Language/Twi/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be

Twi Grammar - How to Use "Be"

Hi Twi learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on how to use the verb "be" in Twi. "Be" is a very important verb to know because it is used to express existence, identity, and location. We will also learn how "be" changes according to tense and subject. As always, we will provide cultural information and interesting facts along the way. So, let's get started!

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Give your Opinion & Gender.

The Verb "Be"

In Twi, the verb "be" is expressed by the verb "bɛ". "Bɛ" is an irregular verb, so it changes slightly depending on the subject and the tense. Here are the different forms of "bɛ" in the present tense:

Twi	Pronunciation	English
Me bɛ	may beh	I am
Wo bɛ	wo beh	You are
Ɛnyɛ bɛ	eh-nyeh beh	He/She/It is
Yɛbɛ	yeh-beh	We are
Mo bɛ	mo beh	You all are
Wɔn bɛ	wohn beh	They are

Did you know that the Twi verb "bɛ" is related to the Akan word "obi"? "Obi" means "someone" or "somebody" in Akan. In fact, "bɛ" can be used to mean "to exist" or "to be someone". For example:

• Ɛno bɛhwɛ - This means "he exists" or "he is someone".

Another interesting fact about Twi is that it is a tonal language. This means that the pitch or tone of a word can change its meaning. For example, "bɛ" with a high tone means "will be" while "bɛ" with a low tone means "should be".

"Be" in the Past and Future Tense

Just like in English, "be" in Twi can be used in the past and future tense. In the past tense, "be" is expressed by the verb "bɛhyɛ". Here are the different forms of "bɛhyɛ" in the past tense:

Twi	Pronunciation	English
Me bɛhyɛ	may beh-yeah	I was
Wo bɛhyɛ	wo beh-yeah	You were
Ɛnyɛ bɛhyɛ	eh-nyeh beh-yeah	He/She/It was
Yɛbɛhyɛ	yeh-beh-yeah	We were
Mo bɛhyɛ	mo beh-yeah	You all were
Wɔn bɛhyɛ	wohn beh-yeah	They were

In the future tense, "be" is expressed by the verb "bɛfi". Here are the different forms of "bɛfi" in the future tense:

Twi	Pronunciation	English
Me bɛfi	may beh-fee	I will be
Wo bɛfi	wo beh-fee	You will be
Ɛnyɛ bɛfi	eh-nyeh beh-fee	He/She/It will be
Yɛbɛfi	yeh-beh-fee	We will be
Mo bɛfi	mo beh-fee	You all will be
Wɔn bɛfi	wohn beh-fee	They will be

"Be" for Location and Identity

"Be" in Twi can also be used to express location and identity. In English, we use "to be" for location and identity. For example, "I am in the kitchen" or "She is a doctor". In Twi, we use the verb "bɛ" for these situations.

To express location with "bɛ", we use the preposition "wɔ". "Wɔ" means "at" or "in" in English. Here are some examples:

• Me bɛwɔ krom - I am in the village
• Wo bɛwɔ koraa - You are here
• Ɛnyɛ bɛwɔ Asanteman - He is in Asanteman

To express identity with "bɛ", we use the word "yɛn" which means "we". Here are some examples:

• Yɛn bɛma no nsamanfoɔ - We are his friends
• Yɛn bɛda so - We are tired
• Yɛn bɛhyɛ me ntoma mu - We wore my clothes

Dialogue

Here is a dialogue to help you see how "be" is used in context:

• Person 1: Me bɛwɔ Accra (<translation in English>: I am in Accra)
• Person 2: Wo bɛwɔ hɔ baako? (<translation in English>: Are you here alone?)
• Person 1: Me bɛwɔ hɔ na wɔfa me nsaama. (<translation in English>: I am here with my friend.)
• Person 2: Yɛbɛkɔ so saa ara? (<translation in English>: Shall we go now?)
• Person 1: Wɔn bɛsa ma no (<translation in English>: They will send it to him)

Practice Exercises

Now that you have learned the basics of "be" in Twi, it's time to practice! Here are some sentences for you to translate into Twi:

1. We are happy 2. They were here 3. She will be late 4. You all were hungry 5. I am in Kumasi

Conclusion

In conclusion, "be" is an important verb to know in Twi. It can be used to express existence, identity, location, and more. Remember that "be" changes depending on the tense and subject. To improve your Twi Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

---

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Congratulations on finishing this lesson! Explore these related pages to keep learning: Conditional Mood & Pronouns.

Other Lessons

• Plurals
• Pronouns
• Give your Opinion
• Questions
• Adjectives
• Conditional Mood
• Nouns
• Future Tense
• Negation

Sources

• Twi Grammar - How to Use "Be"
• Twi - Wikipedia
• Twi kasa mmara : a Twi grammar in Twi in SearchWorks catalog