JAMB Hausa Syllabus 2026/2027: Topics, Objectives & Study Guide

Q: How many questions does JAMB set in Hausa?

JAMB sets 40 multiple-choice questions in Hausa, worth 100 marks. Only Use of English has more (60 questions). Across your four subjects the UTME totals 180 questions and 400 marks.

Q: How long is the JAMB exam and how much time per Hausa question?

The whole UTME lasts two hours (120 minutes) for all four subjects combined — roughly 40 seconds per question. Answer the questions you know quickly, flag the harder ones, and return to them. There is no negative marking, so never leave any question unanswered.

Q: Is there negative marking in JAMB Hausa?

No. JAMB does not use negative marking, so a wrong answer simply scores zero — there is no penalty. This means you should attempt every one of the 40 questions, even where you have to make an educated guess near the end of the time.

Subject overview

The aim of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 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:

questions in Hausa

100

marks (of 400 total)

Official syllabus Content is taken from the official JAMB UTME syllabus (IBASS). Last checked: 17 Sept 2026. Always confirm at jamb.gov.ng.

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General objectives

The Hausa syllabus is designed to test candidates' ability to:

1. Acquire the ability to read and write competently in the Hausa language
2. Know the basic features of Hausa language (syntax, phonology, morphology and semantics)
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
CIKAKKEN BAYANIN MANHAJA (DETAILED SYLLABUS)
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES OBJECTIVES
1. Harshe (Language) Candidates should be able
(a) Ƙa’idojin Rubutu (Orthography); i. recognize the basic Hausa orthographical rules
alphabetization, spelling, rules of ii. apply the Hausa orthographical rules
word merger and division, iii. identify linguistic errors, such as; grammar, wrong punctuation and paragraphing all in choice of words, wrong spelling etc
line with standard Hausa
(b) Auna Fahimta (Comprehension); i. read written Hausa texts
contextual questions from short ii. comprehend Hausa text in a given context
unseen passages of about 200 words. 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
(c) Tsarin Rubutun Insha’i i. acquire the knowledge and techniques of (Composition Techniques); composition writing in Hausa
argumentative, descriptive, dialogue, ii. recognize the different segments of composition in expository, narrative and letter writing. Hausa
iii. recognize the different types of Hausa composition
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES OBJECTIVES
(d) Fassara (Translation) i. translate proverbial and idiomatic expressions and
i. Ire-iren fassara (types of translation) new words from English to Hausa
ii. Ƙa’idojin fassara (rules of translation) ii. recognize the different types of translation
iii. Matsalolin fassara (problems of iii. understand the basic techniques of translating proverbial and idiomatic expressions and new translation) words into Hausa
iv. Dabarun fassara (techniques of
iv. identify the problems of translation into Hausa
translation)
(e) Tsarin Sauti (Phonology)
i. consonants – production and
i. analyse the process of sound production and classification in terms of phonation, combination of sounds to form meaningful words place and manner of articulation
in Hausa
ii. vowels – production and classification
ii. appraise the importance of vowels in determining in terms of position of tongue and lips
monophthongs and dipthongs
iii. tone – e.g., high, low and falling tones
iii. distinguish between the phonetic attributes of
iv. syllable structure – syllable types, sounds
e.g., open and close syllables, light and heavy, syllables
