Learn Hardcore Hausa: Akwatin yana a ƙarƙashin gadon.

a linking/construct ending used before another word, or
a way to signal that we are talking about a specific/known item (often taught as “the”).

In Akwatin yana a ƙarƙashin gadon, the -n makes it sound more like the box, a particular box the speakers have in mind.

You will also see:

akwatin nan – this box
akwatin littattafai – box of books

So for learners, it is safe to understand akwatin here as the box.

Does yana just mean is? When do I use it?

Yana is more than just is. It’s:

the masculine singular subject pronoun ya (he/it)
plus na, a marker used for ongoing actions or states

Together, yana is used for:

Location / position
- Akwatin yana a ƙarƙashin gadon. – The box is under the bed.
- Littafin yana a tebur. – The book is on the table.
Progressive actions (… is doing …)
- Yana cin abinci. – He is eating.
- Yana karatu. – He is studying/reading.

For a feminine subject (she/it), you use tana instead:

Motar tana a waje. – The car is outside.

Why do we need both yana and a? Could I say only one of them?

They do different jobs:

yana – gives you the subject + “is” part (it is)
a – is the locative preposition meaning in/at/on (here, part of “under”)

In this sentence:

yana tells you the box is somewhere
a ƙarƙashin gadon tells you where – under the bed

You cannot just say:

Akwatin a ƙarƙashin gadon. ✗ (no verb, sounds incomplete)
Akwatin yana ƙarƙashin gadon. ✓ (correct: you can drop the loose a and let ƙarƙashin stand on its own)

Both of these are fine and common:

Akwatin yana ƙarƙashin gadon.
Akwatin yana a ƙarƙashin gadon.

The extra a is optional with many locative words like ƙarƙashin, kan, cikin, etc.

What is the difference between ƙarƙashin and ƙasa? Don’t they both relate to “down” or “under”?

They are related but not identical:

ƙarƙashin = under / underneath / beneath (specifically under something)
- Kare yana ƙarƙashin tebur. – The dog is under the table.
ƙasa has several meanings:
- ground / earth / soil – Ƙasa tana da ruwa. – The soil has water.
- down / below (more general, not always “under an object”)
- country (in some contexts: ƙasar Nijeriya – the country of Nigeria)

If you want to say under the bed in the spatial sense, ƙarƙashin gadon is the most direct and clear.

Why is it gadon and not just gado for “bed”?

Gado is the basic form: bed.
Gadon is the bound/possessed form used after genitive‑type words like ƙarƙashin.

Think of ƙarƙashin gadon as literally:

ƙarƙashin – the underside of
gadon – the bed (in its “of‑bed” form)

So together: the underside of the bed → under the bed.

You will see this pattern a lot:

kan tebur / kan teburin – on top of the table
cikin gida – inside the house
bayan motar – behind the car

The noun often changes slightly when it is in this “of X” position (here: gado → gadon).

How would I turn Akwatin yana a ƙarƙashin gadon into a yes‑no question: “Is the box under the bed?”

Spoken Hausa often uses intonation (rising tone) plus context:

Akwatin yana a ƙarƙashin gadon? – Is the box under the bed?

You can also add ne? at the end for emphasis/clarity:

Akwatin yana a ƙarƙashin gadon ne?

Both are used. The simplest learner‑friendly version is just:

Akwatin yana a ƙarƙashin gadon?

How do I say “The boxes are under the bed”?

You need a plural noun and a plural verb form:

akwatuna – boxes
suna – they are (plural of yana / tana)

So:

Akwatuna suna a ƙarƙashin gadon.
– The boxes are under the bed.

Structure:
Boxes they-are at under-of bed.

How would I say “The box is on the bed” instead of “under the bed”?

Use kan (or fused akan) for on / on top of:

Two common options:

Akwatin yana a kan gadon.
Akwatin yana akan gadon.

Both mean: The box is on the bed.

Compare:

a ƙarƙashin gadon – under the bed
a kan gadon / akan gadon – on the bed

What’s the difference between ƙ and k in spelling and pronunciation?

In Hausa, k and ƙ are different consonants:

k – a regular voiceless velar stop, like k in English cat.
ƙ – a voiced velar implosive. To produce it, you:
- start like you want to say a g/k sound,
- pull the larynx slightly downward (a sort of inward gulp of air),
- and release.

To an English ear, ƙ can sound like a “heavy g/k” with a slight inward pull.
Minimal pair example:

kasa – to fail, to be unable
ƙasa – ground/earth

In ƙarƙashin, both consonants are this implosive ƙ, not a normal k.

Is there any word for “the” in this sentence, or is it just implied?

Hausa does not have a separate stand‑alone word that behaves exactly like English the.

Definiteness is shown by:

context (already known thing vs new thing),
endings like -n / -r (as in akwatin, gadon),
demonstratives (nan – this, can – that), etc.

So:

Akwati – a box / box (more neutral)
Akwatin – the box / that specific box (in many contexts)

In Akwatin yana a ƙarƙashin gadon, both akwatin and gadon are understood as the box and the bed from context and form, even though there is no separate word the.