malam

ha-noun

mālàm m (feminine mālàmā, plural mā̀làmai)

mālàm (canonical masculine)
mālàmā (feminine)
mā̀làmai (plural)


uba

ùbā m (plural ùbànnī, possessed form ùban)

ùbā (canonical masculine)
ùbànnī (plural)
ùban (possessed-form)


mama

mā̀ma (canonical feminine)
mā̀mar̃ (possessed-form)


baba

bābà (canonical feminine)
bābàr̃ (possessed-form)

Probably an early borrowing from Kanuri báwà (“paternal aunt”).


sauna

saunā̀ m or f (plural saunōnī, possessed form saunàn)

saunā̀ (canonical feminine masculine)
saunōnī (plural)
saunàn (possessed-form)


Ali

a male given name, equivalent to English Ali


cali

cā̀li (canonical masculine)
cā̀lin (possessed-form)

someone who clowns around; the humorous character in a film


tela

tēlà m (plural tēlōlī, possessed form tēlàn)

tēlà (canonical masculine)
tēlōlī (plural)
tēlàn (possessed-form)


nas

nâs (canonical feminine masculine)
nâs-nâs (plural)


saja

sājā̀ (canonical masculine)
sājàn (possessed-form)


sista

sistā̀ f (plural sistōcī, possessed form sistàr̃)

sistā̀ (canonical feminine)
sistōcī (plural)
sistàr̃ (possessed-form)

From English sister; compare Nigerian Pidgin sista.


kaka

kā̀kā (canonical feminine)
kā̀kar̃ (possessed-form)


uwa

uwā f (plural iyā̀yē, possessed form uwar̃)

uwā (canonical feminine)
iyā̀yē (plural)
uwar̃ (possessed-form)

Newman derives this from Proto-Chadic *wəɗi. Blench suggests a derivation from a Plateau Benue-Congo language; compare Ningye Numana uwa (“wife”), Kanufi uwa (“woman”), Bu iwa (“wife”).


duna

dūnā̀ (canonical masculine)
dūnàn (possessed-form)


rafani

r̃āfā̀nī m (plural r̃ā̀fā̀nai, possessed form r̃āfā̀nin)

r̃āfā̀nī (canonical masculine)
r̃ā̀fā̀nai (plural)
r̃āfā̀nin (possessed-form)

[ráː.ɸàː.níː]


marini

marìnī (canonical masculine)
marìnin (possessed-form)

[mə́.ɽɪ̀.níː]


maina

mainà (canonical masculine)
mainàn (possessed-form)


sanata

sanatā̀ m (plural sanatōcī, possessed form sanatàn)

sanatā̀ (canonical masculine)
sanatōcī (plural)
sanatàn (possessed-form)


mesin

mēsìn (canonical masculine)
mēsinōnī (plural)


wuski

wuskī m (plural wusā̀kē, possessed form wuskin)

wuskī (canonical masculine)
wusā̀kē (plural)
wuskin (possessed-form)


edita

edità m (plural editōcī, possessed form editàn)

edità (canonical masculine)
editōcī (plural)
editàn (possessed-form)

[ʔɛ́.dɪ́.tə̀]


kanar

kanàr̃ (canonical masculine)
kanàr̃-kanàr̃ (plural)


inna

innà (canonical feminine)
innàr̃ (possessed-form)


miji

mijī̀ m (plural mazā or mazā̀jē, possessed form mijìn)

mijī̀ (canonical masculine)
mazā (plural)
mazā̀jē (plural)
mijìn (possessed-form)


dokta

doktā̀ (canonical feminine masculine)
doktàn (possessed-form)

doctor (used as a title for someone with a doctorate)


waziri

wàzīr̃ì, wàzīr̃ī̀

wàzīr̃ì (canonical)
wàzīr̃ī̀ (canonical masculine)
wàzī̀r̃ai (plural)


talaka

talàkà m or f (plural talakāwā, possessed form talàkàn)

talàkà (canonical feminine masculine)
talakāwā (plural)
talàkàn (possessed-form)

From a Berber language, e.g. Tamahaq taləqqe (“pauper”).


baffa

baffà m (plural bàffànnī, possessed form baffàn)

baffà (canonical masculine)
bàffànnī (plural)
baffàn (possessed-form)

From Fula bappa (“father's younger brother”).


mowa

mōwā̀ (canonical feminine)
mōwàr̃ (possessed-form)


kurma

kurmā m or f (plural kurā̀mē, possessed form kurman)

kurmā (canonical feminine masculine)
kurā̀mē (plural)
kurman (possessed-form)


minista

ministà m (plural ministōcī, possessed form ministàn)

ministà (canonical masculine)
ministōcī (plural)
ministàn (possessed-form)


manjo

manjò m (plural manjōjī, possessed form manjòn)

manjò (canonical masculine)
manjōjī (plural)
manjòn (possessed-form)


yautai

(figuratively) A person who sleeps too much or too often.


