firi ase (Begin)
Begin: Firi Ase
Firi ase means begin: Ɔfirii ase suaa Twi (She started learning Twi).
How It Works
1. The pattern
Subject + firi ase + verb.
- Ɔfirii ase suaa Twi. (She started learning Twi.)
- Nsuo no firii ase tɔeɛ. (The rain started falling.)
2. Tense
In the past, both firi and the next verb take the past, as in Tense Across Serial Verbs. In the future, firi takes bɛ- and the next verb takes a-: Mɛfiri ase asua Twi ɔkyena (I will start learning Twi tomorrow).
3. On its own
With nothing after it, firi ase simply means begin: Adwuma no afiri ase (The work has begun). Ma yɛmfiri ase (Let us begin) uses the optative; the nasal is written m before f.
4. Beginning something named
To begin a named thing, many speakers use hyɛ ... ase with the thing in the middle: Ɔhyɛɛ adwuma foforɔ ase (She started a new job).
5. Spelling
You will see fi ase, fiti ase and firi aseɛ; they are the same verb. The noun mfitiaseɛ means the beginning.
Examples (5)
- Ɔfirii ase suaa Twi.
She started learning Twi.
Word by Word: she-came-from base learned Twi
Both firii and suaa are in the past.
- Nsuo no firii ase tɔeɛ.
The rain started falling.
Word by Word: water the came-from base fell
Tɔeɛ is the past at the end of a clause.
- Mɛfiri ase asua Twi ɔkyena.
I will start learning Twi tomorrow.
Word by Word: I-will-come-from base and-learn Twi tomorrow
After the future verb, sua takes a-.
- Adwuma no afiri ase.
The work has begun.
Word by Word: work the has-come-from base
- Ma yɛmfiri ase.
Let us begin.
Word by Word: let we-may-come-from base
The optative nasal is written m before f.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the second verb in the present after a past firii ase.
Ɔfirii ase sua Twi.Ɔfirii ase suaa Twi.In the past, every verb in the series takes the past. Sua becomes suaa.
Repeating the future on the second verb.
Mɛfiri ase mɛsua Twi.Mɛfiri ase asua Twi.Only firi takes bɛ- (mɛ-). The verb after it takes a-.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Begin is followed by another verb in a series.
Related Patterns
- wie (Finish)Finish: Wie
The opposite: wie means finish.
Level 3 - Tense Across Serial Verbs
In the past, both firi and the next verb take the past.
Level 3 - a- (Consecutive)Consecutive a-
In the future, the verb after firi ase takes a-.
Level 3 - kɔ so (Continue)Keep on: Kɔ So
Kɔ so (continue) is built the same way, with the activity after it.
Level 4 - firi (Come From)Coming from: Firi
Firi on its own means come from.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice firi ase (Begin) in Bubblegum
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