san (Again, Back)

Again, Back: San

Level 3

San + verb means back or again: San bra (Come back), Ɔsan kɔɔ fie (He went back home).

How It Works

1. Back
With verbs of motion, san means back:

  • San bra. (Come back.) Ba has the command form bra.
  • San bra fie. (Come back home.)
  • Ɔsan kɔɔ fie. (He went back home.)

2. Again
With other verbs, san means doing it again. It often pairs with bio (again): San ka bio (Say it again).

3. Tense
In the past, san looks the same and the next verb shows the past: Ɔsan kɔɔ fie. In the future, the next verb takes a-: Mɛsan aba ɔkyena (I will come back tomorrow).

4. Spelling
Many Asante texts write sane where Akuapem writes san: ɔbɛsane akɔ (he will go back). Both are the same word.

5. San or bio?
Bio goes after the verb and means again or anymore. San goes before the verb and adds the idea of going back or starting over.

Examples (5)

  1. San bra.

    Come back.

    Word by Word: return come

  2. San bra fie.

    Come back home.

    Word by Word: return come home

  3. Ɔsan kɔɔ fie.

    He went back home.

    Word by Word: he-return went home

    The past shows on kɔɔ. San stays the same.

  4. San ka bio.

    Say it again.

    Word by Word: return say again

    San and bio together make again very clear.

  5. Mɛsan aba ɔkyena.

    I will come back tomorrow.

    Word by Word: I-will-return and-come tomorrow

    After a future verb, the next verb takes a- instead of bɛ-.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting san after the verb, like English back.

    Ɔkɔɔ fie san.
    Ɔsan kɔɔ fie.

    San is the first verb in the series. It always comes before the verb it goes with.

  • Repeating the future on the second verb.

    Mɛsan mɛba ɔkyena.
    Mɛsan aba ɔkyena.

    Only the first verb takes bɛ- (mɛ-). The verb after it takes a-: Mɛsan aba.

How It Connects

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

san (Again, Back)Level 3Again, Back: San

Learn This First

San is a serial first verb.

Words in This Pattern

sansan akɔ