Hausa Syllabus from JAMB

The aim of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 2025 syllabus in Hausa is to prepare the candidates for the Board’s examination. It is designed to test their achievement of the course objectives, which are to enable the candidates to:

1. acquire the ability to read and write competently in the Hausa language;

2. know the basic features of Hausa grammar;

3. have the basic knowledge of oral and written Hausa literature;

4. have the ability to appreciate the culture, customs and institutions of the Hausa people;

5. have the ability to translate competently from English to Hausa.

The syllabus covers the following areas:

1.Harshe (Language)

2.Al’adu (culture)

3.Adabi (Literature) –oral and written literature.

 

JAMB’s new literature text for 2024 UTME in Hausa

1. Prose (zube) Turmin Danya

2. Poetry (waka) Wakokin Hausa

3. Drama (wasan kwaikwayo) Abin Da Kamar Wuya

 

Topic

1.Harshe (Language)

(A) KÂ’IDOJIN RUBUTU (ORTHOGRAPHY)

Alphabetization; spelling; rules of word merger and division; punctuation, paragraphing; all in line with standard Hausa.

 

Objectives

Candidates should be able to:

i. recognize the basic Hausa orthographical rules.
ii. apply the Hausa orthographical rules.
iii. detect linguistic errors, such as grammar, wrong choice of words, wrong spelling etc.

 

Topics

(B) AUNA FAHIMTA (COMPREHENSION)

Contextual questions from short unseen passages of about 200 words.

 

Objectives

Candidates should be able to:

i. read written Hausa texts.
ii. comprehend a given Hausa text.
iii. interpret various meanings and functions of words in a given text.
iv. acquire sufficient vocabulary.
v. recognize central issues in a given text.
vi. draw conclusions based on available evidence in a given text.

 

Topic

(C) TSARIN RUBUTUN INSHAÂ’I (COMPOSITION/LETTER WRITING TECHNIQUES)

  Tsarin Rubutun InshaÂ’i (Composition/Letter Writing Techniques).

Objectives

Candidates should be able to:

i. acquire the knowledge of the techniques of composition writing in Hausa.
ii. recognize the different segments of composition in Hausa.
iii. recognize the different types of Hausa composition.

 

Topic

(D) FASSARA (TRANSLATION)

(a) Ire-iren fassara.

(b) Ƙa’idojin fassara.

(C) Matsalolin fassara.

 

Objective

Candidates should be able to:

i. translate proverbial and idiomatic expression and new words from English to Hausa.
ii. recognize the different types of translation.
iii. understand the basic techniques of translating proverbial and idiomatic expression and new words in to Hausa.
iv. identify the problems of translation in to Hausa.

Topic

(E) TSARIN SAUTI (PHONOLOGY)

(a) consonants – production and classification in terms of phonation, place and manner of articulation.
(b) vowels – production and classification in terms of position of tongue and lips; monophthongs and diphthongs.
(c) tone – e.g. high, low and falling tones.
(d) syllable structure – syllable types, e.g. open and closed syllables, light and heavy syllables syllabic categories of words – monosyllabic, disyllabic, etc.
(e) vowel length – long and short vowels.
(f) phonological processes – e.g. assimilatory: palatalization, labialization and vowel harmony; non-assimilatory: insertion and deletion.

Objectives

Candidates should be able to:

i. analyse the process of sound production and combination of sounds to form meaningful words in Hausa.
ii. appraise the importance of vowels in determining word meaning.
iii. distinguish between the phonetic attributes of sounds.
iv. recognize the number of syllables and their types in a word.
v. appraise the importance of vowels in determining meaning.
vi. analyse the phonological processes in Hausa.

 

Topic

(F) KIRAR KALMA (MORPHOLOGY)

(a) roots and stems.
(b) affixation – e.g. prefix, infix suffix and their derivational and inflectional functions.
(c) gender and number inflections.
(d) derivation of nouns and adjectives from verbs; adjectives and verbs from nouns.

