Asking, and answering
Ṣé àlàáfía ni?
literally “is it peace / wellbeing?”
Àlàáfía means peace and health together. Báwo ni is the more casual version.
Yaya kake?
literally “how are you (male)?”
Hausa changes with the gender of the person you are speaking to. To a woman: Yaya kike?
Lafiya lau
literally “health well”
The standard reply to almost any Hausa greeting.
1 phrase here wants a speaker's eye first
These phrases were drafted for NaijaTongues and are still awaiting native-speaker review. Wording, tone marks and register vary by region, and anything marked as wanting review is where a speaker would help most. If something reads wrong to you as a speaker, suggest the correct form on any phrase — or tell us.