uwa
/ʔú.wáː/
The Hausa word for mother is uwa. Wiktionary also lists inna.
Meaning: female (human) who gives birth to or parents a child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hausa | IPA |
|---|---|
| uwa | /ʔú.wáː/ |
| inna | /ʔín.nà/ |
Both forms refer to a female human who has given birth to or parents a child.
Which one should you use?
While uwa is the standard term, inna is a more informal or colloquial way to say mother.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the meaning 'mother of' (as a possessive or modifier), the final vowel of uwa is dropped and replaced with 'r' to form uwar.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔú.wáː/
Did you know?
- The colloquial term inna is a loanword from the Kanuri language, where it originally meant 'aunt'.
- In Hausa culture, calling an older woman uwa is a gesture of deep respect and does not imply a biological maternal relationship.
- The use of inna versus uwa in different regions often reflects the historical influence and interactions between Hausa and Kanuri speakers.
Examples in context
- Ita uwa ce mai hikima.She's a very wise mother.This sentence is useful for seeing how uwa is used to describe a person's character.Tatoeba #10840324 by ecorralest101, translation #1442372 by CK
- Sannu, Sarauniya, uwar tausayi.Hail, Queen, mother of mercy.This sentence demonstrates the use of uwa in a respectful or poetic title.Tatoeba #10889007 by ecorralest101, translation #6639004 by Reonaato
- Ɗan uwana na kira na da "Sammy".I'm called "Sammy" by my mother.This sentence shows how to use uwa when talking about a person's mother.Tatoeba #10837830 by ecorralest101, translation #1164899 by cntrational
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Umar and Zainab are talking about their families.
- UmarIna uwa take a yau?Where is mother today?
- ZainabUwa tana gida, tana hutare.Mother is at home, she is resting.
- UmarIna son in gaishe ta.I want to greet her.
- ZainabTabbas, za ta yi murna.Surely, she will be happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations and entries uwa, inna, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries inna, uwa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