gimbiya

gimbìyā f (plural gimbiyōyī, possessed form gimbìyar̃)

gimbìyā (canonical feminine)
gimbiyōyī (plural)
gimbìyar̃ (possessed-form)

[ɟɪ́m.bɪ̀.jáː]


cindo

cindṑ (canonical masculine)
cindòn (possessed-form)

[t͡ʃɪ́n.dòː]


likita

likità m or f (plural likitōcī, possessed form likitàn)

likità (canonical feminine masculine)
likitōcī (plural)
likitàn (possessed-form)

An old borrowing from English doctor. Doublet of dokta.


aboki

àbōkī m (feminine àbōkìyā or àbuyā̀, plural àbṑkai or àbṑkànai, possessed form àbōkin)

àbōkī (canonical masculine)
àbōkìyā (feminine)
àbuyā̀ (feminine)
àbṑkai (plural)
àbṑkànai (plural)
àbōkin (possessed-form)

→ Yoruba: àbókí

/ʔà.bóː.kíː/

[ʔà.bóː.cíː]

counterpart, companion (a person with whom one does something, or is in any kind of relationship, positive or negative)


ajuza

àjūzā̀ f (plural àjū̀zai, possessed form àjūzàr̃)

àjūzā̀ (canonical feminine)
àjū̀zai (plural)
àjūzàr̃ (possessed-form)

[ʔà.d͡ʒúː.zàː]

(derogatory) a shameless woman, a (female) liar


zare

zā̀rē (canonical masculine)
zā̀ren (possessed-form)


zare

(using an indirect object) to snatch from


zare

to withdraw from, to be unconcerned with


kawu

kā̀wu m (plural kā̀wùnai, possessed form kā̀wun)

kā̀wu (canonical masculine)
kā̀wùnai (plural)
kā̀wun (possessed-form)


'ya

'yā f (plural 'yā'yā, possessed form 'yar̃)

'yā (canonical feminine)
'yā'yā (plural)
'yar̃ (possessed-form)


ɗan

Tibì (“Tiv”) → ɗan Tibì (“Tiv man”)

Used to indicate a person's origin, profession, or activity.


Basakkwace

Bàsakkwacḕ m (feminine Bàsakkwacìyā, plural Sakkwatāwā, possessed form Bàsakkwacèn)

Bàsakkwacḕ (canonical masculine)
Bàsakkwacìyā (feminine)
Sakkwatāwā (plural)
Bàsakkwacèn (possessed-form)

[bə̀.sákʷ.kʷə́.t͡ʃèː]


Bahaushe

Bàhaushḕ m (feminine Bàhaushìyā, plural Hausāwā, possessed form Bàhaushèn)

Bàhaushḕ (canonical masculine)
Bàhaushìyā (feminine)
Hausāwā (plural)
Bàhaushèn (possessed-form)


Bature

Bàtūr̃ḕ m (feminine Bàtūr̃ìyā, plural Tūr̃āwā, possessed form Bàtūr̃èn)

Bàtūr̃ḕ (canonical masculine)
Bàtūr̃ìyā (feminine)
Tūr̃āwā (plural)
Bàtūr̃èn (possessed-form)


Balarabe

From Lā̀r̃àbā (“Wednesday”), with conflation from etymology 1.

a male given name given to a boy born on a Wednesday


dattijo

dattījò m (feminine dattījìyā, plural dàttā̀wā or dàttī̀jai, possessed form dattījòn)

dattījò (canonical masculine)
dattījìyā (feminine)
dàttā̀wā (plural)
dàttī̀jai (plural)
dattījòn (possessed-form)


agola

agṑlà m (feminine agōlìyā, plural àgṑlai, possessed form agṑlàn)

agṑlà (canonical masculine)
agōlìyā (feminine)
àgṑlai (plural)
agṑlàn (possessed-form)

[ʔá.ɡʷòː.lə̀]

From Tuareg, e.g. Tamasheq ăǵola (“stepchild”).


gwaggo

gwaggò (canonical feminine)
gwaggòn (possessed-form)


makaɗi

makàɗī (canonical masculine)
makàɗin (possessed-form)

[mə́.kə̀.ɗíː]


makaɗi

makaɗī (canonical masculine)
makaɗin (possessed-form)

[mə́.kə́.ɗíː]


lauya

lauyā̀ m or f (plural lauyōyī, possessed form lauyàn)

lauyā̀ (canonical feminine masculine)
lauyōyī (plural)
lauyàn (possessed-form)


jandarma

jandar̃mà (canonical masculine)
jandar̃màn (possessed-form)


ungozoma

ùngōzṑmà (canonical feminine)
ùngōzṑmàr̃ (possessed-form)