Objectives

Candidates should be able to:

i. explain the inflectional processes in Hausa word formation.
ii. explain the derivational process of word formation in Hausa.
iii. differentiate between the two morphological processes.

 

Topic

(G) GININ JUMLA (SYNTAX)

(a) word classes – e.g. nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, interjections and ideophones.
(b) grammatical categories – e.g. tense and aspect (general and relative past: general and relative continuous, first and second future, habitual); mood (subjunctive and negative); gender (masculine, feminine and neuter) and number (singular and plural).
(c) sentence structure – e.g. verbal sentence, nominal phrase + verbal phrase and their components, non-verbal sentence: nominal phrase + stabilizer, nominal phrase+ compliment + stabilizer, nominal phrases + continuous frame (yana../yake…) (+da) + nominal phrase.
(d) sentence types – e.g. simple sentences, compound sentences and complex sentences.
(e) clauses – types (e.g. relative and subjunctive); functions (e.g. main and subordinate).

Objectives

Candidates should be able to:

i. analyse the process governing word combination to form phrases; clauses and sentences in Hausa.
ii. detect linguistic errors in the grammar.
iii. observe punctuation rules.
iv. recognize ideas or thoughts in written form.
v. construct meaningful sentences for effective communication.
vi. use the appropriate tenses in spoken and written Hausa.
vii. use the appropriate gender and number in spoken and written Hausa.
viii. differentiate between types of sentence structure.
ix. distinguish between nominal and verbal phrase.
x. distinguish between types of sentences.
xi. compare types of clauses.

Topic

(H) MAÂ’ANA (SEMANTICS)

(a) lexical aspects of word meaning – e.g. ambiguity, synonymy and antonymy.
(b) figures of speech – aspects of specialized meanings of words and phrases.

Objectives

Candidates should be able to:

i. analyse the mechanisms of generating meanings in Hausa.
ii. build up their vocabulary.
iii. distinguish between the speech sounds of the language to reflect the acceptable grammar.
iv. recognize the significance of punctuation rules.
v. recognize the various meanings and functions of sentences in communication.
vi. use words and sentences suitable for a particular purpose.
vii. construct meaningful sentences for effective communication.

Topics

(2) Al’adu (Culture)

(A) RAYUWAR HAUSAWA (HAUSA RITE DE PASSAGE)

(a) Haihuwa (birth) –ɗaukar ciki da goyon ciki da haihuwa da shayarwa da alÂ’adun makon haihuwa da wanka da ɓanti da yaye da kaciya da samartaka.
(b) Aure (marriage) – ire-irensa da nema da baiko da ɗaurin aure da biki da zaman aure da saki da zawarci.
(c) Mutuwa (death) – faɗar mutuwa da wanka da salla da janaÂ’iza da zaman makoki da sadaka da takaba da gado.
(d) Tasirin zamani akan rayuwar Hausawa.

Objective

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. bayyana alÂ’adun da ke tattare da ɗaukar ciki har zuwa samartaka.
ii. bayyana tsarin zamani akan haihuwa.
iii. bayyana alÂ’adun neman aure har zuwa zawarci.
iv. bayyana tasirin zamani akan aure.
v. bayyana hanyoyin faɗar mutuwa zuwa rabon gado.
vi. bayyana tasirin zamani akan mutuwa.
vii. tantance maÂ’ana da ire-iren tasirin zamani.

 

Topic

(B) ZAMANTAKEWA (SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS)

(a) tsarin zaman iyali da zaman gandu da dangantakar kishiyoyi da ‘yan uwantaka da barantaka da agolanci.
(b) maƙwabtaka.
(c) aikin gandu da na gayya.
(d) abota da ƙawance.
(e) gaisuwa da karimci.
(f) tasirin zamani a kan zamantakewa.

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. bayyana tsarin dangantaka da maÂ’amala tsakanin iyali.
ii. bayyana mahimmancin zamantakewa tsakanin Hausawa.
iii. tantance ire-iren tasirin zamani a kan alÂ’adun zamantakewa.

