ne (And)

And Between Nouns: Ne

Level 1

X ne Y = X and Y: Kofi ne Ama, paanoo ne nkosua (bread and eggs), me ne wo (you and I).

How It Works

Nouns and pronouns

  • Kofi ne Ama (Kofi and Ama)
  • paanoo ne nkosua (bread and eggs)
  • me ne wo (you and I, literally me and you)

With pronouns, use the full pronoun forms, as in me ne wo.

Only between nouns
Ne cannot join two clauses. Compare:

  • Yaw ne Yaa (Yaw and Yaa)
  • Ama frɛɛ me, na mebaeɛ (Ama called me, and I came)

See ne or na.

Three words spelled ne
Twi has three common words spelled ne. Their place in the sentence tells them apart:

  • ne (and) between two nouns: Kofi ne Ama
  • ne (his, her) right before a noun: ne maame (his mother). See possessive pronouns.
  • ne (is) between a subject and who or what it is: Eyi ne me maame (This is my mother). See ne (identity).

Two of them can even meet: Kofi ne ne maame (Kofi and his mother).

Examples (5)

  1. Kofi ne Ama kɔɔ sukuu.

    Kofi and Ama went to school.

    Word by Word: Kofi and Ama went school

    Kofi ne Ama is a noun subject, so the verb has no prefix.

  2. Metɔɔ paanoo ne nkosua.

    I bought bread and eggs.

    Word by Word: I-bought bread and eggs

  3. Kofi ne ne maame wɔ fie.

    Kofi and his mother are at home.

    Word by Word: Kofi and his mother are-at home

    The first ne means and. The second ne means his.

  4. Kwame, Yaw ne Kofi yɛ anuanom.

    Kwame, Yaw and Kofi are brothers.

    Word by Word: Kwame, Yaw and Kofi are siblings

    In a list, ne comes only before the last name.

  5. Ɔfrɛɛ me ne wo.

    She called you and me.

    Word by Word: she-called me and you

Common Mistakes

  • Joining two clauses with ne.

    Ama frɛɛ me ne mebaeɛ.
    Ama frɛɛ me, na mebaeɛ.

    Ne only joins nouns and pronouns. Two clauses are joined with na.

  • Using na between two nouns.

    Kofi na Ama kɔɔ sukuu.
    Kofi ne Ama kɔɔ sukuu.

    The sentence is meant to say Kofi and Ama went to school. After a noun, na puts that noun in focus, as in Kofi na ɔbaeɛ (It was Kofi who came). Between two nouns, Asante Twi uses ne for and. (Fante speakers may say na or nye here, but this course teaches Asante.)

How It Connects

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ne (And)Level 1And Between Nouns: Ne

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nena