Breakdown of Don Allah ka ɗauki buhun shara ka kai shi waje.
don Allah
please
ka
you (masculine)
waje
outside
shi
it
Questions & Answers about Don Allah ka ɗauki buhun shara ka kai shi waje.
What does Don Allah literally mean, and is it the normal way to say please?
Don Allah literally means for (the sake of) God (don = for the sake of, Allah = God). In everyday Hausa it’s a very common way to say please, especially in requests.
- It can feel slightly stronger/more earnest than English please depending on tone.
- You may also hear Don Allah shortened in fast speech.
Why is ka used here? Who is the sentence talking to?
ka marks 2nd-person singular masculine in this kind of command/request.
- To a woman/girl (singular): ki → Don Allah ki ɗauki...
- To more than one person: ku → Don Allah ku ɗauki...
- Also, ku is often used as a polite singular (like you in a respectful sense) when addressing an older person, a stranger, etc.
Is this sentence an imperative? Why does it have ka (twice) instead of just a verb?