mo- + N- (Group Command)

Commands to a Group

Level 2

Talking to a group? Put mo- and a nasal before the verb: Monkɔ! (Go!).

How It Works

A command to one person is the bare verb: Kɔ! (Go!). To speak to several people, add mo- (you all) and a nasal before the verb:

  • Kɔ! → Monkɔ! (Go!)
  • Tie me. → Montie me. (Listen to me.)
  • Tena ase. → Montena ase. (Sit down.)
  • Bra! → Mommra! (Come!)

Spelling. The nasal is m before b, f, m and p and n before other sounds, and b and d become m and n after it. So mo- with bra is Mommra, and mo- with boa (help) is Mommoa me (Help me). See sound changes after the nasal.

How it is built. This nasal is the same one as in the optative, so Monkɔ is close to you all should go. The mo- is the plural you from the subject prefixes.

More than one verb. Later verbs in the same command take a nasal too, without mo-: Monkɔ nkɔyɛ adwuma. (Go and work.)

Don't, to a group. Add a second nasal: Monkɔ! (Go!) but Monnkɔ! (Don't go!). One nasal or two changes the meaning completely: Monsuro no (Fear him) and Monnsuro! (Don't be afraid!). See negative commands.

Let us. The group form of ma (let) is momma: Momma yɛnkɔ. (Let us go.) See ma + optative.

Examples (6)

  1. Monkɔ!

    Go! (to several people)

    Word by Word: You.all-go!

  2. Mommra!

    Come! (to several people)

    Word by Word: You.all-come!

    Mo- with bra: the nasal is m before b, and b becomes m.

  3. Montena ase.

    Sit down. (to several people)

    Word by Word: You.all-sit down.

  4. Montie me.

    Listen to me. (to several people)

    Word by Word: You.all-listen me.

  5. Monkɔ nkɔyɛ adwuma.

    Go and work. (to several people)

    Word by Word: You.all-go go.and-do work.

    The second verb also takes a nasal.

  6. Monnsuro!

    Don't be afraid! (to several people)

    Word by Word: You.all-not-fear!

    A second nasal makes the group command negative.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the nasal.

    Mokɔ!
    Monkɔ!

    Mokɔ is a statement: you all go. The nasal makes it a command.

  • Writing n before b.

    Monbra!
    Mommra!

    Before b the nasal is m, and b itself turns into m.

  • Using one nasal when you mean don't.

    Monsuro!
    Monnsuro!

    With one nasal, Monsuro! tells people to fear. A negative group command needs two nasals.

How It Connects

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

mo- + N- (Group Command)Level 2Commands to a Group

Learn This First

Group commands put mo- before the optative nasal, and a second nasal makes them negative.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

mon-n-