jariri
The Hausa word for baby is jariri.
jariri refers to a very young human being.
Meaning: very young human being (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to multiple babies, use the plural form jarirai. In certain grammatical constructions, such as when using a definite article, the final vowel of jariri is dropped, resulting in the form jaririn. You can also add suffixes to indicate possession: jaririnka means your baby (masculine), jaririnki means your baby (feminine), jaririnsa means his or her baby and jariranku means your baby in the plural or formal sense.
Did you know?
- In Hausa culture, calling a person jariri is not just a description of age, but can be used as a playful or slightly insulting way to call someone 'naive' or 'childish'.
- Naming a jariri often occurs on the seventh day after birth, following a tradition influenced by Islamic customs.
- Traditional Hausa society often uses specific rhythmic lullabies called wakokin jarirai to soothe a baby to sleep.
Examples in context
- Kun zaɓi sunan jaririn?Have you picked a name for the baby?This sentence shows how to use jariri when asking about a name.Tatoeba #10893861 by ecorralest101, translation #7342578 by Hybrid
- Ta kwantar da jaririnta.She put her baby to bed.This sentence demonstrates the use of jariri in the context of putting a baby to bed.Tatoeba #10896364 by ecorralest101, translation #7761056 by karloelkebekio
- Jaririn yayi kuka 'eh-eh-eh'.The baby cries 'eh eh eh'.This sentence uses jariri to describe a baby crying.Tatoeba #10892187 by ecorralest101, translation #7133661 by jimkillock
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aminatu and Umar are visiting a new mother.
- AminatuWannan jaririn yana da kyau sosai.This baby is very beautiful.
- UmarKwarai, ya yi kama da mahaifinsa.Indeed, he looks like his father.
- AminatuShin jaririn ya fara cin abinci?Has the baby started eating food?
- UmarA'a, har yanzu yana shan nono.No, he is still breastfeeding.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baby” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
