Na ji ciwo a kafa.

I felt pain in my leg.

Breakdown of Na ji ciwo a kafa.

• ji: to feel
• a: in
• kafa: the leg
• ciwo: the pain

Questions & Answers about Na ji ciwo a kafa.

What does each word in Na ji ciwo a kafa literally mean?

Word by word:

• Na – “I” as a subject marker in the perfective (completed) aspect.
• ji – “hear / feel / sense.” Here it means to feel.
• ciwo – “pain, ache, illness.” Here: pain / ache.
• a – preposition meaning “in / at / on” (general location).
• kafa – “leg” or “foot.”

So a very literal gloss is: “I felt pain at (the) leg.”

Why is ji (which I learned as “to hear”) used to talk about pain?

In Hausa, ji is a general verb of perception and feeling. It is used for:

• hearing: Na ji sauti. – I heard a sound.
• feeling (emotion): Na ji daɗi. – I felt happy / I enjoyed it.
• feeling (physical): Na ji ciwo. – I felt pain / I am in pain.
• smelling/tasting: Na ji ƙamshi. – I smelled a fragrance.

So with ciwo (pain), ji means to feel pain rather than to hear.

Is ciwo a verb (“to hurt”) or a noun (“pain”) in this sentence?

In Na ji ciwo a kafa, ciwo is a noun meaning “pain / ache / sickness.”

The verb in the sentence is ji (“to feel”). So structurally it’s: