Log inSign up

Shi malami ne.

Shi malami ne.
He is a teacher.
FromLesson 2inHardcore Hausa
…

Breakdown of Shi malami ne.

ne
to be
shi
he
malami
the teacher

Questions & Answers about Shi malami ne.

What is the function of shi in the sentence Shi malami ne?
shi is the third‑person singular masculine independent pronoun, meaning he. It serves as the subject. In Hausa nominal sentences you often include the pronoun for clarity or emphasis, although it can be dropped when context makes the subject obvious.
What does ne do at the end of Shi malami ne?
ne is the equational particle (copula) that links the subject to a noun predicate. Hausa does not have a separate “to be” verb, so ne fulfills the role of “is.”
Why isn’t there a separate word for “is” here?
Hausa expresses predication of a noun by placing the copula ne after the noun rather than using a distinct verb. So instead of “he is a teacher,” you literally get “he teacher ne.”
What is the word order in Shi malami ne?

The structure is:

  1. Subject pronoun (shi)
  2. Predicate noun (malami)
  3. Copula particle (ne)
How would you make this sentence feminine?

Replace each element with its feminine counterpart:
• shi → ita (she)
• malami → malama (female teacher)
• ne → ce (feminine copula)
Result: Ita malama ce (“She is a teacher.”)

How would you say “They are teachers”?

Use the plural pronoun su, the plural form malamai, and ne:
Su malamai ne (“They are teachers.”)
You can also front the noun for emphasis: Malamai su ne.

How would you say “I am a teacher”?

Use the first‑person pronoun ni, then malami ne (if you’re male) or malama ce (if you’re female):
• Ni malami ne (“I am a teacher,” said by a man)
• Ni malama ce (“I am a teacher,” said by a woman)

How would you say “You (masculine) are a teacher”?

Use the second‑person masculine pronoun kai, then malami ne:
Kai malami ne.
For a female add ke malama ce.

Can you omit the pronoun and simply say Malami ne? When is that acceptable?
Yes. If the subject has already been established, you can drop shi and answer a question like “Who’s inside?” with Malami ne (“(He) is the teacher”). In a standalone affirmative statement, however, including shi is more common to avoid ambiguity.
How can you emphasize that he is the teacher, as opposed to someone else?

Front the noun and then use the pronoun before ne:
Malami shi ne, literally “Teacher, he is,” which carries the nuance “He is the teacher (and no one else).”

More from this lesson

yauranamai kyauYau rana ce mai kyau.gobeba … bajekasuwa
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Hausa grammar?”
Hausa grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Hausa

Master Hausa — from Shi malami ne to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Hausa freeBrowse the full course