Riga tana da tsada a kasuwa.

The shirt is expensive at the market.

Breakdown of Riga tana da tsada a kasuwa.

• ne: to be
• kasuwa: the market
• riga: the shirt

Questions & Answers about Riga tana da tsada a kasuwa.

Why does the sentence use tana instead of yana?

In Hausa, riga (which usually translates to a shirt, blouse, or gown) is grammatically considered feminine. Therefore, the feminine form tana is used instead of the masculine yana.

What does tana da mean in this context?

The construction tana da indicates possession or that something “has” a certain quality. So riga tana da tsada literally conveys that the shirt “has expensiveness,” i.e., it is expensive.

Why is tsada used instead of an adjective meaning “expensive”?

Tsada is a noun referring to “costliness” or “high price.” In Hausa, saying something “has costliness” (tana da tsada) is a common way to express that it is expensive.

What is the role of a kasuwa in the sentence?

A kasuwa means “in the market” or “at the market.” The preposition a indicates a location or place where the item’s price is considered high.

Is there any word order rule I should keep in mind here?

Yes. In Hausa, you often see a subject + tana da + the quality, followed by an optional prepositional phrase like a kasuwa (“at the market”). This reflects the standard structure for stating that something has a property or characteristic, plus where or under what context it applies.