafiya: well
• ke: you (feminine)

Questions & Answers about Ke kina lafiya?

Why do we use Ke at the beginning of this sentence?

In Hausa, Ke is the second-person singular pronoun specifically used to address a female. It indicates that you're speaking to a woman or girl.

What is the role of kina in this sentence?

The word kina is the continuous form of “you are” for a female subject. It comes from the verb (ka)na (to be) but is specifically conjugated for a female, hence kina.

Why do people sometimes say Kai kana lafiya? instead of Ke kina lafiya?

Kai kana lafiya? is the masculine version of the question, used to address a male. Ke kina lafiya? is asked of a female, while Kai kana lafiya? is asked of a male.

Could we just say Lafiya? to ask “Are you well?”

Yes, you can say Lafiya? as a very short, casual way to check on someone’s well-being. However, Ke kina lafiya? is more specific and polite when speaking to a female.

How would I answer if someone asks me Ke kina lafiya?

You could respond with something like Lafiya lau (meaning I’m perfectly fine) or Lafiya kalau (also I’m very well). If you're not feeling well, you could say Ba lafiya sosai ba (meaning I’m not very well).