Learn Hardcore Hausa: Malam yana tsaye a falo yana magana da baƙo. - The teacher is standing in the living room talking with the male guest.

Literally, it means something like “teacher / learned man”.
It can also work like “sir” or “master” in polite address, especially for an older man, a teacher, or a religious scholar.
In this sentence, Malam could be:
- a specific person known by that title (like saying “The teacher is standing…”)
- or used almost like a name, if everyone knows who “Malam” is in that context.

So Malam here is best understood as “the teacher / the learned man”, not a first name.

Why is yana used twice: “Malam yana tsaye a falo yana magana da baƙo”? Is that necessary?

Yes, it is normal and natural here.

yana = “he is / he’s (in the process of) …‑ing” (progressive aspect).
First yana: yana tsaye → “he is standing”.
Second yana: yana magana → “he is talking / speaking”.

You effectively have two ongoing actions at the same time:

He is standing in the living room
He is talking with a guest

Hausa normally repeats yana in such cases. You could insert a little pause or comma in English:
“Malam is standing in the living room, (and) he is talking with a guest.”

You’ll also hear a shorter style in speech (e.g. dropping the second yana), but the given sentence is clear, standard, and textbook‑friendly.

What is the function of yana in Hausa? Is it like the English verb “to be”?