iv. recognize the number of syllables and their types syllabic categories of words – in a word
monosyllabic, disyllabic, etc
v. vowel length – long and short vowels
vi. phonological processes – e.g
v. analyse the phonological processes in Hausa
assimilatory: palatalization, labialization and vowel harmony
non-assimilatory: insertion and deletion
(f) Ƙirar Kalma (Morphology) i. explain the roots and stems of Hausa words
i. roots and stems
ii. affixation – e.g., prefix, infix suffix ii. explain the inflectional process in Hausa word and their derivational and inflectional formation
functions; iii. explain the derivational process of word
iii. gender and number inflections; formation in Hausa
iv. derivation of nouns and adjectives from iv. differentiate between the two morphological verbs; adjectives and verbs from processes
(g) Ginin Jumla (Syntax)
i. word classes - e.g., nouns, pronouns, i. analyse the processes governing word verbs, adverbs, adjectives, combination to form phrases; clauses and prepositions, conjunctions, sentences in Hausa
interjections and ideophones
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES OBJECTIVES
ii. grammatical categories – e.g., tense ii. detect linguistic errors in the grammar
and aspect (general and relative past: iii. recognize ideas or thoughts in written form
general and relative continuous, first iv. construct grammatical sentences for effective and second future, habitual); mood communication
(subjunctive and negative); gender v. use the appropriate tenses in spoken and written (masculine, feminine and neuter) and Hausa
number (singular and plural); vi. use the appropriate gender and number in spoken
iii. sentence structure – e.g., verbal and written Hausa
sentence, nominal phrase + verbal vii. differentiate between types of sentence structure
phrase and their components, non- viii. distinguish between nominal and verbal phrase
verbal sentence: nominal phrase + ix. distinguish between types of sentences
stabilizer, nominal phrase+ compliment + stabilizer, nominal phrases + continuous frame
(yana../yake…) (+da) + nominal phrase
iv. sentence types – e.g., simple sentences, compound sentences and complex sentences
v. clauses – types (e.g., relative and subjunctive); functions (e.g., main and x. compare types of clauses
subordinate)
(h) Ma’ana (Semantics)
i. lexical aspects of word meaning – e.g., i. analyse the mechanisms of generating meanings ambiguity, synonym and antonym; in Hausa
ii. build up their vocabulary
ii. figures of speech – aspects of iii. recognize the various meanings and functions of specialized meanings of words and sentences in communication
phrases, e.g., idioms, proverbs etc. iv. use words and sentences suitable for a particular purpose
v. construct meaningful sentences for effective communication
(2) Al’adu (Culture) Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarabawa su iya
(a) Rayuwar Hausawa i. bayyana al’adun da ke tattare da ɗaukar ciki har (Hausa customs); zuwa samartaka
ii. bayyana tasirin zamani a kan haihuwa
i. haihuwa (birth) –ɗaukar ciki da goyon ciki da haihuwa da shayarwa da al’adun makon farko na haihuwa da iii. bayyana al’adun neman aure har zuwa zawarci
wanka da ɓanti da yaye da kaciya da samartaka
ii. aure (marriage) – ire-irensa da nema da iv. bayyana tasirin zamani akan aure
baiko da ɗaurin aure da biki da zaman
v. bayyana hanyoyin faɗar mutuwa zuwa rabon aure da saki da zawarci
vi. bayyana tasirin zamani akan mutuwa
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES OBJECTIVES
iii. mutuwa (death) – faɗar mutuwa da vii. tantance ma’ana da ire-iren tasirin zamani
wanka da salla da jana’iza da zaman makoki da sadaka da takaba da gado
iv. tasirin zamani akan rayuwar Hausawa
(b) Zamantakewa i. bayyana tsarin dangantaka da mu’amala tsakanin (Social Institutions) iyali
i. tsarin zaman iyali da zaman gandu da dangantakar kishiyoyi da ‘yan uwantaka da barantaka da agolanci