/ʔùn.ɡóː.zòː.mà/

[ʔʊ̀ŋ.ɡʷóː.zòː.mə̀]


yarima

yàr̃īmà (canonical masculine)
yàr̃īmàn (possessed-form)

prince (son or younger brother of an emir)


Bararo

Bàr̃àr̃ō m (plural Bàr̃àr̃ō, possessed form Bàr̃àr̃on)

Bàr̃àr̃ō (canonical masculine)
Bàr̃àr̃ō (plural)
Bàr̃àr̃on (possessed-form)


Bafillace

Bàfillācḕ m (feminine Bàfillātā̀, plural Filā̀nī, possessed form Bàfillācèn)

Bàfillācḕ (canonical masculine)
Bàfillātā̀ (feminine)
Filā̀nī (plural)
Bàfillācèn (possessed-form)

[bə̀.ɸɪ́l.láː.t͡ʃèː]


Bafilatani

Bàfilātànī m (plural Filā̀nī, possessed form Bàfilātànin)

Bàfilātànī (canonical masculine)
Filā̀nī (plural)
Bàfilātànin (possessed-form)

[bə̀.ɸɪ́.láː.tə̀.níː]


wanzami

wànzāmī̀ m (plural wànzā̀mai, possessed form wànzāmìn)

wànzāmī̀ (canonical masculine)
wànzā̀mai (plural)
wànzāmìn (possessed-form)


aboka

àbṑkâ (canonical masculine)
àbṑkân (possessed-form)

/ʔà.bòː.kâː/


makiyayi

makìyā̀yī m (feminine makiyāyìyā, plural makìyā̀yā, possessed form makìyā̀yin)

makìyā̀yī (canonical masculine)
makiyāyìyā (feminine)
makìyā̀yā (plural)
makìyā̀yin (possessed-form)


magini

magī̀nī m (feminine magīnìyā, plural magī̀nā, possessed form magī̀nin)

magī̀nī (canonical masculine)
magīnìyā (feminine)
magī̀nā (plural)
magī̀nin (possessed-form)

/má.ɡìː.níː/

[mə́.ɟìː.níː]


mabiyi

mabìyī (canonical masculine)
mabìyin (possessed-form)


birgediya

bìr̃gēdiyā̀ m (possessed form bìr̃gēdiyàn)

bìr̃gēdiyā̀ (canonical masculine)
bìr̃gēdiyàn (possessed-form)

[bɪ̀r.ɟéː.dɪ́.jàː]


samanja

sā̀manjà (canonical masculine)
sā̀manjàn (possessed-form)


shehu

shēhū̀ m (feminine shēhùwā, plural shḕhùnai, possessed form shēhùn)

shēhū̀ (canonical masculine)
shēhùwā (feminine)
shḕhùnai (plural)
shēhùn (possessed-form)

From Arabic شَيْخ (šayḵ). Doublet of shaihi.

(Islam) A great scholar, especially in religious matters.

A traditional title of the emir of Borno.


haɓe

hāɓè (canonical plural)
hāɓèn (possessed-form)

From Fula haɓe (“pagans, non-Fula”), the plural of kaɗo. Doublet of kaɗo.


akawu

àkā̀wu m (plural àkā̀wu-àkā̀wu or akāwunā̀, possessed form àkā̀wun)

àkā̀wu (canonical masculine)
àkā̀wu-àkā̀wu (plural)
akāwunā̀ (plural)
àkā̀wun (possessed-form)

[ʔà.kàː.wʊ́]


mushe

mùshê (canonical masculine)
mùshên (possessed-form)


Bagwari

Bàgwārī m (feminine Bàgwārìyā, plural Gwā̀rā̀wā, possessed form Bàgwārin)

Bàgwārī (canonical masculine)
Bàgwārìyā (feminine)
Gwā̀rā̀wā (plural)
Bàgwārin (possessed-form)

/bà.ɡʷáː.ɽíː/

[bə̀.ɡʷáː.ɽíː]


ba'askare

bà'askar̃ḕ m (plural askar̃āwā, possessed form bà'askar̃èn)

bà'askar̃ḕ (canonical masculine)
askar̃āwā (plural)
bà'askar̃èn (possessed-form)

A native formation, from Arabic عَسْكَر (ʕaskar, “army”).


katibi

kātìbī m (feminine kātìbā, plural kā̀tìbai, possessed form kātìbin)

kātìbī (canonical masculine)
kātìbā (feminine)
kā̀tìbai (plural)
kātìbin (possessed-form)


sadaki

sàdâkī (canonical masculine)
sàdâkin (possessed-form)


taubashi

taubā̀shī (canonical masculine)
taubā̀shin (possessed-form)

cross-cousin (child of a parent's opposite-sex sibling)

someone with whom one has a joking relationship (established between two tribes whose ancestors are thought to be brother and sister)