Malami yana makaranta.

to be

Breakdown of Malami yana makaranta.

• a: at
• makaranta: the school
• malami: the teacher

Questions & Answers about Malami yana makaranta.

What does yana mean in Malami yana makaranta? Is it the verb “to be”?

yana is a single auxiliary made of ya (“he”) + na (present‐progressive/habitual marker). It acts like English is in he is, so Malami yana makaranta literally means “Teacher he‑is school,” i.e. “The teacher is at school.”

Does malami mean “a teacher” or “the teacher”? Why aren’t there articles?

Hausa has no words for a or the in the same way English does. malami can be interpreted as “a teacher” or “the teacher” from context. If you want to say “a teacher” explicitly, use wani malami; for “the teacher,” you can say malamin.

What is makaranta, and why isn’t there a preposition like in or at before it?

makaranta means “school.” In the structure yana + noun, that noun serves as a locative complement (“where he is”). So yana makaranta simply means “is at school.” No extra preposition is needed.

How do I ask “Where is the teacher?” in Hausa?

For a where‐question use ina + subject + auxiliary:
• Ina malami yake? (“Where is the teacher?”)
For a yes/no question (“Is the teacher at school?”), add ne at the end:
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