ii. maƙwabtaka; ii. bayyana muhimmancin zamantakewa a tsakanin
iii. aikin gandu da na gayya
iv. abota da ƙawance; iii. tantance ire-iren tasirin zamani a kan al’adun
v. gaisuwa da karamci; zamantakewa
vi. tasirin zamani a kan zamantakewa
(c) Sana’o’in Gargajiya (Traditional
Occupations) i. tantance ɗabi’un masu sana’a
i. ire-irensu – noma da ƙira da jima da ii. tantance kayayyakin da ake sana’antawa
kasuwanci da wanzanci da sassaƙa da iii. tantance sana’o’in maza da na mata
iv. zayyana kayayyakin sana’o’in
farauta da dukanci da saƙa da kitso da
v. tantance hanyoyin gadon sana’o’in
rini da fawa da fafar ƙorai, da vi. zayyana amfanin kayayyakin sana’o’in
sauransu; vii. bayyana sarautun sana’o’in
ii. yanayinsu – hanyoyin gadon su da viii. bayyana muhimmancin sana’o’in
kayayyakin yin su da matakan tafiyar ix. tantance tasirin zamani akan sana’o’in
da su da muhimmancinsu
iii. kayayyaki ko amfanin da suke samarwa
iv. sarautunsu
v. sana’o’i masu dangantaka da jinsi – aikatau da ƙwadago; kitso da aski
vi. tasirin zamani a kan sana’o’in gargajiya
(d) Kayayyakin Buƙatun Rayuwa (Material i. tantance kayayyakin buƙatun rayuwa na
Culture) hausawa
i. na buƙatun cikin gida (household) – tufafi da karikitan cikin gida
ii. tantance amfanin kayayyakin buƙatun rayuwa na
ii. na sauran buƙatu (others) – gine-gine Hausawa
da girke-girke da sauransu
iii. tantance tasirin zamani a kan kayayyakin buƙatun
iii. tasirin zamani a kan kayayyakin rayuwa na Hausawa
buƙatuwa
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES OBJECTIVES
(e) Bukukuwa da Wasanni i. zayyana ire-iren wasanni da bukukuwan (Hausa festivities and recreational Hausawa
activities)
i. na addini (religious) – irin su bikin salla da takutaha (sallar gani) da cika- ii. nuna mahimancinsu
ciki da saukar karatu
ii. na gargajiya (traditional) – irin su kalankuwa da buɗar dawa, da bikin iii. nuna yadda za a adana su kada su ɓace
shan kabewa
iii. na sana’a (occupational) – bikin kamun kifi da dambe da kokawa da wasan farauta da wasan maƙera da iv. nuna yadda ake gudanar da su
hawan ƙaho
iv. na nishaɗi – sukuwa; v. nuna tasirin zamani a kan bukukuwa da wasanni
v. na yara (children’s games) –irin su shalle da kulli-kurciya da a-sha- ruwan-tsuntsaye da gaɗa da carafke
vi. tasirin zamani kan bukukuwa da wasanni
(f) Camfe-camfe da Bauta (Traditional Beliefs and Worship)
i. camfe-camfe irin su kangida da camfi, i. tantance ire-ire da hanyoyin aiwatar da su
da kambun baka da maita; ii. bayyana amfaninsu
ii. bauta irin su bori da da tsafi; iii. bayyana rashin amfaninsu
iii. tasirin zamani a kan camfe-camfe da iv. bayyana tasirin zamani a kansu
(g) Sarautun Gargajiya (Traditional
Authority)
i. ire-iren su – sarakuna da hakimai da i. zayyana su ta fuskar ire-iren muƙamai
dagatai da masu unguwanni
ii. na bayin sarki – shantali da jakadiya
ii. zayyana matakan muƙamai
da baraya da sauransu
iii. masu alaƙa da addini; irin su liman da
iii. tantance aikin kowane mai muƙami
iv. ayyukansu
iv. tantance mahimmancin kowane muƙami
v. tasirin zamani a kan sarautun gargajiya
(h) Magungunan Gargajiya v. bayyana tasirin zamani a kansu
(Traditional Medicine) ire-iren su
i. na gargajiya: sassaƙe-sassaƙe da i. karkasa ire-iren magunguna
sawyoyi da na gari da na ruwa
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES OBJECTIVES
ii. na addini: layu da rubutu da ɗibbu da ii. zayyana hanyoyin amfani da su
duba; iii. fito da amfaninsu
iii. hanyar amfani da su – sha da shafawa da surace da turare da shaƙawa da taunawa da tsotsawa da ɗaurawa da liƙawa da ratayawa
iv. tsarin amfani da su v. nuna tasirin zamani a kan su
awo da kimantawa
v. ayyukansu – riga-kafi da warkarwa
vi. tasirin zamani a kansu
Lallai ne waɗanda za su rubuta jarrabawa su iya
(3) Adabi (Literature)
I. Adabin Baka (Oral Literature)
(a) Zuben Baka (Narratives)
