Ni na so ruwa sosai.

I want water very much.

Breakdown of Ni na so ruwa sosai.

• ni: I
• so: to want
• ruwa: the water
• sosai: very

Questions & Answers about Ni na so ruwa sosai.

Why do we use ni at the start of the sentence?

In Hausa, ni (meaning I) can be used at the beginning for emphasis. You could say na so ruwa sosai without ni, and it would still mean I like water very much, but including ni draws extra attention to the speaker.

What's the difference between na so and ina so?

Na so is a perfect tense or a completed aspect form, often meaning I wanted or I have wanted, but it can also be used to express a strong present desire. Ina so, on the other hand, is the continuous/imperfect form, typically meaning I want in a more ongoing or habitual sense.

Why does the sentence place ruwa before sosai?

In Hausa, modifiers like sosai (very much) generally come after the item or action they modify. So you mention ruwa (water) first and then add sosai to show intensity.

Can I say Ni na so sosai ruwa?

That would not sound natural in Hausa. The usual order is ruwa followed by sosai, because sosai is emphasizing the extent of the liking/wanting.

Is it acceptable to drop ni and just say na so ruwa sosai in everyday conversation?

Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable. Saying na so ruwa sosai still conveys I really like water or I really want water. Adding ni is more about emphasis or clarifying the subject in certain contexts.