N- (Negative Perfect)

Has Not: Negative Perfect

Level 3

Has not = negative nasal + verb + past-style ending: Kofi mmaeɛ (Kofi has not come), Menhunuu no (I have not seen him).

How It Works

1. How to build it
Put the negative nasal before the verb, then add the same ending the simple past uses:

  • at the end of a clause: -eɛ or -iɛ: Kofi mmaeɛ (Kofi has not come), Ɔnkɔeɛ (She has not gone).
  • before an object or another word: the last vowel doubles: Kofi mmaa fie (Kofi has not come home), Menhunuu no (I have not seen him).

The usual sound changes apply: ba becomes mma-, so mmaeɛ.

2. The swap

  • Perfect: Kofi aba (has come) → negative Kofi mmaeɛ (has not come).
  • Past: Kofi baeɛ (came) → negative Kofi amma (did not come). See Did Not: a- + N-.

3. Keep the ending
Without the ending, the verb is the negative present: Kofi mma means Kofi does not come (as a habit).

4. Often: not yet
The negative perfect often suggests the event may still happen. Add nnya to say not yet clearly: Kofi nnya mmaeɛ (Kofi has not come yet).

5. Akuapem
Akuapem and older printed Twi leave off the final ɛ: ɔmmae where Asante writes ɔmmaeɛ.

Examples (5)

  1. Kofi mmaeɛ.

    Kofi has not come.

    Ba becomes mma- after the nasal; -eɛ ends the clause.

  2. Kofi mmaa fie.

    Kofi has not come home.

    Before fie, the vowel doubles instead of taking -eɛ.

  3. Ɔnkɔeɛ.

    She has not gone. / She has not left.

  4. Menhunuu no.

    I have not seen him.

    Word by Word: I-not-saw him

    Compare Menhunu no, I do not see him.

  5. Nsuo ntɔeɛ.

    It has not rained.

    Word by Word: water not-fell

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the ending.

    Kofi mma. (meaning he has not come)
    Kofi mmaeɛ.

    Kofi mma means Kofi does not come, as a habit. To say he has not come, keep the ending: mmaeɛ.

  • Using the negative past when you mean has not.

    Kofi amma. (meaning he has not arrived yet)
    Kofi mmaeɛ.

    Kofi amma says he did not come to something that is already over. If you are still waiting and he may still come, say Kofi mmaeɛ.

How It Connects

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

N- (Negative Perfect)Level 3Has Not: Negative Perfect

Learn This First

The negative perfect swaps markers with the negative past: the nasal plus the past-style ending.

Words in This Pattern

n--eɛ-iɛ