Hausa for Beginners

Hausa for Beginners teaches one of West Africa's most widely spoken languages, and Breni is one of few app-based ways to learn it. Its 7 courses cover sounds and spelling, greetings, everyday phrases, two grammar courses, conversation, and Hausa in culture. Learners finish able to pronounce the hooked letters, greet elders properly, bargain at a market and talk about present, past and future. Hausa tones are explained even though standard spelling leaves them unmarked. Greetings follow sounds because they come up constantly, and each course unlocks in turn.

  • 7 courses
  • 18 learning objectives
  • Level: beginner
  • Language: English
  • Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

  • Pronounce the hooked letters ɓ, ɗ and ƙ and long vowels
  • Greet people correctly for the time of day, including elders
  • Bargain and ask prices at a market in Hausa
  • Use the right pronoun for ongoing, completed and future actions
  • Mark noun gender and possession with na and ta
  • Hold a short conversation about family or plans

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Sounds and spelling

1. Hausa Sounds and Spelling: Master Boko and Pronunciation

Pronounce Hausa sounds and read words written in the Latin alphabet. Units, in order: The Hausa alphabet in Boko script; Hooked letters ɓ, ɗ and ƙ; Long and short vowels; Tones in Hausa and why they are rarely written; Reading words aloud; Practising tone and vowel length with word pairs.

  • — The Hausa Alphabet in Boko Script
    Learn the Latin-based Boko script and core letters used to write Hausa daily.
    • Introduction to Boko Script
    • Standard Consonants
    • Consonant Digraphs
  • — Hooked Letters: ɓ, ɗ, and ƙ
    Master special glottalized and ejective consonant letters unique to Hausa writing.
    • The Implosive ɓ
    • The Implosive ɗ
    • The Ejective ƙ
  • — Long and Short Vowels
    Explore the five vowel qualities and how vowel duration changes word meaning.
    • The Five Base Vowels
    • Short Vowel Sounds
    • Long Vowel Sounds
  • — Tones and Omission in Writing
    Understand pitch tones in spoken Hausa and why standard writing leaves them out.
    • High and Low Tones
    • Unwritten Tone Rules
    • Relying on Context
  • — Reading Words Aloud
    Apply letter rules to decode and pronounce full Hausa words smoothly.
    • Syllable Structure
    • Decoding Vocabulary
    • Smooth Phrasing
  • — Tone and Vowel Length Practice
    Compare word pairs to master subtle pronunciation differences in Hausa.
    • Vowel Length Contrast
    • Hooked Letter Contrasts
    • Final Pronunciation Review

Part 2 · Basics

2. Hausa Greetings and Introductions

Greet people correctly and introduce yourself in Hausa. Units, in order: Sannu and greetings by time of day; Ina kwana and ina wuni; Greeting elders with respect; Introducing yourself; Thank you, please and sorry.

3. Everyday Hausa Phrases

Handle numbers, the market, food and directions in Hausa. Units, in order: Numbers and counting; Shopping and bargaining at the market; Food and ordering; Family words; Asking for directions; Days of the week and telling the time.

Part 3 · Core grammar

4. Hausa Grammar Basics

Build simple Hausa sentences about now and the past. Units, in order: Gender in nouns; Pronouns that change with tense; Ongoing actions; Completed actions; Asking questions.

5. More Hausa Grammar

Talk about the future, say no and describe things. Units, in order: Future actions; Negation; Possession with na and ta; Plural forms; Describing people and things.

Part 4 · Real use

6. Conversations in Hausa

Hold simple conversations in everyday situations. Units, in order: Small talk; At the market; Visiting family; Making plans; Asking someone to repeat.

7. Hausa in Culture and Daily Life

Use Hausa with its regions, scripts and media in mind. Units, in order: Hausa across Nigeria, Niger and West Africa; Ajami script in brief; Arabic loanwords in Hausa; Hausa radio, music and film; Writing a short message.

Sample: Hausa Sounds and Spelling: Master Boko and Pronunciation

The opening tier, (The Hausa Alphabet in Boko Script). Learn the Latin-based Boko script and core letters used to write Hausa daily.

Introduction to Boko Script

Understand how the Latin alphabet represents sounds in modern written Hausa.

Standard Consonants

Identify basic consonant letters and match them to their everyday sounds.

Consonant Digraphs

Read combined letter units like sh and ts as single sounds.

Questions about Hausa for Beginners

Is there an app to learn Hausa?

A few apps teach Hausa, and Breni is one of them. Hausa for Beginners on Breni runs from sounds to real conversation in 7 courses.

Is Hausa a tonal language?

Yes. Hausa uses tone and vowel length to tell words apart, though everyday spelling does not mark them. The first course explains how to hear both.

Where is Hausa spoken?

Mainly in northern Nigeria and Niger, and as a common language across much of West Africa.

Is Hausa hard to learn?

Pronunciation and greetings take some practice, but the grammar is regular once you learn its pronoun system. Two grammar courses cover it.

Do I get a certificate in Hausa?

Completing all 7 courses earns a Breni certificate of completion.

Related learning paths

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