anyɛ yie koraa a

At Least: Anyɛ Yie Koraa a

Level 4

Start with anyɛ yie koraa a to say at least or at the very least: Anyɛ yie koraa a, frɛ me (At least call me).

How It Works

1. How the phrase is built
Anyɛ is the negative past of yɛ, so anyɛ yie is it did not go well. Koraa after a negative means at all, and the final a closes the condition as it does in sɛ ... a. You can also begin with sɛ: Sɛ anyɛ yie koraa a.

2. At least
Put the phrase first, then say the smallest thing you still want or expect.

  • Anyɛ yie koraa a, frɛ me. (At least call me.)
  • Anyɛ yie koraa a, yɛbɛnya baako. (At the very least, we will get one.)

3. At worst
The same phrase can also name the worst case itself, where English says at worst or if worst comes to worst: Sɛ anyɛ yie koraa a, yɛbɛsan aba fie (If worst comes to worst, we will come back home). Both meanings come from one idea: this is what happens when things go badly.

4. Anyɛ yie koraa no
In writing, the phrase often ends in no instead of a, with the same meaning: Sɛ woboa nkurɔfoɔ a, anyɛ yie koraa no, wobɛnya mfasoɔ mmienu (If you help people, you will get at least two benefits).

5. Without koraa
Sɛ anyɛ yie a is a plain condition, if things do not work out: Sɛ anyɛ yie a, mɛsan aba (If it does not work out, I will come back). Koraa is what turns it into at least. Do not confuse it with mpo, which means even.

Examples (5)

  1. Anyɛ yie koraa a, frɛ me.

    At least call me.

    Word by Word: if it did not go well at all, call me

    The speaker hoped for more, such as a visit, but a phone call is the minimum.

  2. Anyɛ yie koraa a, yɛbɛnya baako.

    At the very least, we will get one.

    Word by Word: if it did not go well at all, we will get one

  3. Anyɛ yie koraa a, ɔbɛnya sidi aduonu.

    At the very least, he will get twenty cedis.

    The phrase often comes before a small amount that is still certain.

  4. Sɛ anyɛ yie koraa a, yɛbɛsan aba fie.

    If worst comes to worst, we will come back home.

    Here the phrase names the worst case. Sɛ at the start is optional.

  5. Sɛ woboa nkurɔfoɔ a, anyɛ yie koraa no, wobɛnya mfasoɔ mmienu.

    If you help people, you will get at least two benefits.

    Written Twi often ends the phrase with no instead of a.

Common Mistakes

  • Moving koraa before yie.

    Anyɛ koraa yie a, frɛ me.
    Anyɛ yie koraa a, frɛ me.

    Yɛ yie (go well) is one expression, so koraa comes after the whole of it, just before a.

  • Using the positive ɛyɛ yie.

    Ɛyɛ yie koraa a, frɛ me.
    Anyɛ yie koraa a, frɛ me.

    The phrase is negative because it pictures things going badly. Ɛyɛ yie koraa a would mean if it goes really well, which is the opposite of at least.

How It Connects

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

anyɛ yie koraa aLevel 4At Least: Anyɛ Yie Koraa a

Learn This First

At least is a fixed negative condition built from anyɛ, yie and koraa.

Words in This Pattern

yɛyiekoraaa