Irin su tatsuniya da almara da hikaya da i. tantance nau ‘o’in zuben baka
ƙissa da tarihi da sauransu. ii. amfani da kalmomin da suka dace da kan labari
(b) Maganganun Azanci (Folk – sayings); Irin i. tantance sigogi da bayyana hanyoyin amfani da su take da kirari da habaici da zambo da su
karin magana da kacici-kacici da salon ii. naƙalta da amfani da kalmomin da suka dace da magana da adon magana da sauransu. maganganun azanci
(c) Waƙoƙi na baka (Oral songs): i. tantance ire-iren waƙoƙin baka
i. ire-iren su – na fada da na jama’a da na maza da na sha’awa da sauransu
ii. turke (jigo) da salo da zubi da tsari da ii. tantance masu yin ire-iren waƙoƙin;s mawaƙi da kayan kiɗa da abin da aka iii. rarrabe siga da turke (jigo) da salo da zubi da waƙe. kayayyakin aiwatar da su
iii. waƙoƙin aiki: na niƙa da daɓe da na i. tantance nau’o’in waƙoƙin aiki
daka da na talla da sauransu; ii. tantance masu yin waƙoƙin aiki
iv. Waƙoƙin yara (maza da mata); na iii. bambance sigogin waƙoƙin yara
aure da na dandali da sauransu
(d) Wasannin Kwaikwayo Na Gargajiya (Traditional Drama): i. tantance sigogin wasannin kwaikwayo na gargajiya
i. Na yara: ii. tantance hanyoyin gudanar da wasannin kwaikwayo na gargajiya
iii. fito da muhimmancin wasannin kwaikwayo na gargajiya
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES OBJECTIVES
- ire-irensu - langa da wasan iv. fayyece bambancin wasan kwaikwayo na yara da
’yartsana da tashe da wasan gauta na manya
da dokin kara da sauransu
- yadda ake yin su
- muhimmancinsu
ii. Na manya
- ire-irensu - ‘yan kama da kalankuwa da hoto da wowwo da tashe, da sauransu
- yadda ake yinsu
- muhimmancinsu
II. Rubutaccen Adabi Lallai ne masu ɗaukar jarabawa su iya
(Written Literature)
Zube (Prose) i. tantance siga da tsari da jigo da salo da taurarin cikin littafin zube tare da nazarin su
i. Maraya ii. naƙaltar ƙa’idojin rubutu yayin karanta rubutun zube
iii. naƙaltar ma’anonin kalmomi da na jumloli domin fahimtar labari
iv. tantance muhimman saƙonni a cikin labari da yanke hukunci game da labarin
Waƙa (Poetry)
i. fahimtar jigo da salo da siga da zubi wajen nazarin zaɓaɓɓiyar waƙa
i. Waƙoƙin Wayar Da kai Don ii. yin la’akari da ƙa’idojin rubutu musamman na
Manazarta Hausa Na Ɗaya waƙa
iii. tantance ma’anonin kalmomi da na jumloli wajen nazarin waƙa
iv. danganta amfani da kalmomi da jumloli da saƙon waƙa
Wasan Kwaikwayo (Drama) v. tantance muhimman saƙonni a cikin waƙa da yanke hukunci game da ita
i. tantance yanayin wurin wasa da jigo da salo da
i. Malam Zalimu ‘yan wasa da siga da tsarin rubutaccen wasan kwaikwayo da aka zaɓa don nazari
ii. la’akari da muhimmancin ƙa’idojin rubutu wajen fitar da ma’ana
iii. naƙaltar ma’anar kalmomi domin fahimtar wasa
iv. tantance muhimman saƙonni a cikin wasa da yanke hukunci game da saƙonnin
LIST OF SET TEXTS FOR THE UTME 2026-2030
A. WRITTEN LITERATURE
ZAƁAƁƁUN LITTATTAFAI (PRESCRIBED TEXTS)
GENRE TITLE AUTHOR PUBLISHER
PROSE Maraya Mahe, I. A. Extension
Publishers Limited
Ibadan, 2021
DRAMA Malam Zalimu Gidan Dabino, A. Gidan Dabino
H. Publishers Kano
POETRY Waƙoƙin Wayar Da Anwar, A. ABU Press kai Don Manazarta Zaria, 2024
Hausa Na Ɗaya

How this paper is examined

JAMB Hausa is a Computer-Based Test of 40 multiple-choice questions worth 100 marks. There is no negative marking, so attempt every question. It is examined alongside Use of English and two other subjects, for 180 questions in two hours overall.

How to use this syllabus: don't just read it — turn each topic into a checklist. Study a topic, then immediately practise questions on it so the knowledge sticks. Give extra time to the sections that carry the most topics, and revisit weak areas with timed practice as the exam approaches.

Every topic below is from the official JAMB syllabus, with its contents and the objectives you should be able to meet. Study a topic, then use its objectives as a checklist.