Learn Hardcore Hausa: Idan cuta ta yi tsanani, muna kira motar gaggawa ta asibiti. - If a disease becomes serious, we call the hospital’s emergency vehicle.

In this sentence it works like: If / When the illness becomes serious…
Hausa does not always distinguish sharply between if and when the way English does; idan just introduces a condition.
Context tells you whether it feels more like a general when(ever) or a hypothetical if. Here it’s a general rule, so when(ever) fits well, but if is also acceptable.

Why is there no separate word for we before muna?

In Hausa, subject pronouns are usually built into the verb phrase.

muna ≈ we are / we (do habitually)
So instead of saying something like mu muna kira, you simply say muna kira for we call / we are calling.
The mu (we) idea is already inside muna, so a separate we is normally not needed.

Does muna kira mean we call or we are calling?

It can mean both, depending on context.

muna + verb often expresses an ongoing or habitual action.
Here it’s a general rule or habit: we call the ambulance (whenever that situation arises).
In another context, muna kira could also mean we are calling (right now).
So the aspect is a bit broader than English progressive; it covers both progressive and habitual.

What does cuta mean exactly, and is it countable like an illness?

cuta means illness, disease, sickness.

It can mean any kind of sickness in general.
It is grammatically treated as a feminine noun.
It can be specific (a particular illness) or general (illness as a condition), depending on context.

Why is the pronoun ta used with cuta in cuta ta yi tsanani?

Because cuta is grammatically feminine, and Hausa agrees the subject pronoun with the noun’s gender.

ta is the 3rd‑person feminine subject pronoun (she/it–feminine).
So: cuta (f.) ta yi tsanani = the illness (f.) it‑fem did/became serious.
Even though English doesn’t mark gender here, Hausa does.

What does ta yi tsanani literally mean, and why use yi (to do/make)?

Literally, ta yi tsanani is it (f.) did/made severity.

yi is a very general verb (do/make) used in many expressions to form meanings like become X, get X.
tsanani = severity, seriousness, severity level.
So the phrase is understood as it became severe / it became serious.
This is a common pattern in Hausa: yi
- noun → be(come) X.

Could you also say cuta ta tsananta instead of cuta ta yi tsanani?

Yes, ta tsananta is also correct and common.

tsananta is a verb meaning to become more severe, to worsen, to intensify.
cuta ta tsananta = the illness worsened / became more serious.
cuta ta yi tsanani and cuta ta tsananta are very close in meaning; the first uses a noun (tsanani), the second a verb (tsananta).

Why is it motar and not just mota in motar gaggawa?

motar is the genitive (possessive/linking) form of mota (car).

mota = car
motar gaggawa = car of urgency / emergency car
The final ‑r links mota to the following word to show a relationship, similar to car of X or X’s car in English.

What does gaggawa mean, and why does motar gaggawa mean ambulance?

gaggawa means urgency, emergency, haste.

Literally, motar gaggawa = car of urgency/emergency.
In practice this is the standard way to say ambulance in Hausa.
So it’s a descriptive phrase rather than a borrowed technical term.

What is the role of ta asibiti in motar gaggawa ta asibiti?

ta asibiti specifies that the emergency car belongs to or is associated with the hospital.

asibiti = hospital
ta here is a genitive agreement marker for a feminine noun (mota is feminine), functioning like of.
So motar gaggawa ta asibiti ≈ the hospital’s emergency car / the hospital ambulance.

Why is it ta asibiti and not na asibiti?

The choice of ta vs na depends on the gender and number of the head noun.

mota is feminine singular → its genitive linker is ta.
Masculine singular nouns use na instead.
Since we are talking about motar gaggawa (feminine), the correct linker is ta asibiti.

Could I just say muna kira motar gaggawa without ta asibiti?

Yes, you can.

muna kira motar gaggawa = we call the ambulance / we call an ambulance (in general).
Adding ta asibiti makes it clearer that it’s specifically the hospital’s ambulance (not, say, a private one).
So ta asibiti is extra information, not grammatically required.

Is there any word like then in Hausa between the two clauses, like if X, then we Y?

Hausa usually does not need an explicit then in this kind of sentence.

Idan cuta ta yi tsanani, muna kira… already has a natural if/when … (then) … structure.
You can sometimes add words like to or sai in other contexts to give a then / so feeling, but here it’s perfectly natural without them.

Is kira only for phone calls, or can it also mean call in the sense of summon?

kira is broader than just phone call.

It can mean to call/summon someone (e.g., ask them to come).
It is also the usual verb for to call on the phone.
In the sentence, it means we call / summon the ambulance, which can be by phone or by any other means, depending on context.