 

Topic

 

(C) SANAÂ’OÂ’IN GARGAJIYA (TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS)

(a) ire-irensu – noma da ƙira da jima da kasuwanci da wanzanci da sassaƙa da farauta da dukanci da saƙa da kitso da rini da fawa da fafar ƙorai, da sauransu.
(b) yanayinsu – hanyoyin gadon su da kayayyakin yin su da matakan tafiyar da su da muhimmancinsu.
(c) kayayyaki ko amfanin da suke samarwa.
(d) sarautunsu.
(e) sanaÂ’oÂ’i masu dangantaka da jinsi – aikatau da ƙwadago; kitso da aski.
(f) tasirin zamani a kan sanaÂ’oÂ’in gargajiy

 

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. tantance ɗabiÂ’un masu sanaÂ’a.
ii. tantance kayayyakin da ake sanaÂ’antawa.
iii. tantance  sanaÂ’oÂ’in maza da na mata.
iv. zayyana kayayyakin  sanaÂ’oÂ’in.
v. tantance hanyoyin gadon  sanaÂ’oÂ’in.
vi. zayyana amfanin kayayyakin sanaÂ’a.
vii. bayyana sarautun  sanaÂ’oÂ’in.
viii. bambanta  sanaÂ’oÂ’in maza da na mata.
ix. bayyana muhimmancin  sanaÂ’oÂ’in.
x. tantance tasirin zamani akan  sanaÂ’oÂ’in.

 

Topic

(D) KAYAYYAKIN BUKATUN RAYUWA (MATERIAL CULTURE)

(a) na buƙatun cikin gida (household) – tufafi da karikitan cikin gida.
(b) na sauran buƙatu (others) – gine-gine da girke-girke da sauransu.
(c) tasirin zamani a kan kayayyakin buƙatuwa.

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. tantance kayayyakin buƙatun rayuwar Bahaushe.
ii. tantance amfanin kayayyakin buƙatun rayuwar Bahaushe.
iii. tantance tsarin zamani a kan kayayyakin buƙatu.

 

Topic

(E) BUKUKUWA DA WASANNI (CULTURAL FESTIVITIES):

(a) na addini (religious) – irin su bikin salla da takutaha (sallar gani) da cika-ciki da saukar karatu.
(b) na gargajiya (traditional) – irin su kalankuwa da buɗar dawa, da bikin shan kabewa.
(c) na sanaÂ’a (occupational) – bikin kamun kifi da dambe da kokawa da wasan farauta da wasan maƙera da hawan ƙaho.
(d) na nisha?i – sukuwa.
(e) na yara (childrenÂ’s games) –irin su shalle da kulli-kurciya da a-sha-ruwan-tsuntsaye da gaɗa da carafke.
(f) tasirin zamani kan bukukuwa da wasanni.

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. zayyana ire-iren wasanni da bukukuwan Hausawa.
ii. nuna mahimancinsu.
iii. nuna yadda za a adana su kar su ɓace.
iv. nuna yadda ake gudanar da su.
v. nuna tasirin zamani a kan bukukuwa da wasanni.

Topic

(F) CAMFE-CAMFE DA BAUTA (TRADITIONAL BELIEFS AND WORSHIP)

(a) camfe-camfe irinsu kangida da camfi, da kambun baka.
(b) bauta irin su bori da maita da tsafi.
(c) tasirin zamani a kan camfe-camfe da bauta.

 

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. tantance ire-ire da hanyoyin aiwatar da su.
ii. bayyana amfaninsu.
iii. bayyana rashin amfaninsu.
iv. bayyana tasirin zamani a kansu.

.

 

Topic

(G) SARAUTUN GARGAJIYA (TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY)

(a) ire-irensu – sarki da hakimai da dagatai da masu unguwanni.
(b) na bayin sarki – shantali da jakadiya da baraya da sauransu.
(c) masu alaƙa da addini; irin su liman da alƙali.
(d) ayyukansu.

