Learn Hardcore Hausa: Ni ma ina aiki yau.

ina is the normal I (am) form used with ongoing actions:
- Ina aiki = I am working.
ni is an independent / emphatic I, used for focus or contrast, similar to English me in Me, I’m working or I, on my part.

In Ni ma ina aiki yau:

ina aiki yau = I’m working today
Adding ni makes it: As for me, I’m also working today / Me too, I’m working today.

So ni adds emphasis or contrast; ina is needed for the actual verb form.

What exactly does ma mean here, and where should it go in the sentence?

ma generally means also / too / as well / even, and it usually comes right after the word it is modifying.

In Ni ma ina aiki yau:

Ni ma = I too / me also
So the whole sentence is I too am working today.

Common patterns:

Ni ma ina aiki yau. – I too am working today. (the I is also true)
Ina aiki yau ma. – I’m working today too. (the today / this day or the whole situation is also true)

Less natural (or changes the nuance):

Ina ma aiki yau. – possible, but tends to sound like I do work too (emphasizing the action itself), and is less common in this simple context.
Ina aiki ma yau. – not standard.

For a learner, the safest for me too, I’m working today is:

Ni ma ina aiki yau.

Is aiki a noun or a verb in this sentence?

Formally, aiki is a noun meaning work.

However, in the structure ina + verbal noun, Hausa uses the noun like an English ‑ing form:

aiki = work → functions like working
ina aiki = I am (in the state of) work → I’m working

So:

It is grammatically a noun (a verbal noun / masdar).
Together with ina, it functions like an English continuous verb form (am working).

Does ina aiki mean I work (simple present) or I am working (continuous)?

Ina aiki is primarily present continuous / progressive:

Ina aiki. = I am working (now / these days).

But, like English I’m working today, it can also describe:

a temporary arrangement: I’m working today / this week
a current ongoing job: I’m (currently) employed / I have a job

For habitual meaning I (normally) work, Hausa tends to use different patterns, e.g.:

Nakan yi aiki. – I usually work / I tend to work.
Ina yin aiki kullum. – I do work every day.

So in Ni ma ina aiki yau, you should hear it as I’m also working today / I’m at work today, not as a timeless statement like I work today.

Can yau go somewhere else, or must it be at the end?

Yau (today) is quite flexible. All of these are possible, with slightly different emphasis:

Ni ma ina aiki yau. – neutral; I too am working today.
Ni ma yau ina aiki. – a bit more focus on today: I too am working today (as opposed to some other day).
Yau ni ma ina aiki. – strong focus on today: Today, I too am working.

For everyday use, Ni ma ina aiki yau or simply Ina aiki yau are the most natural neutral orders. Fronting yau (putting it first) is more like topicalizing: As for today…

Can I leave out yau? How does the meaning change?

Yes, you can drop yau:

Ni ma ina aiki. – I’m also working / Me too, I’m working.

Without yau, the sentence no longer specifies today. It just says that you are also working at this time or in this period, without tying it to a particular day. The exact time is then understood from context.

Should there be ne or ce at the end, like Ni ma ina aiki yau ne?

No, not in normal Standard Hausa.

ne / ce are focus/copula particles usually used with non‑verbal predicates, like:
- Ni malami ne. – I am a teacher.
- Ita likita ce. – She is a doctor.

With the progressive structure ina + verbal noun, you do not normally add ne/ce:

Ni ma ina aiki yau. ✔ natural
Ni ma ina aiki yau ne. ✖ odd / non‑standard in most contexts

So the correct, natural version is Ni ma ina aiki yau. without ne/ce.

How would this sentence change with other subjects, like you, he, or they?

Here is the same structure with different subjects:

Ni ma ina aiki yau. – I too am working today.
Kai ma kana aiki yau. – You (m.sg.) too are working today.
Ke ma kina aiki yau. – You (f.sg.) too are working today.
Shi ma yana aiki yau. – He too is working today.
Ita ma tana aiki yau. – She too is working today.
Mu ma muna aiki yau. – We too are working today.
Ku ma kuna aiki yau. – You (pl.) too are working today.
Su ma suna aiki yau. – They too are working today.

Pattern:

[Independent pronoun] + ma + [progressive form] + aiki + yau

Can Ni ma stand alone, like just saying Me too?

Yes.

In a conversation:

A: Ina aiki yau. – I’m working today.
B: Ni ma. – Me too.

Here, Ni ma is understood as a short answer: I also (am doing that same thing). You don’t need to repeat ina aiki yau if it is clear from context.

So:

Ni ma ina aiki yau. – full sentence
Ni ma. – short, conversational Me too.