Language/Twi/Grammar/Questions

Twi Grammar - Questions

Hi Twi learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to ask questions in Twi. Questions are an essential part of any language, as they help us to seek information and clarify meaning. By asking questions, we can learn more about the world around us and communicate more effectively with others. So let's get started! 🚀

Basic Question Words

In Twi, there are several words that we use to ask questions. Here are some of the most common:

Twi	Pronunciation	English
Ɛyɛ	ay-ye	What is
Bɛn	ben	Where
Nnyina	nyi-na	When
Dɛn	den	Who
Daa	daa	Why
Yɛreira ?	ye-ray-ra	How

These question words are used at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a verb or a noun.

Let's look at some examples:

• Wo bɛn? (Where are you?)
• Ɛyɛ akwantuo mu? (What is in the box?)
• Nnyina yɛfrɛ wo saa? (When will you arrive?)
• Dɛn yɛ wo kasa? (Who is your friend?)
• Yɛreira yɛfrɛ wo saa? (How will you arrive?)
• Daa wo bɛyɛ mmo? (Why are you late?)

Notice that in Twi, questions often have a rising intonation at the end.

Yes/No Questions

In addition to question words, we can also ask yes/no questions in Twi. These are questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no". To form a yes/no question, we simply change the word order of a statement and add a question particle at the end of the sentence. The most common question particle in Twi is "a".

Let's look at some examples:

• Wo na ɛyɛ ɔkyena? (Are you a farmer?)
• Onua na ɔbɔɔ papa biara? (Did the person eat anything?)
• Odehye baako na ɔresre wo kasa? (Has the prince seen your friend?)

Notice that in yes/no questions, the subject usually comes after the verb.

Question Tags

Another way to form questions in Twi is by using question tags. These are short phrases that we add to the end of a statement to turn it into a question. For example:

• Wo hwehwɛ obiara, yɛnka wo ho? (You have seen someone, haven't you?)
• Obaa no hwehwɛ mefo, wokɔ so? (The woman saw the men, didn't she?)

Notice that we use the negative particle "nka" to form a negative question tag. We can also use positive question tags, such as "yɛde" or "wo se?"

Example Dialogue

• Kwame: Wo bɛn?
• Ama: Me bɛte ne dɔmpe aseɛ.

Translation:

• Kwame: Where are you?
• Ama: I am at the market.

Cultural Insight

In Twi culture, it is common for people to ask about each other's families and backgrounds as a way of showing interest and respect. For example, someone might ask "Wɔpɛ sɛn?" (How is your home?) or "Na abusua a wɔpɛ sɛn?" (How is your family?). These questions help to establish a sense of connection and community between people.

Further Study

To improve your Twi Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Twi Language
• Ewe People
• Akan People

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