Doubled Words for Manner

Level 4

Double a manner word: ntɛm ntɛm (very quickly), brɛoo brɛoo (slowly, gently), kakra kakra (little by little).

How It Works

1. Stronger

  • ntɛm (quickly) and ntɛm ntɛm (very quickly, hurriedly)
  • brɛoo (slowly) and brɛoo brɛoo (very slowly, gently, carefully)

2. Step by step

  • kakra (a little) and kakra kakra (little by little). See Much and a Little: pii and kakra.
  • baako (one) and baako baako (one by one, one at a time); mmienu mmienu (two by two).

3. Position
Like the single word, the doubled form usually follows the verb and its object: Nante brɛoo brɛoo (Walk slowly). It can open a sentence for emphasis, as in the proverb Kakra kakra akokɔ bɛnom nsuo (Little by little the chicken drinks water), which means that patience gets things done.

4. A related pattern
Verbs double too, for repeated or spread-out action (see Doubled Verbs). Vivid sound words such as dinn (quietly) belong to a separate group; see Ideophones: Sound Pictures.

Examples (6)

  1. Bra ntɛm ntɛm!

    Come quickly!

    Doubling ntɛm makes it more urgent.

  2. Nante brɛoo brɛoo.

    Walk slowly and carefully.

    Brɛoo brɛoo is gentler and more careful than brɛoo alone.

  3. Meresua Twi kakra kakra.

    I am learning Twi little by little.

    Kakra kakra spreads the action out step by step.

  4. Mommra baako baako.

    Come one at a time.

    Mo- makes a command to a group, and baako baako means one by one.

  5. Kakra kakra akokɔ bɛnom nsuo.

    Little by little the chicken drinks water.

    A saying about patience and steady progress.

  6. Mma w'akoma nsɔre ntɛm ntɛm.

    Do not let your heart rise too quickly.

    A Bible verse warning against quick anger. Ntɛm ntɛm means too hastily.

Common Mistakes

  • Using kakra kakra for a small amount.

    Ma me nsuo kakra kakra.
    Ma me nsuo kakra.

    Kakra alone means a little. Doubled, kakra kakra means a little at a time, so it does not fit a request for a small amount given all at once.

How It Connects

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

Doubled Words for MannerLevel 4

Words in This Pattern

ntɛmntɛmnkakrankakra