-iyya
Hausa
Etymology
Borrowed from Arabic ـِيَّة (-iyya).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /-íj.jàː/
- (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA(key): [-ɪ́j.jàː]
Suffix
-iyyā̀ f
- Used as a nisba suffix to form abstract nouns, often for systems or periods of time.
Usage notes
This suffix is largely nonproductive, but has been extended to some words, both derived from Arabic and not. The tone pattern it sets is low-high-low.