 

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. zayyana su ta fuskar ire-iren muƙamai.
ii. zayyana hawa-hawan muƙami.

iii. tantance aikin kowane mai muƙami.

iv. tantance mahimmancin kowane muƙami.

 

Topic

(H) MAGUNGUNAN GARGAJIYA (TRADITIONAL MEDICINE)

(a) ire-irensu na gargajiya: sassaƙe-sassaƙe da sauyoyi da na gari da na ruwa.
(b) na addini: layu da rubutu da ɗibbu da duba.
(c) hanyar amfani da su – sha da shafawa da surace da turare da shaƙawa da
taunawa da tsotsawa da ɗaurawa da liƙawa da ratayawa.
(d) awo da kimantawa.
(e) ayyukansu – riga-kafi da warkarwa.
(f) tasirin zamani a kansu.

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. karkasa ire-iren magunguna.
ii. zayyana hanyoyin amfani da su.
iii. nuna amfaninsu.
v. nuna tasirin zamani a kan su.

 

Topic

(3) Adabi (Literature)

I.Adabin Baka (Oral Literature)

(A) ZUBEN BAKA (NARRATIVES)

Irin su tatsuniya da almara da hikaya da ƙissa da tarihi.

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. tantance sigogi da bayyana hanyoyin amfani da su.
ii. naƙalta da amfani da kalmomin da suka dace da maganganun azanci.

Topic

(C) WAKOKI  NA BAKA (ORAL SONGS)

(a). ire-irensu –na fada da na jama’a da na maza da na sha’awa da sauransu:

(b). jigo da salo da zubi da tsari da mawaƙi da kayan kiɗa da abin da aka waƙe.

(c). waƙoƙin aiki: na niƙa da daɓe da na daka da na talla da sauransu;

(d). Waƙoƙin yara (maza da mata); na aure da na dandali da sauransu;

 

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. tantance ire-iren waƙoƙin baka.
ii. tantance masu yin ire-iren waƙoƙin.
iii. rarrabe siga da jigo da salo da zubi da kayayyakin aiwatar da su.

Topics

(D) WASANNIN KWAIKWAYO NA GARGAJIYA (TRADITIONAL DRAMA)

(a) Na yara:
i. ire-iren su langa da wasan Â’yartsana da tashe da wasan gauta da dokin kara da
sauransu.
ii. yadda ake yin su.
iii. muhimmancinsu.

(b) Na manya:
i. ire-iren su ‘yan kama da kalankuwa da hoto da wowwo da tashe, da sauransu.

ii. yadda ake yin su.
iii. muhimmancinsu.

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. tantance nauÂ’oÂ’in waƙoƙin aiki.
ii. tantance masu yin waƙoƙin aiki.
iii. bambance sigogin waƙoƙin yara.

Topic

 

ZUBE (PROSE)

Kome Nisan Dare

 

Objectives

Lallai ne masu ɗaukar jarabawa su iya:

i. tantance siga da tsari da jigo da salo da taurarin cikin littafin zube
tare da nazarin su.
ii. naƙaltar ƙaÂ’idojin rubutu yayin karanta rubutun zube.
iii. naƙaltar maÂ’anonin kalmomi da na jumloli domin fahimtar labari.
iv. tantance muhimman saƙonni a cikin labari da yanke hukunci game da labarin.

 

Topics

 

WAKA (POETRY)

 Waƙoƙin Mu’azu Haɗeja

 

Objectives

Lallai ne masu ɗaukar jarabawa su iya:

i. fahimtar jigo da salo da siga da zubi wajen nazarin zaɓaɓɓiyar waƙa.
ii. yin laÂ’akari da ƙaÂ’idojin rubutu musamman na waƙa.
iii. tantance maÂ’anonin kalmomi da na jumloli wajen nazarin waƙa.
iv. danganta amfani da kalmomi da jumloli da saƙon waƙa.
v. tantance muhimman saƙonni a cikin waƙa da yanke hukunci game da ita.

