Learn Hardcore Hausa: A wasu ƙasashe mutane suna tafiya da jirgin ƙasa maimakon mota. - In some countries people travel by train instead of by car.

a wasu ƙasashe = in some countries
It’s at the beginning because Hausa often starts a sentence with a phrase that sets the location or time:
- A makaranta nake. = I am at school.
- A ciki ne. = It is inside.

So A wasu ƙasashe is a location phrase: In some countries…

What exactly does wasu mean in wasu ƙasashe? Is it like “some”?

Yes, wasu means some or certain (plural).

ƙasa = country (or land/ground)
ƙasashe = countries
wasu ƙasashe = some countries / certain countries

You can think of wasu as a plural determiner, similar to some in English when used with a plural noun:

wasu mutane = some people
wasu gidaje = some houses

How is ƙasashe formed from ƙasa, and what is the difference between ƙasa and kasa?

ƙasashe is the plural of ƙasa (country / land).

Singular vs plural pattern:

ƙasa → ƙasashe (country → countries)

The letter ƙ is a distinct sound from k in Hausa, and it also often changes the meaning:

ƙasa (with ƙ) = country, land, soil
kasa (with k) = floor, bottom, down

So:

ƙasa (country) → ƙasashe (countries)
Don’t confuse it with kasa (floor), which has a different meaning and plural pattern.

Why is it mutane suna tafiya and not just mutane tafiya? What does suna add?

suna is the 3rd person plural form of the verb to be (continuous aspect marker):

suna tafiya literally: they are going / they go (habitually)

In this sentence, mutane suna tafiya means people go / people travel in a general, habitual sense.

Without suna, mutane tafiya is not a correct clause. You need a verb or an aspect marker.
You could also say:
- Mutane kan tafi da jirgin ƙasa. (People usually go by train.) – using kan as a habitual marker.

So suna here marks the ongoing / general action: people (are) go(ing) by train (as a usual practice).

Does suna tafiya mean present continuous (“are going”) or habitual (“usually go”) here?

In Hausa, suna + verb can cover both present continuous and general present / habitual, depending on context.

In this sentence:

A wasu ƙasashe mutane suna tafiya da jirgin ƙasa maimakon mota.

The meaning is habitual or general fact:

In some countries, people go/travel by train instead of by car.

So here suna tafiya = they (usually) travel / they go (in general), not just “are going right now.” Context makes it habitual.

What does da mean in suna tafiya da jirgin ƙasa?

da is a very common word in Hausa with several uses. In this sentence, it has the meaning with / by (means of).

suna tafiya da jirgin ƙasa = they travel with a train / they go by train

Other examples of da as an “instrument” preposition:

Na yanke shi da wuƙa. = I cut it with a knife.
Ya je da mota. = He went by car.

So here da introduces the means of transport.

Why is it jirgin ƙasa and not just jirgi ƙasa? What does the -n on jirgin do?

The -n on jirgin is a linking (genitive) marker, often called the construct form. It links two nouns in a “X of Y” relationship.

jirgi = vehicle, ship, plane; here: train
ƙasa = land / ground / country
jirgin ƙasa = literally vehicle-of-land, i.e. train

In Hausa, when one noun modifies another (like train of land, door of house), the first noun often takes a linking -n (after a vowel) or -r (after some consonants):

kofin shayi = cup of tea
ƙofar gida = door of the house
jirgin sama = airplane (vehicle-of-sky)

So jirgin ƙasa is the correct linked form for train.

Why is it maimakon mota and not maimakon motoci, even though we’re talking about many people?

In Hausa, a singular noun can often be used to talk about something in general or as a type, not just one physical item.

mota = a car / car(s) (as a type, in general statements)
motoci = cars (explicitly plural)

In this sentence:

maimakon mota = instead of car / instead of using cars in general.

You could say maimakon motoci (instead of cars), but maimakon mota is perfectly natural and is understood as instead of using cars as a means of transport.

Can the word order be changed to Mutane a wasu ƙasashe suna tafiya da jirgin ƙasa maimakon mota? Is that still correct?

Yes, that word order is also correct:

Mutane a wasu ƙasashe suna tafiya da jirgin ƙasa maimakon mota.

Both are natural:

A wasu ƙasashe mutane suna tafiya da jirgin ƙasa maimakon mota.
Mutane a wasu ƙasashe suna tafiya da jirgin ƙasa maimakon mota.

Hausa often places the location phrase early in the sentence, but it can come right after the subject as well. The meaning doesn’t really change; the first version just emphasizes the location a bit more by putting it first.

Are there other common ways to say “go by train” in Hausa besides tafiyar da jirgin ƙasa?

In everyday Hausa, tafiyar da jirgin ƙasa is less common than tafiya da jirgin ƙasa or tafi da jirgin ƙasa. Some natural options are:

Ina tafiya da jirgin ƙasa. = I travel by train.
Zan tafi da jirgin ƙasa. = I will go by train.
Mutane kan tafi da jirgin ƙasa. = People usually go by train.

So in your sentence, suna tafiya da jirgin ƙasa is a very natural, idiomatic way to say “(they) travel by train.”

How should I pronounce ƙ in ƙasashe and jirgin ƙasa? How is it different from k?

ƙ is a special consonant in Hausa, different from k:

k is like a normal English k (as in cat).
ƙ is an implosive sound: you pull the airstream slightly inward. It’s pronounced further back in the throat and sounds “heavier.”

Minimal pairs show the importance of the difference:

ƙasa = country, land
kasa = floor, down

In writing, always pay attention to ƙ vs k, because it can change the meaning completely. In ƙasashe and jirgin ƙasa, you must use ƙ.