Learn Hardcore Hausa: Za ka so ruwa ko abinci yanzu? - Do you masculine want water or food now?

It usually indicates something that has not happened yet but is expected or proposed.
In this sentence, Za ka so…? is very close to English Would you like…? or Will you want…?, not a simple Do you want…?
So za + pronoun + verb often softens the sentence and makes it sound more polite or tentative, especially in offers and suggestions.

Examples:

Zan tafi gobe. – I will go tomorrow.
Za ki zo? – Will you come? / Would you come?

What does ka mean in Za ka so…? Is it the same as you?

Yes. Ka is the second person singular, masculine subject pronoun in Hausa. It is the “you” (male, one person) that appears after za in this pattern.

Some relevant forms with za are:

Zan so… – I will like / I would like… (I)
Za ka so… – You (male, singular) will like / would like…
Za ki so… – You (female, singular) will like / would like…
Za ku so… – You (plural) will like / would like…

So in your sentence, Za ka so ruwa ko abinci yanzu? is specifically addressed to one male person.

How would I say this sentence if I’m talking to a woman or to more than one person?

You only need to change the pronoun after za:

To a woman (singular):
- Za ki so ruwa ko abinci yanzu? – Would you (female) like water or food now?
To more than one person (mixed or all male/female):
- Za ku so ruwa ko abinci yanzu? – Would you (all) like water or food now?

The rest of the sentence (ruwa ko abinci yanzu) stays the same.

Does so mean to like or to want here?

So in Hausa can cover both like and want, depending on context:

In an offer or request context like this, Za ka so ruwa…? is naturally understood as Would you like some water? or Do you want some water?
In other contexts it can mean to like something more generally:
- Ina son kofi. – I like coffee.

So in your sentence, so is closer to want / would like rather than a long‑term preference.

Why is it Za ka so ruwa and not Za ka son ruwa like Ina son ruwa?

Good observation: both so and son appear in Hausa, but in different structures.

With continuous/habitual “I am / I do” (using ina / kana / yana etc.), so usually appears as son before its object:
- Ina son ruwa. – I like / want water.
- Kana son abinci? – Do you (male) like / want food?
With za + pronoun (future / would), you normally use the bare verb form so before the object:
- Za ka so ruwa. – You will like / would like water.

For a learner, an easy rule of thumb is:

With ina / kana / yana etc. → …son X
With za + pronoun → …so X

Is Za ka so…? more like Would you like…? or Do you want…? in English?

It’s closer to “Would you like…?” in terms of politeness and feel.

Za ka so ruwa ko abinci yanzu? sounds polite and slightly softer, like offering something.
If you say Kana son ruwa ko abinci yanzu?, that’s nearer to Do you want water or food now? — still fine, but a bit more direct and less “polite-offer” in tone.

So, when you are offering something, Za ka so…? is often the better choice.

What does ko mean here? Does it work like English or?

Yes. Ko in this sentence works like or:

ruwa ko abinci – water or food

Some extra notes:

Ko is the normal word for or in both statements and questions.
In questions, it’s usually non‑exclusive; it just presents a choice:
- Za ka so shayi ko kofi? – Would you like tea or coffee?

You may also see:

ko kuma – or / or else (often adds a slight contrast or “alternative” feel)
ko dai – or maybe / or perhaps (more tentative or speculative)

In your sentence, simple ko is exactly right.

Can I change the order to Za ka so abinci ko ruwa yanzu? Does that change the meaning?

You can change the order; the basic meaning stays the same:

Za ka so ruwa ko abinci yanzu? – Would you like water or food now?
Za ka so abinci ko ruwa yanzu? – Would you like food or water now?

The difference is mostly about which option you mention first / focus on:

Saying ruwa ko abinci can sound like you are thinking first of drink, then of food.
Saying abinci ko ruwa puts food first in the listener’s mind.

Grammatically, both are correct.

What does yanzu add here? Can I leave it out, or put it somewhere else?

Yanzu means now.

Za ka so ruwa ko abinci yanzu? – Would you like water or food now?

About position:

You can put yanzu at the beginning for emphasis on time:
- Yanzu, za ka so ruwa ko abinci? – Now, would you like water or food?
You can also omit it if the context is clear:
- Za ka so ruwa ko abinci? – Would you like water or food?

So yanzu is optional; it just specifies that you mean “right now”.

In everyday conversation, would people usually add “drink” or “eat”, like sha or ci, or is ruwa ko abinci enough?

In real conversation, both styles are used:

Short version (like your sentence):
- Za ka so ruwa ko abinci yanzu?
  This is perfectly natural. The verbs “drink” and “eat” are understood from context.
More explicit version (very common too):
- Za ka sha ruwa ko za ka ci abinci yanzu? – Would you drink water or eat food now?
- Or shorter: Za ka sha ruwa ko ci abinci yanzu?

Hausa speakers are very used to leaving verbs out when the meaning is obvious, especially with ruwa (water, drink) and abinci (food, eat).

How can I answer this question in Hausa, for example “Water, please” or “No, thanks”?

Some natural replies:

Yes, water (please).
- Eh, ruwa kawai. – Yes, just water.
- Eh, zan so ruwa. – Yes, I’d like water.
Yes, food (please).
- Eh, abinci. – Yes, food.
- Eh, zan so abinci. – Yes, I’d like food.
Both.
- Eh, duka biyun. – Yes, both (of them).
No, thanks.
- A’a, na gode. – No, thank you.
- A’a, ba zan so komai yanzu ba. – No, I wouldn’t like anything now.

These are all polite and fit naturally after Za ka so ruwa ko abinci yanzu?.