Topics

 

WASAN KWAIKWAYO (DRAMA)

Kulɓa Na Ɓarna

 

Objectives

Lallai ne masu ɗaukar jarabawa su iya:

i. tantance yanayin wurin wasa da jigo da salo da ‘yan wasa da siga da tsarin
rubutaccen wasan kwaikwayo da aka zaɓa don nazari.
ii. laÂ’akari da muhimmancin ƙaÂ’idojin rubutu wajen fitar da maÂ’ana.
iii. naƙaltar maÂ’anar kalmomi domin fahimtar wasa.
iv. tantance muhimman saƙonni a cikin wasa da yanke hukunci game da saƙonnin.

 

 

ZAƁAƁƁUN  LITTATTAFAI

NauÂ’i       Marubuci                Littafi

Zube:        Bambale, M.B.         Kome Nisan Dare
                                                Zaria: NNPC, 2009
                                                WAEC AND NECO

Waƙa:      Haɗeja, M.     Waƙoƙin Mu’azu Haɗeja
                                                 Zaria: NNPC, 1980
                                                 WAEC AND NECO

Wasan
Kwaikwayo: Katsina, U.Ɗ.     Kulɓa Na Ɓarna
                                                Zaria: NNPC, 2011
                                                WAEC AND NECO

RECOMMENDED TEXTS

Galadanci, M.K.M. (1976),Introduction to Hausa Grammar,Zaria: Longman

Junju, M.H. (1980),Rayayyen Nahawun Hausa, Zaria: NNPC

Muhammad, Y.M. (2005),Fassarar Hausa,Zaria: ABU Press

Sani, M.A.Z. (1999),Tsarin Sauti Da Nahawun Hausa, Ibadan: UP Plc

Sani, M.A.Z. et al (2000),Exam Focus: Hausa Language, Ibadan:UP Plc

Skinner, N. (1977),Grammar of Hausa,Zaria: NNPC

Yahaya, I.Y. et al (1992),Darussan Hausa 1 –3,Ibadan: UP Plc Don manyan makarantun sakandare

 

B.ADABI DA AL’ADU (LITERATURE AND CULTURE)

 

Bichi, A.Y. (1979),Waƙoƙin Bikin Aure,Lagos: Nelson

Dangambo, A. (1984),Rabe –Raben Adabin Baka da Muhimmancinsa Ga Rayuwar Hausawa, Kano: T.P.C.

Gusau, S.M. (1991),Makaɗa Da Mawaƙan Hausa,Kaduna: Fisbas Media Service

Ibrahim, M.S. (1977),Kowa Ya Sha Kiɗa,Zaria: Longman

Madauci, I. et al (1992),Hausa Customs,Zaria: ABU Press

Umar, M.B. (1976),Ɗanmaraya Jos Da Waƙoƙinsa, Ibadan: OUP

Umar, M.B. (1977),Wasannin Tashe,Zaria: NNPC

 

C.ƘAMUSAI  (DICTIONARIES)

 

Bargery G.P. (1951),A Hausa –English Dictionary and English-Hausa Vocabulary London: OUP

Newman, R.M. (1997),An English-Hausa Dictionary, Ibadan: Longman

Newman and Newman (1977),Sabon Ƙamus Na Hausa Zuwa Turanci, Ibadan: UPLS

kinner, N. (1993),Kamus

Na Turanci Da Hausa, Zaria: NNPC

CSNL: (2006),Ƙamusun Hausa Na Jami’ar Bayero ta Kano,Kano: CSN

 

 

Objectives

Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya:

i. tantance nau ‘o’in zuben baka.
ii. amfani da kalmomin da suka dace da kan labari.

(B)MAGANGANUN AZANCI (FOLK – SAYINGS);

Irin su take da kirari da habaici da zambo da karin magana da kacici-kacici da salon maganada adon harshe.