Doubled Verbs
Double the verb for repeated or spread-out action: bu (break) and bubu (break into pieces), twa (cut) and twitwa (cut up).
How It Works
1. Many times or many things
- bu (break) and bubu (break into pieces, break many)
- twa (cut) and twitwa (cut up)
- kyɛ (share) and kyekyɛ (share out, divide among many)
- bɔ (hit) and bobɔ (beat up, hit many times)
2. Doubled verbs with their own meaning
- kyerɛ (show) and kyerɛkyerɛ (teach)
- di (eat something) and didi (eat, have a meal). Di needs an object, Ɔdi aduane (He eats food), but didi stands alone: Ɔredidi (He is eating).
3. The first copy can change its vowel
When a one-syllable verb has the vowel a, ɛ or ɔ, the first copy takes a higher vowel: bɔ becomes bobɔ, twa becomes twitwa, kyɛ becomes kyekyɛ. Verbs with i, u, e or o copy exactly: bu becomes bubu, di becomes didi, gye (take) becomes gyegye. Longer verbs usually copy exactly: kyerɛkyerɛ.
4. Tense and negatives stay the same
Prefixes and endings go on the whole doubled verb: ɔrekyerɛkyerɛ (she is teaching), kyerɛkyerɛɛ (taught, before an object), nkyerɛkyerɛ (does not teach). See Simple Past Before an Object.
5. New words from doubled verbs
Doubled verbs build nouns too: ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ (teacher) is kyerɛkyerɛ plus -foɔ. Not every verb can be doubled freely, so learn the common doubled verbs as words.
Examples (5)
- Abofra no bubuu nkuruwa no.
The child broke the cups.
Bubu shows that many cups were broken, or broken to pieces.
- Ɔkyerɛkyerɛ Twi wɔ sukuu.
He teaches Twi at school.
Kyerɛkyerɛ (teach) is the doubled form of kyerɛ (show).
- Bra bɛdidi.
Come and eat.
Didi means eat or have a meal and needs no object.
- Ɔtwitwaa nam no.
She cut the meat into pieces.
Twa (cut) becomes twitwa, with i in the first copy.
- Ɔkyekyɛɛ paanoo no maa mmofra no.
She shared out the bread among the children.
Kyekyɛ spreads the sharing over many children; ma introduces who receives it.
Common Mistakes
Using di with no object.
Kofi redi.Kofi redidi.Di (eat) needs an object: Kofi redi aduane. Without an object, use the doubled didi.
Copying a, ɛ or ɔ unchanged in a one-syllable verb.
Wɔbɔbɔɔ no.Wɔbobɔɔ no.When bɔ is doubled, the first copy becomes bo: bobɔ (beat up). This vowel change is normal for one-syllable verbs with a, ɛ or ɔ.
Related Patterns
- Doubled Words for Manner
Manner words are doubled too, for intensity or gradual action.
Level 4 - -foɔPeople Who Do: -foɔ
Doubled verbs build person nouns: ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ (teacher).
Level 2 - Simple Past Before an Object
Doubled verbs form the past the same way: kyerɛkyerɛɛ.
Level 1 - kɔ- / bɛ- (Motion)Go and, Come and: Kɔ- and Bɛ-
Bɛdidi combines come-and bɛ- with the doubled verb didi.
Level 2 - Vowel Harmony
The vowels in both copies follow the same harmony.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice Doubled Verbs in Bubblegum
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