Yanzu Baba yana salla a masallaci.

Now father is praying at the mosque.

Breakdown of Yanzu Baba yana salla a masallaci.

• ne: to be
• yanzu: now
• a: at
• baba: the father
• masallaci: the mosque
• salla: to pray

Questions & Answers about Yanzu Baba yana salla a masallaci.

What does yanzu mean exactly, and does it always have to go at the beginning of the sentence?

Yanzu means “now”.

• In this sentence, Yanzu Baba yana salla a masallaci = “Now Baba is praying in the mosque.”
• It usually appears at the beginning of the sentence, but it can also come later, for example:
  • Baba yanzu yana salla a masallaci.
  • Baba yana salla yanzu a masallaci.

Putting it at the start makes “now” the topic of the sentence (emphasis on the time).

Where is the English verb “to be” (like “is”) in this Hausa sentence?

Hausa does not normally use a separate word like English “is” in this type of sentence.

• The idea of “is” is included in the structure yana salla.
• yana literally combines:
  • ya = 3rd person singular masculine (“he”)
  • -na = a progressive/continuous marker (“in the process of”)
• So yana salla ≈ “he is (in the process of) praying.”

There is no separate word that corresponds exactly to English “is” here.

What is the function of yana in this sentence?

Yana marks 3rd person singular masculine in the progressive/continuous aspect.

• ya = he
• -na = progressive aspect

So yana means “he is (currently doing something)” + the verb or verbal noun that follows.

In yanzu Baba yana salla a masallaci:

• Baba → the subject (he)
• yana salla → “is praying” (an action happening now)

Is salla a verb or a noun here?

In form, salla is a noun meaning ritual prayer (especially Islamic prayer).

However, in the pattern:

• yana salla
• tana salla
• suna salla

it functions like an action (“praying”), so it behaves like a verb in English translation.

You could also use the more explicitly verbal form:

• yana yin salla = “he is doing prayer” / “he is praying”

But yana salla is shorter and very natural.

What is the difference between yana salla and yana yin salla?

Both are correct and common, but there is a small difference in structure:

• yana salla

  • literally “he is prayer”
  • salla used directly after yana
  • very common and natural in everyday speech

• yana yin salla

  • yana
    • yi (to do) in the verbal noun form yin
      • salla
  • literally “he is doing prayer”
  • slightly more explicit grammatically, but not necessarily “more formal”

In practice, both usually mean “he is praying.”

Does salla always mean Islamic prayer, or any kind of prayer?

In modern Hausa usage:

• salla most often refers to Islamic ritual prayer (the five daily prayers, Friday prayer, etc.).
• For more general “prayer” or “supplication,” you can also see:
  • addu’a = supplication, making a personal prayer to God

So in this sentence with masallaci (mosque), yana salla is clearly “he is performing (Muslim) prayer.”

What does masallaci mean, and is it specific to Islam?

Masallaci means “mosque” – a place where Muslims perform prayer.

• It is specifically Islamic.
• It is derived from the root related to salla (prayer), with a place-forming pattern that makes it “a place of prayer.”

So a masallaci = “in/at the mosque.”

What does the preposition a mean in a masallaci?

a is a locative preposition, usually translated as “in,” “at,” or “on,” depending on context.

• a masallaci can be understood as:
  • “in the mosque”
  • “at the mosque”
• Hausa does not always distinguish as tightly as English between “in” and “at”; a covers both.

For extra clarity of “inside,” speakers may say:

• a cikin masallaci = “inside the mosque”

Why is there no word for “the” before masallaci? How do you say “in the mosque” vs “in a mosque”?

Hausa has no separate words for “a/an” or “the” like English.

• masallaci on its own can mean “a mosque” or “the mosque” depending on context.
• a masallaci may be translated either way:
  • “in a mosque”
  • “in the mosque”

Context (what has been mentioned before, what both speakers know) usually tells you whether it is definite or indefinite in English terms.

Is Baba just the word for “father,” or is it also a name?

Baba has two common uses:

1. As a kinship term:

   • baba = “father”
   • also used more broadly for an older man, an elder, or as a respectful title.

2. As a personal name or nickname:

   • Many people are simply called Baba.

In your sentence, the capitalized Baba suggests we’re treating it like a name (“Baba”) rather than “my father.”
If you wanted to say “my father,” you would usually say:

• Babana yana salla a masallaci. = “My father is praying in the mosque.”

Why is it yana and not tana here? How does gender work?

Hausa marks gender in the 3rd person singular progressive forms:

• yana = he is (doing…) → masculine
• tana = she is (doing…) → feminine

Since Baba is male, we use yana.

If the subject were a woman, you would say:

• Yanzu Ladi tana salla a masallaci.
  (if context allowed a woman praying in a mosque)
• Or for a woman at home:
  • Yanzu Mama tana salla a gida. = “Now Mum is praying at home.”

What is the basic word order in this sentence?

The core order here is:

• [Time] + [Subject] + [Progressive marker] + [Action] + [Location]

Concretely:

• Yanzu (Time)
• Baba (Subject)
• yana (Progressive marker – “he is …-ing”)
• salla (Action – praying)
• a masallaci (Location – in/at the mosque)

So the basic subject–verb–(object/complement)–place order is similar to English, but the progressive is expressed by yana + verbal noun instead of “is + -ing verb.”