koraa

At All: Koraa

Level 3

Koraa makes a negative stronger, like English at all: Mempɛ koraa (I do not want it at all).

How It Works

1. At the end of a negative clause
Koraa usually comes last, after the object and other words:

  • Mempɛ koraa. (I do not want it at all.)
  • Ɔnni sika koraa. (He has no money at all.)
  • Menni adagyeɛ koraa. (I have no free time at all.)
  • Ɛnyɛ den koraa. (It is not hard at all.)

2. Not even one
In a negative sentence, koraa right after a word, especially a number, means not even that much: Wɔn mu baako koraa amma (Not even one of them came).

3. Strong pairs
Koraa often follows other negative words: hwee koraa (nothing at all).

4. Keep the negative
The sense of not at all comes from the negative verb. Without it, the sentence no longer says not. In a positive sentence, koraa means completely instead: Mawie koraa (I have completely finished). You will also meet koraa inside the fixed phrase anyɛ yie koraa a (at the very least, literally if it does not go well at all).

5. Koraa or bio?
Bio after a negative means anymore: Mempɛ bio (I do not want it anymore). Koraa means at all: Mempɛ koraa (I do not want it at all).

Examples (6)

  1. Mempɛ koraa.

    I do not want it at all.

    Word by Word: I-not-want at-all

    Mempɛ is the negative of pɛ (want). The object it is left out.

  2. Ɔnni sika koraa.

    He has no money at all.

    Word by Word: he-not-have money at-all

  3. Menni adagyeɛ koraa.

    I have no free time at all.

    Adagyeɛ means free time or leisure. Some writers spell it adagye.

  4. Ɛnyɛ den koraa.

    It is not hard at all.

    Word by Word: it-is-not hard at-all

  5. Wɔn mu baako koraa amma.

    Not even one of them came.

    Word by Word: them among one at-all did-not-come

    Right after baako (one), koraa means not even one.

  6. Ɔnni hwee koraa.

    He has nothing at all.

    Hwee koraa is a strong way to say nothing at all.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the negative when you mean not at all.

    Mepɛ koraa.
    Mempɛ koraa.

    Mepɛ is positive: I want it. To say I do not want it at all, the verb must be negative, mempɛ, and koraa follows.

How It Connects

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

koraaLevel 3At All: Koraa

Learn This First

Koraa strengthens a negative.

Words in This Pattern

koraa