Makwabta namu suna zaune kusa da gidanmu.

Our neighbours live near our house.

Breakdown of Makwabta namu suna zaune kusa da gidanmu.

• ne: to be
• kusa: near
• gidan: the house
• da: with
• makwabci: the neighbour
• zauna: to live

Questions & Answers about Makwabta namu suna zaune kusa da gidanmu.

What does makwabta mean exactly? Is it singular or plural?

Makwabta means neighbors (plural).

• The basic root is makwabci = neighbor (singular).
• The plural is makwabta = neighbors.

So Makwabta namu literally = our neighbors.

What does namu mean, and why does it come after makwabta?

Namu means our / ours. In this sentence it works like an adjective meaning our.

In Hausa, this type of possessive pronoun often comes after the noun it modifies:

• makwabta namu = our neighbors
• abokai nagu = my friends
• ’ya’ya nasu = their children

So makwabta namu is literally neighbors our in Hausa word order.

Why is it makwabta namu but gidanmu (one word) for “our house”?

Hausa has two common ways to show possession:

1. Independent possessive pronoun after the noun

   • makwabta namu = our neighbors
   • motoci naku = your (pl.) cars

2. Possessive suffix attached to the noun

   • gida (house) + -nmu (our) → gidanmu = our house
   • motata = my car
   • littafinka = your (sg.) book

So in this sentence we see both patterns:

• makwabta namu – separate word namu
• gidanmu – suffix -nmu attached to gida

Both are normal structures in Hausa; they just use different possessive forms.

What exactly does suna mean in suna zaune?

Suna is a subject pronoun + aspect marker for “they are …”.

• su = they
• na (here) = continuous / progressive aspect marker
• su + na → suna

So:

• suna zaune = they are sitting / they are (in a state of) sitting

Compare:

• suna wasa = they are playing
• suna cin abinci = they are eating

It’s not just “they”; it carries the idea of “they are currently doing/being”.

How is suna different from su ne?

• suna = they are (doing/being something), used with verbs or verbal nouns

  • suna zaune = they are sitting
  • suna aiki = they are working

• su ne = they are (the ones), used for identification / emphasis

  • Su ne makwabta namu. = They are our neighbors.
  • Su ne malamai. = They are the teachers.

So:

• suna → progressive/continuous action or state
• su ne → identifying who/what someone is.

What does zaune mean, and why isn’t it just zauna?

• zauna is the basic verb: to sit; to live/stay (somewhere).
• zaune is a verbal noun / state form, used with “to be” forms like suna.

Think of suna zaune roughly as “they are in a sitting state”:

• Ina zaune. = I am sitting.
• Muna zaune a Kano. = We live (we are residing) in Kano.

You usually don’t say suna zauna for “they are sitting”; the natural form is suna zaune.

Does suna zaune mean “they are sitting” or “they live (there)”?

It can mean either, depending on context:

1. Physical sitting right now

   • Makwabta namu suna zaune kusa da gidanmu.
     → Our neighbors are sitting near our house (e.g., at this moment).

2. Residing / living

   • The same sentence can also be understood as:
     → Our neighbors live near our house.

Hausa often uses zaune plus a place to talk about someone’s residence. Context (and sometimes extra time phrases) makes the intended meaning clear.

What does kusa da mean, and can you say a kusa da instead?

Kusa da means near / close to.

• kusa = near, close
• da = with / to (here it forms a preposition: “near to”)

Examples:

• kusa da gidanmu = near our house
• kusa da kasuwa = near the market

You will also hear a kusa da:

• a = in/at
• a kusa da gidanmu = at near our house ≈ near our house

Both kusa da and a kusa da are used in natural speech. In this sentence, kusa da gidanmu without a is already fully correct.

Why is it gidanmu and not gida namu for “our house”?

Both patterns exist, but gidanmu (with a suffix) is much more common and idiomatic for “our house”.

• gida = house
• gida + -nmu (our) → gidanmu

Gida namu can appear in some contexts, but gidanmu is the standard, tight noun‑plus‑possessive form. For everyday speech and writing, treat gidanmu as the normal way to say our house.

What is the -n- in gidanmu? Why not just gida + mu?

The -n- is part of Hausa’s linking/possessive morphology.

• gida (ending in a vowel) + -n (linking consonant) + mu (us/our)
• → gidanmu

This -n- often appears when a noun ending in a vowel takes a possessive suffix:

• gida
  • -nsa → gidansa = his house
• mota
  • -ta → motata = my car (here -t- serves as the link)

So gidanmu is gida + n + mu, all merged into one word.

What is the basic word order in this sentence?

The order is:

1. Subject (noun + possessor)
   
   • Makwabta namu = our neighbors
2. Subject marker + aspect (suna)
   
   • suna = they are (progressive)
3. State / verb-like element
   
   • zaune = sitting / residing
4. Place expression
   
   • kusa da gidanmu = near our house

So in simple terms:
Subject – “are” – state/verb – location.

This is a very typical Hausa sentence pattern.

How would I say “Our neighbor is sitting near our house” (singular “neighbor”)?

You need the singular form for “neighbor” and the singular subject marker:

• Makwabcinmu yana zaune kusa da gidanmu.

Breakdown:

• Makwabci = neighbor (singular)
• Makwabci + -nmu → Makwabcinmu = our neighbor
• yana = he/she is (singular, progressive)
• zaune = sitting
• kusa da gidanmu = near our house

So the plural sentence is:

• Makwabta namu suna zaune kusa da gidanmu. = Our neighbors are sitting/living near our house.

and the singular version is:

• Makwabcinmu yana zaune kusa da gidanmu. = Our neighbor is sitting/living near our house.

Is there any difference between makwabta namu and something like makwabtammu?

Yes, there is a structural difference:

• makwabta namu

  • Noun (plural)
    • independent possessive
  • Very clear and common: our neighbors

• makwabtammu (compressed form)

  • Noun (plural)
    • attached possessive
  • You may see or hear compressed forms like this in some dialects or rapid speech, but they are less standard and can sound informal or dialectal.

For learners, it is safest and clearest to use:

• makwabta namu = our neighbors.