Basic Word Order

Level 1

Twi word order is subject – verb – object, as in English: Ama tɔn nkosua (Ama sells eggs).

How It Works

The basic order is subject, verb, object:

  • Ama tɔn nkosua. Ama sells eggs.
  • Kofi kenkan nwoma. Kofi reads books.

A pronoun subject is a prefix joined to the verb, so the sentence starts with the verb word: Metɔn nkosua (I sell eggs). A noun subject takes no prefix: Ama tɔn, not Ama ɔtɔn. See me- wo- ɔ- yɛ- mo- wɔ- and noun subject without prefix.

Two objects. With ma (give), the person comes before the thing: Ma me nsuo (Give me water). See ma (give).

Place and time. These usually come after the object: Ama tɔn nkosua wɔ Kumase (Ama sells eggs in Kumasi), Mɛkɔ Kumase ɔkyena (I will go to Kumasi tomorrow). A time word can also open the sentence. See time words.

Inside the noun phrase. Describing words and numbers follow the noun: nwoma foforɔ (a new book), nkosua nnum (five eggs). See noun + adjective.

Questions. The order does not change. The question word sits where the answer would go: Wopɛ dɛn? (What do you want?), Ama tɔn dɛn? (What does Ama sell?). See dɛn (what).

Examples (6)

  1. Ama tɔn nkosua.

    Ama sells eggs.

    Word by Word: Ama sells eggs.

    Subject Ama, verb tɔn (sell), object nkosua (eggs).

  2. Kofi kenkan nwoma.

    Kofi reads books.

    Word by Word: Kofi reads books.

    A noun subject is followed directly by the verb, with no prefix.

  3. Ama tɔn nkosua wɔ Kumase.

    Ama sells eggs in Kumasi.

    Word by Word: Ama sells eggs at Kumasi.

    The place phrase comes after the object.

  4. Ma me nsuo.

    Give me water.

    Word by Word: Give me water.

    With ma (give), the person (me) comes before the thing (nsuo).

  5. Wopɛ dɛn?

    What do you want?

    Word by Word: You-want what?

    Dɛn (what) stays in the object position.

  6. Mɛkɔ Kumase ɔkyena.

    I will go to Kumasi tomorrow.

    Word by Word: I-will-go Kumasi tomorrow.

    The time word ɔkyena (tomorrow) comes at the end.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the object before the verb.

    Ama nkosua tɔn.
    Ama tɔn nkosua.

    The object comes after the verb.

  • Putting a place phrase between the verb and its object.

    Ama tɔn wɔ Kumase nkosua.
    Ama tɔn nkosua wɔ Kumase.

    Keep the object right after the verb, and put the place after the object.

  • Putting the thing before the person after ma (give).

    Ma nsuo me.
    Ma me nsuo.

    After ma, name the person first and then the thing.

How It Connects

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Basic Word OrderLevel 1

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