Betsy's
50
Most Useful
Twi
Phrases
CONTENTS:
Greetings Introductions Going Places Around the House Buying Stuff Miscellaneous
HOW
TO USE:
The
American English version of the phrase is listed first; it is the one
in larger font. Following that is the properly-spelled Twi version,
the phonetic Twi version, and then the direct English translation.
Often,
an English phrase cannot be translated word-for-word into Twi and
still make sense. This is why the English phrase does not have the
same wording as the direct translation phrase. I included the direct
translation in case you are curious about the meaning of a word or
Twi sentence structure.
DISCLAIMER:
This
is NOT a comprehensive language guide NOR is it LPI prep guide. It is
merely a list of practical phrases that will get you through most
normal, real-life situations here in Ghana. Some of the Twi
spellings may not be correct. Spelling seems to vary wildly
depending on who you ask or what book you use! Also, if you are
Ghanaian and/ or know Twi well, feel free to comment!
Part
I. Greetings
1.
Good morning.
Twi Maakye. or Maakye-o.
(Phonetic) (mah-chee) (mah-chee-oh)
Direct
Translation Give morning. Give morning-o.
2.
Good afternoon.
Twi Maaha. or Maaho.
(Phonetic) (mah-hah) (mah-how)
Direct
Translation Give afternoon. Give afternoon-o.
3.
Good evening.
Twi Maadwo. or
Maadwo-e.
(Phonetic) (mah-joe) (mah-joe-aye)
Direct
Translation Give evening. Give evening-o
4.
Response to “Good morning/ afternoon/ evening”
Twi Yaa'nua.
or Yaa'ena. or Yaa'agya. or Ye'mu / Ye'sϽn.
(Phonetic) (yeh-nweah) (yeh-ennah) (yah-edgah) (yeh-moo
/ yeh-sohn)
Direct
Translation Yes, peer. Yes, old woman. Yes, old man. Yes, anybody.
5.
How are you? I am fine. (version 1 )
Twi Wo
ho te sɛn? Me ho yɛ.
(Phonetic) (woh
hoe teh sane) (meh hoy-yeh)
Direct
Translation Your body feels how? My body is.
6.
How are you? I am fine. (version 2)
Twi ɛtɛ
sɛn? ɛyɛ. or
BϽϽkϽϽ. or Nyame
Adom.
(Phonetic) (eh-teh
sane) (eh-yeh) (boh-kohhh) (nyah-me ah-dome)
Direct
Translation It feels how? It is. Cool. God's grace.
7.
How are you? I am fine. (version 3)
Twi ApϽmu'e? ɛyɛ.
or BϽϽkϽϽ. or
Nyame Adom
(Phonetic) (ah-poo-moo-a) (eh-yeh)
(boh-kohhh) (nyah-me ah-dome)
Direct
Translation Health? It is. Cool. God's grace.
Part
II. Introductions
8.
What is your name? My name is _______. (version 1)
Twi Wo
din de sɛn? Me
din de ______
(Phonetic) (woh
deen deh sane) (meh deen deh _____)
Direct
Translation You are named how? My name is ______
9.
What is your name? My name is _______. (version 2)
Twi Ye
frɛ wo
sɛn? Ye
frɛ me
_______
(Phonetic) (yeh
freh woh sane) (yeh freh me ______)
Direct
Translation We call you how? We call me ______
10.
What is your occupation? I am a teacher.
Twi Wo
yɛ
adwuma bɛn? Me
yɛ tikyani.
(Phonetic) (woh
yeh ad-jew-mah bane) (me yeh tee-cha-nee)
Direct
Translation You do work which? I am teacher.
11.
Where do you live? I live in Sunyani.
Twi Na
wo te he? Me te Sunyani.
(Phonetic) (nah
woh teh hey) (meh teh Sunyani)
Direct
Translation And you live where? I live Sunyani.
12.
What are you from? I am from America.
Twi Wo
firi he? Me firi America.
(Phonetic) (woh
firi he) (mee free America)
Direct
Translation You from where? I from America.
13.
This is my wife/ husband/ brother/ sister.
Twi Me
yere / kunu / nuabarimaa / nuabaa nie.
(Phonetic) (me
yearay / koo-noo / noo-ah-berry-mah / noo-ah-bah nee-yay)
Direct
Translation My wife / husband / brother / sister this.
Part
III. Going Places
14.
Where are you going?
Twi Wo
kϽ he?
(Phonetic) (woh
koh hey)
Direct
Translation You go where?
15.
I am going to town/ market.
Twi Me
kϽ
krom/ dwam.
(Phonetic) (me
koh croom/ jwahm)
Direct
Translation I go town/ market.
16.
When will you return?
Twi Wo
bɛ ba da bɛn?
(Phonetic) (woh
beh bah dah bane)
Direct
Translation You will come day which?
17.
I will return today / tomorrow / the day after tomorrow
Twi Mɛba
enneɛ / okyina / okyina akye
(Phonetic) (meh-bah
ennay / oh-chin-nah / oh-chin-ah ah-chee)
Direct
Translation I will come today / tomorrow / tomorrow back.
18.
Where have you been?
Twi Wo
kϽϽ he?
(Phonetic) (woh
kaw hey)
Direct
Translation You went where?
19.
I traveled.
Twi Ma
tu kwan.
(Phonetic) (mah
too quine)
Direct
Translation I travelled.
20.
Excuse me, where is the Sunyani car?
Twi Me
pa wo kyew, Sunyani kaa wo he?
(Phonetic) (me
pah woh choh, Sunyani car woh hey?)
Direct
Translation I beg your pardon, Sunyani car is where?
21.
Driver, please, slow down!
Twi Driver,
mesrɛ,
tϽbϽ!
