Hausa is rich in karin magana—proverbs that compress generations of observation into a single line. This week’s proverb:
Sannu ba ta hana zuwa. Going slowly does not prevent arriving.
What it means
Patience is not delay. The journey may be slow, but slowness does not stop you from reaching your destination. It’s the Hausa cousin of “slow and steady wins the race”—but with a gentler emphasis: there is no race at all, only your own road.
How it’s used
You’ll hear it as encouragement—to a student repeating a lesson, a trader building a business, or anyone learning something new. It’s also a lovely answer to your own frustration when Hausa feels difficult: sannu ba ta hana zuwa.
One proverb, learned properly, teaches you vocabulary, grammar, and a way of seeing all at once. We’ll share one every week.