ara (Just, Very)
Just, Very: Ara
Seesei ara means right now, and ɛno ara means that very one. Ara makes the word before it exact.
How It Works
1. After this and that
- ɛno ara (that very one), eyi ara (this very one). See This One and That One.
- saa ara (just like that), sei ara (just like this). See So, Like That: saa.
2. After time and place words
- seesei ara (right now)
- ha ara (right here)
3. After a pronoun
ɔno ara means he himself or she herself, much like Oneself, Really: ankasa: Ɔno ara na ɔbaeɛ (It was he himself who came).
4. Inside other words
The same ara ends Every, Any: biara words such as obiara (everyone) and biribiara (everything), and it is part of nko ara (alone) in Alone, Only: nko ara, pɛ. Pa ara (very) is usually said and written paa: see Very, Really: paa.
5. How it sounds
In everyday speech the r glides away: saa ara sounds like saa, ɔno ara like ɔnoaa. Writing keeps the full ara.
Examples (6)
- Ɛno ara na mepɛ.
That is exactly the one I want.
Word by Word: that just FOCUS I-want
- Mɛba seesei ara.
I will come right now.
Word by Word: I-will-come now just
- Yɛ no saa ara.
Do it just like that.
Word by Word: do it so just
- Ɔte ha ara.
She lives right here.
Word by Word: she-lives here just
- Ɔno ara na ɔbaeɛ.
It was he himself who came.
Word by Word: he just FOCUS he-came
- Ɛte saa ara.
It is just like that.
Te saa means be so; ara makes it exactly so.
Common Mistakes
Putting ara before the word it sharpens.
Mɛba ara seesei.Mɛba seesei ara.The intended meaning is I will come right now. Ara makes the word before it exact, so right now is seesei ara. Placed after mɛba, ara goes with the verb instead, and the sentence no longer says right now.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Ara stresses words such as saa.
Related Patterns
- nko ara / pɛ (Alone, Only)Alone, Only: Nko Ara, Pɛ
Nko ara uses the same ara.
Level 3 - ankasaOneself, Really: Ankasa
Ɔno ara and ɔno ankasa both stress the person.
Level 3 - biaraEvery, Any: Biara
Obiara and biribiara end in the same ara.
Level 2 - paaVery, Really: Paa
Pa ara, usually paa, means very.
Level 2 - eyi / ɛnoThis One and That One
Ɛno ara means that very one.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice ara (Just, Very) in Bubblegum
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