Shi Ali ne.

He is Ali.

Breakdown of Shi Ali ne.

• ne: to be
• Ali: Ali
• shi: he

Questions & Answers about Shi Ali ne.

What does shi mean in this sentence?

Shi is the third-person singular masculine pronoun in Hausa, meaning “he.” In the sentence Shi Ali ne, it specifically identifies that we are talking about a male person named Ali.

Why is ne used at the end?

Ne is a copula particle (sometimes viewed as a linking word) used to complete nominal sentences in Hausa. It helps to equate or identify one thing with another. Since we’re identifying Ali as “he,” or vice versa, ne is required at the end of the sentence.

Could I say Ali ne without shi?

Yes, you could say Ali ne, which also means “He is Ali” or “It is Ali.” However, including shi places emphasis on the subject pronoun “he,” making it more explicit and sometimes more stylistically complete in speech.

Does shi always appear before the name in such sentences?

In a standard identifying sentence like this, yes. Typically in Hausa, you have the pronoun first (shi for “he”), followed by the proper noun (Ali), and then the copula (ne). However, when omitting the pronoun, you would just say Ali ne.

Is there a feminine equivalent of shi Ali ne?

Yes. For a female subject, you would use ita instead of shi and ce instead of ne, making it Ita Aisha ce, meaning “She is Aisha.” The pronoun and the copula both change for the feminine form.