Shekaru

Shekaru is a common noun in the Hausa language meaning "years" or, in some contexts, "a year" in the plural form. It is the plural form of the word for year and is used to express durations of time as well as age when paired with numerals.

Etymology and form: Shekaru derives from the singular shekarar (year) and forms the typical plural in Hausa. When describing a span of time, numbers are placed before the word to indicate the length of time, for example, shekaru biyar (five years), shekaru goma (ten years), or shekaru ashirin (twenty years).

Usage: The term appears in contexts that involve time measurement, aging, history, and duration. It is commonly used with cardinal numbers to specify a quantity of years, as well as in phrases that discuss past events or time periods. In writing and formal speech, you may also encounter phrases like shekarun da suka gabata, meaning "the past years" or "the years that have passed," to refer to historical time or prior periods.

Examples:

- Shekaru biyar means five years.

- Shekaru goma (ten years).

- Shekaru ashirin means twenty years.

- A cikin shekaru meaning “in years” or “over the years,” used to discuss duration.

Relation to related terms: The singular form is shekara, used for referring to a single year or when flexibility in number is needed. The term is widely used across Hausa-speaking regions in education, literature, media, and everyday conversation.

See also: Hausa language; shekarar; counting in Hausa; time expressions in Hausa.