Signification
Losing money in business.
Contexte culturel
In Tanzania, 'hasara' is often met with the phrase 'Pole na hasara' (Sorry for the loss). It is considered polite to acknowledge someone's business failure as a shared social burden. In the vibrant 'Matatu' (minibus) industry in Kenya, owners often talk about 'hasara' when fuel prices rise or when the police demand bribes, affecting their daily targets. Due to the strong Arabic influence in Zanzibar, you might hear the word 'hasara' used more frequently in its original Arabic-style contexts, sometimes even in religious sermons about moral loss. The 'Duka' (small shop) owner often keeps a 'daftari' (ledger) where 'hasara' is recorded. Avoiding 'hasara' is the primary goal of the 'Machinga' (street hawkers).
The Bargaining Shield
Use 'Nitapata hasara' as your shield when someone asks for a price that is too low. It's a culturally accepted way to say 'No'.
Not for Keys!
Remember, if you lose your keys, you 'poteza' them. If you say 'pata hasara', people will think you are trying to sell your keys!
Signification
Losing money in business.
The Bargaining Shield
Use 'Nitapata hasara' as your shield when someone asks for a price that is too low. It's a culturally accepted way to say 'No'.
Not for Keys!
Remember, if you lose your keys, you 'poteza' them. If you say 'pata hasara', people will think you are trying to sell your keys!
Use with 'Tupu'
Add 'tupu' (empty/only) to say 'hasara tupu' for a total disaster. It makes you sound very native.
Say 'Pole'
If a friend tells you they 'pata hasara', always reply with 'Pole' (Sorry/I feel your pain).
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'pata' in the past tense (li).
Juma aliuza nguo zake lakini ___ hasara.
The sentence starts with 'aliuza' (he sold - past), so the second verb should also be in the past tense 'alipata'.
Which sentence is correct for losing your wallet?
How do you say 'I lost my wallet'?
For physical objects like a wallet (pochi), you must use 'poteza'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
A seller says 'Nitapata hasara' when...
Sellers use this phrase to indicate that the offered price is below their cost.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Biashara inaendaje? B: Mbaya sana, mwezi huu ___.
The speaker says 'Mbaya sana' (Very bad), so they must have incurred a loss.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Pata Hasara vs Poteza
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesJuma aliuza nguo zake lakini ___ hasara.
The sentence starts with 'aliuza' (he sold - past), so the second verb should also be in the past tense 'alipata'.
How do you say 'I lost my wallet'?
For physical objects like a wallet (pochi), you must use 'poteza'.
A seller says 'Nitapata hasara' when...
Sellers use this phrase to indicate that the offered price is below their cost.
A: Biashara inaendaje? B: Mbaya sana, mwezi huu ___.
The speaker says 'Mbaya sana' (Very bad), so they must have incurred a loss.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, gambling is considered a form of business/transaction, so 'nilipata hasara kwenye kamari' is correct.
It is almost always used in the singular 'hasara'. The plural 'mahasara' exists but is very rare.
The opposite is 'pata faida' (to get a profit).
No, for losing weight, use 'punguza uzito' (reduce weight).
Yes, it is the standard term used in formal accounting and news reports in East Africa.
Yes, it can mean damage to goods that results in financial loss.
You don't use 'hasara'. You would say 'nimekosa maneno' or 'sina la kusema'.
Yes, 'ingia hasara' (enter loss) is a very common synonym.
Yes, 'pata hasara ya muda' (get a loss of time) is common when a meeting or trip was a waste.
It's a linguistic feature of Swahili where results are 'obtained' (pata) rather than 'made'.
Expressions liées
Pata faida
contrastTo make a profit
Ingia hasara
similarTo fall into loss
Filisika
specialized formTo go bankrupt
Poteza pesa
similarTo lose money
