Editing Zarma language (section)

==Syntax==
Zarma's normal word order is [[subject–object–verb]]. The object is normally placed before the verb but may be placed after the verb for emphasis, and a few common verbs require the object after them. Unlike English, which places prepositions before a noun, Zarma has [[postpositions]], which are placed after the noun: ''fuwo ra'' (in the house), ''fuwo jine'' (in front of the house).

When two nouns are placed together, the first noun modifies the second, showing possession, purpose or description: ''Fati tirǎ'' (Fati's book), ''haŋyaŋ hari'' (drinking water), ''fu meeyo'' (the door of a house). The same construction occurs with a pronoun before a noun: ''ni baaba'' ("your father"). All other modifiers of a noun (adjectives, articles, numbers, demonstratives etc.) are placed after the noun: ''Ay baaba wura muusu boŋey'' ("My father's gold lion heads", Tersis, 1981).

Here is a proverb in Zarma:

{{interlinear|indent=3
|top= ''Da curo fo hẽ, afo mana hẽ, i si jinde kaana bay.''
|da curo fo hẽ, a-fo mana hẽ, i si jinde kaan-a bay
|if bird one cry, {{gcl|NFP|noun-forming prefix}}-one NEG.COMPL cry, they NEG.{{gcl|INCOMPL|incompletive aspect}} voice good-DEF know
|"If one bird sings, and another doesn't sing, they won't know which voice is sweetest."}}

That means that "you need to hear both sides of the story".