akyi (After)

After: Noun + Akyi

Level 3

Event noun + akyi = after: adidi akyi (after eating), ɛno akyi (after that).

How It Works

1. The pattern
event noun + akyi.

  • adidi akyi (after eating; adidi is the meal, the eating)
  • adwuma no akyi (after the work)
  • sukuu akyi (after school)

2. After that
Ɛno akyi (after that) moves a story forward: Ɛno akyi, yɛkɔɔ fie (After that, we went home). You will also hear ɛno akyi no. See also Now, Next: afei.

3. Time spans
A length of time works too: Nnawɔtwe baako akyi, ɔsan baeɛ (After one week, he came back).

4. Before and after
Before uses a full clause: ansa na woadidi (before you eat). See Before: ansa na. After usually uses a noun with akyi.

Examples (5)

  1. Adidi akyi, yɛbɛkɔ fie.

    After eating, we will go home.

    Word by Word: eating behind, we-FUT-go home

    Adidi is the noun for eating or a meal.

  2. Adwuma no akyi, yɛbɛkɔ fie.

    After the work, we will go home.

  3. Ɛno akyi, yɛkɔɔ fie.

    After that, we went home.

    Word by Word: that behind, we-go-PAST home

    Ɛno akyi links two steps in a story.

  4. Sukuu akyi, mmofra no di agorɔ.

    After school, the children play.

    Di agorɔ means play.

  5. Nnawɔtwe baako akyi, ɔsan baeɛ.

    After one week, he came back.

    Word by Word: week one behind, he-again come-PAST

    San before a verb means again or back.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting akyi before the noun, like English after.

    Akyi adidi, yɛbɛkɔ fie.
    Adidi akyi, yɛbɛkɔ fie.

    Akyi always follows the noun it belongs to, as in fie no akyi (behind the house).

  • Using ansa na where you mean after.

    Yɛbɛkɔ fie ansa na yɛayɛ adwuma.
    Adwuma no akyi, yɛbɛkɔ fie.

    The intended meaning is After the work, we will go home. The incorrect sentence means We will go home before we work. Ansa na means before.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

akyi (After)Level 3After: Noun + Akyi

Learn This First

After in time extends akyi.

Words in This Pattern

akyiri