(Phonetic) (drivah,
meh-ser-reh, toh-boh)
Direct
Translation Driver, I beg, slow down!
22.
Mate, I will get down here / there / at the billboard.
Twi Mate,
me si ha / hϽ /
wϽ
signboard.
(Phonetic) (mate,
meh see hah / hoe / woh signboard)
Direct
Translation Mate, I sit here / there / at signboard.
23.
To get to Sunyani is how much?
Twi KϽ
Sunyani yɛ sɛn?
(Phonetic) (koh
Sunyani yeh sane)
Direct
Translation Go Suyani is how much?
24.
What gift did you bring me from your travels?
Twi Na
wo tϽ
deɛn abrɛ me?
(Phonetic) (nah
woh tow dee-ane ah-breh me)
Direct
Translation And you bought what to bring me?
25.
I brought you bread.
Twi MatϽ
panoo ama wo.
(Phonetic) (mah
tow pah-no ah-mah woh)
Direct
Translation I bought bread to give you.
Part
IV. Around the House
26.
Anybody home?? …. Hello, I'm coming.
Twi Agoo? ….
Amee, me ba.
(Phonetic) (ah-go) (….
ah-may meh-bah)
Direct
Translation Hello? …. Hello, I'm coming.
27.
Please.... (followed by a request)
Twi Me
pa wo kyew...
(Phonetic) (me
pah woh choh...)
Direct
Translation I beg your pardon...
28.
Wash my clothes today.
Twi Si
m'ataadea enneɛ.
(Phonetic) (see
mah-tah-dee-a innay)
Direct
Translation Wash my clothing today.
29.
Please wash the dishes.
Twi Hohoro
nkyɛsee/nniema no.
(Phonetic) (hoh-horrow
en-chensee /nee-ay-ma no)
Direct
Translation Wash dishes the.
30.
Sweep my room.
Twi Pra
me dan mu.
(Phonetic) (prah
meh dine mew)
Direct
Translation Sweep my room inside.
31.
Fetch water for me.
Twi KϽ
sa nsuo abrɛ
me.
(Phonetic) (koh
sah in-sue-oh ah-breh me)
Direct
Translation Go carry water to bring me.
32.
I am going to bathe.
Twi Me
kϽ
dware.
(Phonetic) (mee
koh jwah-ray)
Direct
Translation I go bathe.
33.
Where is the soap?
Twi Samina
no wo he?
(Phonetic) (saminah
no woh hey)
Direct
Translation Soap the is where?
34.
What do you want to eat?
Twi Wo
bɛdi deɛn?
(Phonetic) (woh
beh-dee dee-ane)
Direct
Translation You will eat what?
35.
I want an egg sandwich.
Twi Me
pɛ kosua akye ne panoo.
(Phonetic) (meh
peh cosia ah-chee nee pah-no)
Direct
Translation I like egg fried and bread.
36.
I have eaten, I am satisfied.
Twi Ma
didi, maame paa.
(Phonetic) (mah
dee-dee, mah-me pah)
Direct
Translation I have eaten, I am full very.
37.
We will pound fufu tonight.
Twi Yɛbɛ
wϽ fufu
anwϽmmerɛ
yei.
(Phonetic) (yeh-beh
woh fufu anew-mirray yee)
Direct
Translation We will pound fufu evening this.
38.
I am going to bed... Good night!
Twi Me
kϽ
da... Da yie!
(Phonetic) (me
koh dah... dah yee)
Direct
Translation I go sleep... Sleep well!
Part
V. Buying Stuff
39.
What do you want to buy?
Twi Na
wo pɛ deɛn? or Na wo tϽ
deɛn?
(Phonetic) (nah
woh peh dane) (nah woh toh dane)
Direct
Translation And you like what? And you buy what?
40.
I want to buy rice / beef / cassava.
Twi Me
tϽ
ɛmϽ
/ nantwinam / bankye
(Phonetic) (meh
toh eh-moo / nan-chwee-num / ban-chey)
Direct
Translation I buy rice / cow meat / cassava.
41.
This is how much?
Twi ɛyɛ
sɛn?
(Phonetic) (eh-yeh
sane)
Direct
Translation It is how much?
42.
Where can I buy bananas?
Twi ɛhe
na me nya
kwadu
atϽ?
(Phonetic) (eh-hee-nah
meh nyah quah-doo ah-toh)
Direct
Translation Where me get banana to buy?
Part
VI. Miscellaneous
43.
I am sick.
Twi Me
yare.
(Phonetic) (meh
yarray)
Direct
Translation I am sick.
44.
Thank you (very much).
Twi Me'daase
(paa).
(Phonetic) (meh
dah-see (pah))
Direct
Translation I thank (much).
44.
What the hell! (exclamation)
Twi Adɛn!
(Phonetic) (ah-den)
Direct
Translation Why!
45.
Let's pray.
Twi Yɛ
bϽmpaeɛ.
(Phonetic) (yeh
bom-pie-aye)
Direct
Translation We pray.
46.
I am hungry. 47. I am thirsty.
Twi ɛkϽm
de me. SukϽm
de me.
(Phonetic) (eh-com
deh me) (sue-com deh me)
Direct
Translation ?? ??
48.
You are crazy. (rude)
Twi WϽabϽdam.
(Phonetic) (wah-boh-dahm)
Direct
Translation ??
49.
Go away. (also not very nice)
Twi Firi
ha kϽ.
(Phonetic) (free-hah
koh)
Direct
Translation Away here go.
50.
Let's play volleyball!
Twi Yɛbɛ
bϽ
volley!
(Phonetic) (yeh-beh
boh volley)
Direct
Translation We will hit volleyball!
No comments:
Post a Comment