Sannu
/sàn.nú/
The Hausa word for "hi" is Sannu.
Sannu is used as a friendly, informal greeting.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
Which one should you use?
While Sannu is common, it is less formal than the religious greetings like Assalamu alaikum used in many Hausa-speaking communities.
How do you pronounce it?
/sàn.nú/
When do people say it?
When someone says Sannu to you, it is common to respond with the same word, Sannu. You may also see it used in common conversational pairings: Sannu! Lafia lau? means "Hello! How are you?" and Sannu! Na gode. means "Hello! Thank you."
Did you know?
- In some contexts, Sannu can be used to express 'sorry' or 'sympathy' rather than just 'hello'. If someone trips or experiences a mishap, saying Sannu acts as a way to acknowledge their discomfort.
- The word Sannu is closely linked to the concept of 'calm' or 'coolness'. Using it as a greeting is linguistically like wishing someone a state of tranquility or ease.
- While 'hi' is usually a conversation starter, saying Sannu can sometimes be used to acknowledge someone's hard work. It is often used to greet someone who is currently busy or laboring under the sun.
Examples in context
- Sannu, Roger. Ina nan lafiya.Hi, Roger. I'm doing well.This example shows the use of Sannu when greeting someone by name.Tatoeba #10827672 by ecorralest101, translation #451769 by FeuDRenais
- Sannu fellas!Hi fellas!This example shows Sannu being used to greet a group.Tatoeba #10869462 by ecorralest101, translation #4262613 by JFMorais
- Sannu, fasihi!Hi, the blue sky!This example shows Sannu used in a greeting.Tatoeba #10842953 by ecorralest101, translation #1778521 by gleki
Example conversation
Fatima and Umar meet at a market.
- FatimaSannu, Umar!Hi, Umar!
- UmarSannu, Fatima. Yaya kike?Hi, Fatima. How are you?
- FatimaIna nan lafiya, nagode.I am fine, thank you.
- UmarHutu, mu je mu sayi abinci.Okay, let's go buy food.
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry sannu.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
