Language/Twi/Grammar/Negation

Twi Grammar - Negation

Hi Twi learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about Negation in Twi.

What is Negation?

Simply put, negation is the opposite of affirmation. It's a way of expressing the negative form of a verb in order to deny the information in the main clause.

For example:

• Positive: I eat fufu.
• Negative: I don't eat fufu.

In Twi, negation is expressed by adding "nnyina" or "mbeye" before the verb.

Here are some examples:

Twi	English
Mepɛ sika.	I need money.
Menni pɛ sika.	I don't need money. (Using "nnyina".)
Mepɛ sika.	I need money.
Membɛ pɛ sika.	I don't need money. (Using "mbeye".)

You can also use "nanso" after the verb to negate the whole sentence, effectively saying "but not" or "except that".

For example:

Twi	English
Me hu nkwan.	I see the bird.
Me hu nkwan nanso mempa.	I see the bird but not the tree.

Using Negation with Pronouns

In Twi, when using negation with pronouns, there are two different sets of words that can be added before the verb depending on the subject.

The first set of negation pronouns are "menni" or "nnyina" which are used with the pronouns "me" (I), "wo" (you), "ɔno" or "ɔnua" (he/she).

The second set of pronouns are "mo" or "moyɛ" which are used with the plural pronouns "yɛn" (we), "mo" (you all), or "wɔn" (they).

Here are some examples:

Twi	English
Me yɛ kanea.	I am a teacher.
Menni yɛ kanea.	I am not a teacher. (Using "menni".)
Wo gye sika.	You have money.
Nnyina gye sika.	You don't have money. (Using "nnyina".)
Wɔn nya atenea.	They read books.
Moyɛ nya atenea.	They don't read books. (Using "mo".)

Using "Anywhere" in Twi

In English, "any" can be added to certain words to give a negative connotation. For example, instead of saying "I have some money", you can say "I don't have any money".

In Twi, you can express a similar concept by using the word "ahyehye" which means "anywhere".

Here's an example:

Twi	English
Mepɛ sika.	I need money.
Menni pɛ sika ahyehye.	I don't need any money. (Using "nnyina" and "ahyehye".)

Practice Dialogue

• Person 1: Me deɛ mehye sika a.

 (Translation: I'm looking for money.)
 

• Person 2: Menni deɛ bɔ sika but wo bɛnya nkwan.

 (Translation: You won't find any money but you'll see birds.)

• Person 1: Wo nso aboa ma me.

 (Translation: You also owe me a chicken.)
 

• Person 2: Menonsɔ no afra wo.

 (Translation: I don't owe you anything.)

Conclusion

Negation is an essential part of language learning. Practicing negation in Twi can help you understand how to use negative forms of verbs and give you the ability to communicate negative information. To improve your [Language/Twi|Twi] [Language/Twi/Grammar|Grammar], you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Twi
• Negation